Job description
Heritage Kitchen Co. is seeking a seasoned Traditional Cuisine Chef to lead our kitchen in New Orleans, bringing authentic Cajun, Creole, and regional traditions to life with modern execution. This role blends time-honored techniques with contemporary palate demands, delivering high-quality experiences for locals and visitors alike.
As the Culinary Lead, you will mentor a diverse team, design menus that celebrate heritage ingredients, and ensure operational excellence across all service periods. The ideal candidate combines culinary artistry with strong leadership, cost control, and a passion for storytelling through food.
Responsibility
- Lead the development and execution of traditional Cajun and Creole dishes with authenticity and modern presentation.
- Oversee menu planning, recipe standardization, sourcing, and cost controls to maximize quality and profitability.
- Manage kitchen operations across prep, line, pastry, expediting, and service; ensure consistent plating and service timing.
- Mentor and supervise a diverse culinary team; foster professional growth and maintain a positive kitchen culture.
- Collaborate with front-of-house to ensure exceptional guest experiences and timely communication during service.
- Maintain rigorous food safety, sanitation, and HACCP compliance; implement ServSafe practices and training.
- Monitor inventory, ordering, waste reduction, and equipment maintenance to minimize downtime and cost.
- Develop seasonal specials that celebrate regional flavors and storytelling of the heritage cuisine.
Qualification
- Minimum 5 years as executive or head chef in traditional or regional cuisine environments, with a strong focus on Cajun, Creole, or Southern cooking.
- Proven leadership and team-building abilities; experience coaching and developing cooks at all levels.
- Solid knowledge of menu development, portioning, pricing, and cost controls.
- Exceptional palate, plating skills, and commitment to culinary artistry and consistency.
- Strong food safety knowledge; ServSafe certification or equivalent; HACCP training.
- Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays in a fast-paced kitchen.
- Formal culinary education or apprenticeship with relevant credentials.
- Excellent communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.