Executive Chef

Executive Chef

Location: New York, NY
Salary: $110,000–$120,000 annually
Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Reports To: Brand Director

About Cosme

Cosme is a contemporary Mexican restaurant in New York City inspired by Mexico’s rich culinary traditions and the ingredients of the Hudson Valley. As the Cosme brand continues to grow in New York and beyond, we are seeking an experienced and systems-oriented Executive Chef to lead the operational and administrative excellence of our culinary program.

The Role

The Executive Chef will oversee Cosme’s culinary operations, ensuring that recipes, ingredients, production processes, and presentation standards are executed with precision and consistency across daily service, special events, pop-ups, and brand activations.

Working closely with the Brand Director and Chef de Cuisine, this role will balance culinary excellence with strong financial oversight, thoughtful sourcing, kitchen administration, and leadership development. The ideal candidate is an organized and collaborative culinary leader who understands that consistency, discipline, and strong systems are essential to maintaining the quality and integrity of the Cosme brand.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Operations & Standards

• Oversee the Chef de Cuisine and Back of House leadership team to ensure consistent execution of recipes, preparation, and plating standards.

• Conduct regular tastings and kitchen walkthroughs to maintain quality and consistency.

• Establish and maintain effective kitchen systems, production standards, and operating procedures.

• Oversee Back of House scheduling, payroll, and staffing in partnership with Human Resources.

• Ensure compliance with all NYC Department of Health requirements and applicable state and federal sanitation regulations.

Product Sourcing & Vendor Management

• Lead the sourcing and evaluation of ingredients to ensure they align with Cosme’s culinary identity and quality standards.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with farmers, fisheries, and premium suppliers.

• Evaluate vendor performance and identify opportunities to balance ingredient quality with responsible cost management.

• Oversee the approval of new ingredients and product substitutions in coordination with culinary leadership.

Financial & Administrative Management

• Own the recipe-costing process and maintain accurate, up-to-date cost cards for all menu items.

• Monitor food-cost performance, identify variances, and implement corrective action when necessary.

• Partner with the accounting team on budgeting, inventory control, and profit-and-loss review.

• Oversee ordering, purchasing decisions, inventory practices, and waste-reduction strategies.

• Participate in weekly P&L meetings and contribute to culinary financial reporting.

Brand Activations & Events

• Serve as the culinary lead for Cosme brand activations, pop-ups, partnerships, and off-site events.

• Coordinate culinary logistics, staffing, production, and ingredient procurement for each activation.

• Partner with production and operations teams to ensure seamless execution.

• Maintain Cosme’s culinary standards and presentation across every event and activation format.

Team Leadership & Development

• Mentor and develop the Back of House leadership team, promoting consistency, accountability, and professionalism.

• Support the recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance evaluation of key culinary team members.

• Foster a collaborative kitchen culture grounded in hospitality, respect, and excellence.

• Provide clear expectations, thoughtful feedback, and opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• Minimum of four years of culinary leadership experience, with a strong emphasis on operations and administration.

• Strong knowledge of food costing, recipe management, inventory control, and purchasing.

• Experience sourcing premium ingredients and managing vendor relationships.

• Demonstrated financial acumen, including experience with budgets, P&L analysis, and cost reporting.

• Proven ability to maintain culinary consistency across daily service, special events, and other operating formats.

• Strong organizational, communication, and administrative skills.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and restaurant POS systems.

• Fluency in English required; Spanish proficiency strongly preferred.

• Availability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, and to travel as needed for brand activations.

Cosme is looking for a thoughtful and disciplined culinary leader who can protect the integrity of the restaurant while building the systems, teams, and standards needed to support the brand’s continued growth.