Executive Chef

Woods & Co Recruitment is currently partnered with a boutique catering company known for delivering elevated, produce-driven cuisine with a strong focus on seasonality, creativity, and hospitality. Specializing in both premium drop-off catering and full-service events for a high-profile client base, they have built a strong reputation for executing thoughtful and refined culinary experiences across New York City.


Together, we are on the lookout for a passionate and highly driven Executive Chef to lead their culinary team. This role gives you the authority to oversee all culinary operations, drive innovation across seasonal menu development, and shape the culture, standards, and long-term success of the kitchen while collaborating closely with ownership and leadership.

What's in it for you?

• A true opportunity to take ownership of a respected and growing culinary program while elevating your leadership career alongside a trusted partner for clients' most important occasions.
• The chance to work with an industry leader and top luxury NYC brands.
• The ability to build, mentor, and lead a strong, positive, and high-performance culinary team.
• Creative influence over seasonal menu development, recipe innovation, and overall culinary direction.
• A full-time schedule, generally working 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday (with occasional weekend work expected based on seasonality and events).
• Salary : 120k-130k + bonus
• Benefits : 2 weeks PTO, Sick Time, Healthcare, Daily Meals

What do you do?

• Lead and oversee all culinary operations, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, consistency, presentation, and hospitality across both drop-off and full-service catering.
• Create, develop, and implement seasonal menus in line with the company’s food ethos, creative direction, and client expectations.
• Partner closely with the Sales team and leadership to develop custom menus and execute elevated culinary experiences for luxury clientele and events.
• Supervise, train, mentor, and develop kitchen staff while fostering accountability, teamwork, and a high-performance kitchen culture.
• Conduct daily line checks, maintain quality control standards, and ensure all food handling, storage, and rotation procedures remain fully ServSafe compliant.
• Manage ordering, inventory, food costing, labor scheduling, and overall kitchen financial performance while proactively identifying operational efficiencies.
• Maintain all kitchen equipment, oversee cleanliness and organization standards, and ensure the commissary kitchen operates efficiently and safely at all times.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, and ongoing staff development while maintaining strong communication between BOH, FOH, and leadership teams.

What do you need?

• 5+ years of culinary leadership experience within a fast-paced, high-level kitchen environment.
• A strong understanding of catering operations, commissary kitchens, and high-volume production.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and team management skills with the ability to lead from the front and work hands-on alongside your team.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing labor, food costs, inventory, and operational performance.
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, and a deep understanding of food safety and kitchen operations.
• The ability to drive creativity, innovation, and consistency across a growing culinary program.
• The physical ability to be on your feet for most of the day, maneuver through all kitchen areas, and lift at least 50 pounds.
• English fluency (Spanish fluency is highly preferred).

If you're as passionate about this position as we are, apply now! We are interviewing immediately.

To find out more about this position please reach out to Sonia at [email protected] or +1 (917) 525-2275 .