Lead Line Cook

About iara
iara is a Brazilian open-kitchen restaurant opening this fall on the Lower East Side, inspired by the Amazon. Chef Vitor Mendes, a 2025 StarChefs Rising Star and the opening Chef de Cuisine of Theodora, is opening his first restaurant at 205 Allen Street and putting the team together now. 50 seats, one open kitchen, and a menu you won't find anywhere else. iara celebrates Amazon Rainforest’s unique ingredients through comforting Brazilian cooking.

The Role
This is Vitor's right hand on the line and a real cooking partner to the executive chef, side by side every service, prepping sauces, butchering, grilling, and plating. You'll also serve guests directly at the open counter, handing dishes to the people seated in front of you as a core part of every shift. It's a hands-on senior-cook role, not a desk job, with a clear path to Sous Chef and eventually Chef de Cuisine, a salaried position, as iara grows.

Responsibilities
- Cook the line alongside Vitor every service, from saute to grill to plating
- Serve guests directly at the open counter as a principal, regular part of each shift
- Run the pass and expedite service, stepping in for Vitor when he is off the line
- Prep and butcher sauces, stocks, and fabrication to iara's standards
- Hold quality and consistency across the kitchen by leading through your own work on the line
- Help set up prep systems, mise en place standards, and service flow
- Order, receive, and manage inventory for your stations
- Protect food cost through tight portioning and low waste
- Support and mentor junior line cooks by example
- Handle kitchen open and close, from equipment checks to breakdown and sanitation
- Maintain DOH compliance and kitchen safety protocols

What We're Looking For
- 3+ years of line experience at a fine-dining or fine-casual NYC kitchen
- Strong fundamentals in knife skills, butchery, sauce work, and grilling
- Comfortable with kitchen and ordering tech like POS/KDS, inventory, and Google Workspace
- Valid NYC Food Protection Certificate (Food Handler's) required
- Analytical and organized, with the composure to read and solve fast-changing situations under pressure
- Hungry to grow into a salaried leadership role
- Holds our operating and training standards consistently, service after service
- Open availability across nights, weekends, and holidays, as business needs require
- Comfortable on your feet for long stretches, with the ability to bend, kneel, reach, and take stairs throughout service
- Able to lift, carry, push, or pull objects of up to 50 lbs as the job requires
- Strongly Preferred: Culinary Arts degree, though hands-on kitchen experience counts just as much
- Strongly Preferred: Understanding of Brazilian or South American flavors
- Strongly Preferred: Proficiency with AI tools like Claude

Compensation & Benefits
- $18 to $22/hr + full kitchen tip share
- A clear growth path to Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine (salaried) as iara grows
- Health insurance plan offered
- Paid time off
- Staff meal every shift plus an employee dining discount

To apply: Email [email protected] with your resume and a short note on why iara. Subject line: Lead Line Cook

iara is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to an inclusive workplace where every member of the team belongs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States, and reasonable accommodations are available for the hiring process and the essential functions of the role.