Culinary Director/Executive Chef
$65,000–$80,000 year
On-siteDenison, Texas, United States
Job Summary
Establish and enforce consistent kitchen systems across current and future Cantina Lime locations while protecting fresh, scratch-made Mexican flavors and marinades. Standardize recipes, portions, and plating to ensure quality and cost control, then conduct regular inspections and audits to maintain food safety and operational standards. Recruit, train, and evaluate kitchen leadership to build a bench capable of supporting expansion, while collaborating with General Managers and ownership on menu engineering and purchasing. Develop catering production systems and assist with future restaurant openings as the group grows from two to five locations in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
Required Qualifications
- At least five years of progressive kitchen leadership experience
- Professional experience with Mexican, Tex-Mex, regional Mexican, or Latin cuisine
- Strong knowledge of Mexican ingredients, cooking techniques, sauces, marinades, proteins, and production methods
- Experience managing food cost, kitchen labor, purchasing, inventory, and waste
- Experience creating or enforcing standardized recipes, prep systems, and kitchen SOPs
- Ability to train and hold kitchen leaders accountable
- Experience in high-volume restaurant operations
- ServSafe Manager or equivalent food-safety certification
- Ability to travel regularly between North Texas locations
- Availability to work selected nights, weekends, holidays, and restaurant openings when operationally necessary
Desired Qualifications
- Multi-unit culinary leadership experience
- Experience supporting two or more restaurant locations
- New restaurant opening experience
- Spanish-language proficiency
- Catering operations experience
- Menu engineering and recipe-costing experience
- Experience developing Kitchen Managers and opening teams
- Knowledge of Texas and Dallas–Fort Worth restaurant markets
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