Executive Chef

Job Summary: At Restaurant K, we’re building something bigger than just great meals. We’re building great brands. Restaurant K was founded with a simple yet powerful belief: the best brands are built on culture, mission, and purpose. With a portfolio of distinct dining concepts — from the elevated experience of Nuri Steakhouse to the upscale casual energy of JOA Korean BBQ — Restaurant K is committed to creating unforgettable moments through hospitality and culinary excellence. As we continue to elevate our presence in Dallas, TX, we are seeking a distinguished Assistant General Manager to uphold and enhance our commitment to excellence. The Executive Chef will lead all aspects of the back-of-house operation, from menu development to team leadership, ensuring every dish is executed with precision, elegance, and integrity. As a leader in a world-class, high-volume fine dining environment, you set the standard for service, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Supervisory Responsibilities: • Hire, onboard, and mentor culinary team members with a focus on excellence, inclusion, and hospitality. • Oversee daily kitchen operations, ensuring every detail reflects Restaurant K’s elevated standards and CARE Right principles. • Lead with empathy and fairness in disciplinary matters while holding the team accountable to performance and behavior expectations. • Proactively manage department budgets and cost controls while upholding quality and consistency. Essential Functions / Major Responsibilities: • Champion the kitchen’s vision by designing and evolving refined, seasonal, and globally inspired menus that celebrate bold flavors and artistic presentation. • Ensure every plate is crafted to perfection, consistently meeting exacting quality and timing standards. • Inspire a back-of-house culture rooted in teamwork, respect, and lifelong learning, where feedback is welcomed and growth is encouraged. • Collaborate with front-of-house leaders to ensure a seamless guest experience, every service should feel orchestrated and unforgettable. • Drive innovation through thoughtful experimentation while honoring the traditions that define fine dining excellence. • Maintain exceptional standards of food safety, cleanliness, and organization, ensuring full compliance with all regulations and health codes. • Foster meaningful guest connections by responding to feedback with grace and a commitment to improvement. • Cultivate vendor partnerships and oversee procurement with attention to quality, sustainability, and operational efficiency. • Support event planning and execution, ensuring flawless culinary delivery for private dining, wine pairings, and chef-driven experiences. Required Skills / Abilities / Competencies: • Expertise in advanced culinary techniques, kitchen operations, and a wide range of global cuisines, with a strong emphasis on consistency, quality, and innovation. • Deep knowledge of food safety standards, sanitation protocols, and regulatory • compliance, with the ability to enforce best practices across all kitchen operations. • Exceptional leadership and team development skills, with the ability to train, mentor, and inspire a diverse back-of-house team in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment. • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate cross-functionally and work closely with front-of-house management, vendors, and ownership. • Highly organized and detail-oriented, with excellent time management and the ability to oversee multiple prep stations, services, and menu executions simultaneously. • Demonstrated ability to manage food and labor costs, inventory systems, and vendor relationships while achieving operational and financial goals. • Creative and strategic thinker with a passion for innovation, seasonal menu planning, and enhancing the overall guest experience through culinary excellence. • Ability to adapt quickly, solve problems under pressure, and maintain a calm, solutions-focused approach in dynamic kitchen environments. • A passion for hospitality and a desire to inspire guests to embrace diverse cultures and cuisines. • Promote the culture, values, and mission of Restaurant K ensuring alignment with company standards. • To inspire people to embrace different cultures of the world. Education and Experience: • Minimum seven (7) years of progressive culinary leadership in upscale or fine dining environments, including four (4+) years as an Executive Chef or equivalent role. • Formal culinary education preferred; equivalent high-level experience. • Demonstrated success leading high-performance teams and cultivating strong kitchen culture. • Proven ability to manage food/labor budgets, streamline operations, and innovate without sacrificing consistency. • Experience with menu engineering, seasonal menu development, global cuisine, and sustainable sourcing practices. • Must possess (or obtain before start) a current Food Handler's certification. Work Environment: • This job entails frequent exposure to high temperatures and extreme cold. There is frequent contact/immersion of hands in water and sanitation solutions; and contact with produce items, dairy products, and frequent allergen-related items such as nuts, citrus, peanut butter, cinnamon, etc. • Requires working under stressful conditions or working irregular hours. • May be requested to work weekends for special events. • Must be able to work safely in a noisy area. Physical Requirements: • Must be able to stand for periods of up to eight (8) hours. • Must have the stamina to work a minimum of forty (40) hours per week. • Be able to reach, bend, and frequently lift fifty (50) pounds at a time. Required to use assistance when available i.e. hand trucks, ramps, or another team member. • Must be physically able to navigate the restaurant floor, kitchen, and storage areas, including walking, bending, stretching, squatting, and kneeling as needed. • Must be comfortable working in varied conditions, including exposure to heat from the kitchen and cooler temperatures in storage areas. • Prolonged periods of desk work, administrative tasks, and computer use required for reporting, scheduling, payroll, and financial oversight. Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the team member for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. What We Offer At Restaurant K, when we sayinspire people, we mean everyone. We champion a diverse and inclusive workforce that is representative of the guests we serve. We blend the unique members of our organization, celebrating what is both common and different to grow better together and Rule the Day. The foundation of our diversity efforts is closely tied to our core values, which includes “We Are Better Together” and “We Do the Right Thing”. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified candidates, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status, veteran status, or medical condition or disability. Job Type: Full-time Pay: $125,000.00 - $155,000.00 per year Benefits: • Dental insurance • Referral program • Vision insurance Ability to Commute: • Dallas, TX 75201 (Preferred) Ability to Relocate: • Dallas, TX 75201: Relocate before starting work (Preferred) Work Location: In person