Executive Chef - High-End Dining Concept

We are seeking an accomplished Executive Chef to lead the culinary opening of an elevated fine-dining Mediterranean rooftop restaurant in Dallas, Texas.

Scheduled to open in early 2027, this highly anticipated concept will feature a vibrant, sophisticated dining experience centered around Mediterranean flavors, shareable mezze, house-made pastas, coastal influences, and bold, elevated dishes.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a fine-dining Executive Chef to join the team ahead of opening and participate in the pre-opening process. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to train and shadow with the established culinary team at the Phoenix location before transitioning to Dallas to lead the new restaurant opening.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership

• Lead all culinary and BOH operations for a high-end, fine-dining restaurant.
• Establish and maintain exceptional standards for food quality, presentation, consistency, and execution.
• Lead the kitchen through pre-opening, training, and opening operations.
• Be highly visible and hands-on during service.

Menu & Culinary Execution

• Execute an elevated Mediterranean-inspired culinary program.
• Maintain standards for mezze, house-made pastas, coastal cuisine, and shareable plates.
• Support menu development, seasonal features, and culinary innovation.
• Ensure recipes, plating, preparation, and execution remain consistent.

Operations & Financial Performance

• Manage food cost, labor, inventory, purchasing, and kitchen profitability.
• Develop efficient kitchen systems, prep procedures, and production standards.
• Monitor waste, yields, and inventory performance.
• Partner with restaurant leadership to achieve operational and financial goals.

Team Development

• Recruit, train, coach, and develop a high-performing culinary team.
• Build strong Sous Chefs and future kitchen leaders.
• Establish a professional, accountable, and collaborative kitchen culture.
• Lead by example during high-volume and high-pressure service periods.

Required Qualifications

• Fine-dining Executive Chef experience is required.
• Proven success leading high-end, chef-driven, full-service restaurant kitchens.
• Strong background in high-volume culinary operations.
• Demonstrated experience with food cost, labor management, inventory, purchasing, and profitability.
• Proven ability to recruit, train, and develop culinary teams.
• Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Experience with restaurant openings or pre-opening operations is strongly preferred.
• Ability to maintain elevated culinary standards in a fast-paced environment.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an established fine-dining Executive Chef with the ability to balance culinary creativity, operational discipline, financial performance, and team development.

You should be comfortable leading from the frontmoving between strategic planning, menu execution, team leadership, and hands-on service support when necessary.

This search is fine-dining Executive Chef only. Candidates without substantial fine-dining culinary leadership experience will not be considered.

The Restaurant Zone is a leading hospitality recruitment agency specializing in connecting top-tier talent with restaurants, hotels, and hospitality groups across the United States. We partner with growing brands and established operators to deliver high-quality candidates for management, executive, and specialized roles. Our team combines industry expertise, a vast candidate network, and a results-driven approach to help businesses build strong, reliable teams. At The Restaurant Zone, we focus on speed, quality, and long-term fitensuring both clients and candidates succeed.