Culinary Field Chef

Vallarta is a dynamic foodservice company known for its diverse culinary concepts including Taqueria, Tortilleria, and various restaurant locations. With a strong commitment to delivering authentic flavors and exceptional guest experiences, Vallarta continually strives to maintain the highest standards in food quality, safety, and operational excellence. As a forward-thinking establishment, Vallarta supports innovation in menu development and upholds a strong culture of teamwork and customer service across all its operations. The company prides itself on its dedication to culinary excellence and the consistent execution of its vibrant menu offerings throughout all locations, aiming to grow its presence in the competitive foodservice market.

The Culinary Field Chef at Vallarta plays a pivotal role in ensuring day-to-day culinary operations run smoothly across all foodservice programs. This exempt position reports directly to the Director of Culinary and is instrumental in supporting kitchen managers and culinary teams by providing hands-on operational support, coaching, and culinary expertise. The role is focused on driving sales growth, maintaining product consistency, and delivering exceptional guest experiences according to Vallarta's established standards. Approximately 80 percent of the time is spent traveling to field locations, which offers a dynamic and engaging work environment.

Key responsibilities include overseeing the execution of menus across multiple culinary concepts, ensuring recipe adherence, proper portion control, consistent presentation, and maintaining flavor profiles that meet Vallarta standards. The Culinary Field Chef leads training initiatives, supports product development, and implements operational improvements to enhance cost efficiency and quality. This role also carries a critical influence in new store openings, remodels, and operational support, ensuring smooth transitions and maintaining culinary standards.

In addition to culinary leadership, the role requires enforcing health, safety, and sanitation compliance, supporting food cost controls, inventory management, and maintaining kitchen organization and cleanliness. The Culinary Field Chef acts as a mentor and coach to kitchen managers and culinary teams to improve performance and promote company culture centered on accountability, teamwork, and guest service excellence. Close collaboration with the Corporate Chef and cross-functional teams helps align initiatives and supports company-wide culinary efforts.

This position demands a seasoned professional with at least five years of culinary or multi-unit operations leadership experience, preferably with a culinary degree. The ideal candidate will bring strong knowledge in foodservice operations, recipe development, cost controls, and team development. A high school diploma is required, and equivalent experience may also be considered. Flexibility to work varying schedules including evenings, weekends, and holidays is essential, along with the ability to travel extensively within the company's operating regions.

Overall, the Culinary Field Chef role at Vallarta offers a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative and growth-oriented culinary team. The position blends operational leadership, culinary expertise, and team development responsibilities, making it ideal for a passionate culinary professional eager to impact multiple foodservice locations with quality, consistency, and excellent guest experiences. Vallarta supports career growth and values dedication to culinary excellence, operational integrity, and outstanding customer service.