Executive Head Chef

Chula Vista, CA, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Compensation

Salary

Up to $80,000.00

Work Schedule

Standard Hours

Flexible

Weekend Shifts

Benefits

Food provided

Job Description

Shawarma Guys is a fast-paced, high-volume quick service restaurant (QSR) specializing in authentic shawarma and Middle Eastern cuisine. Known for their commitment to quality, consistency, and exceptional guest experience, Shawarma Guys operates with a strong emphasis on operational excellence and team collaboration. The company takes pride in delivering authentic flavors while maintaining efficient kitchen practices and compliance with food safety standards. Shawarma Guys is headquartered in California and follows strict labor and health regulations to ensure a safe and productive work environment for all employees.

The Executive Chef at Shawarma Guys is a pivotal leadership role responsible for complete operational control of all back-of-house (BOH) functions within the organization. Reporting directly to the Owner, COO, and Human Resources, this full-time exempt position offers an annual salary of $80,000 plus performance-based bonuses following a probationary training period. This is a hands-on, results-oriented role that requires the Executive Chef to maintain a constant on-site presence. The Executive Chef leads kitchen operations, ensuring that food quality, cost control, and safety standards are met with unparalleled consistency and discipline across all team members.

During the onboarding phase, the Executive Chef undergoes a probationary training period, compensated hourly, to master Shawarma Guys’ culinary and operational standards. This probation is performance-based, focusing on culinary execution, labor control, inventory management, compliance, and team leadership. Upon successful completion, the role transitions to full-time exempt status with salary and eligibility for performance bonuses.

Key responsibilities include managing daily kitchen operations, enforcing stringent food safety regulation compliance, overseeing inventory and ordering processes, and supervising all culinary activities ranging from prep work to plating. Leadership is fundamental in this role; the Executive Chef serves as a trusted key holder responsible for security protocols and collaborates with the Human Resources and Operations teams to build and manage kitchen staffing schedules aligned with legal labor requirements and business needs.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, adeptly multitasking while enforcing high performance and accountability standards. They lead by example during peak service hours, maintaining composure, authority, and operational flow. A core focus is implementing and maintaining culinary standards, ensuring that recipes and portion controls are strictly followed without unauthorized modifications. The Executive Chef also oversees quality control measures, such as proper handling of proteins and bread, and efficient ticket management to optimize speed and accuracy.

Furthermore, the Executive Chef is responsible for compliance with California Department of Public Health regulations, internal sanitation standards, and labor laws, including scheduling adequate meal and rest breaks. They actively conduct safety walkthroughs and document sanitation checks to uphold workplace safety. Cost control is a critical aspect of the role, requiring attention to inventory counts, waste identification, and invoice verification to keep food and labor costs within targeted limits.

Operational accountability demands physical readiness and active participation in kitchen duties, including lifting and managing catering orders. The Executive Chef promptly resolves operational disruptions independently, enforces company policies through disciplinary actions if needed, and ensures staffing plans support uninterrupted operations. Additionally, this role requires effective communication with various teams using digital platforms and certifications like the California Food Handler credential.

Shawarma Guys' Executive Chef position offers an exciting opportunity for experienced culinary leaders seeking to drive excellence in a dynamic QSR environment. With a comprehensive bonus structure tied to labor and food cost performance, this role rewards discipline and operational mastery while fostering a respectful and structured workplace culture.

Job Requirements

Minimum 3-5 years of Executive Chef experience in high-volume fast-casual or QSR environments
Proven ability to lead teams, enforce accountability, and manage cost controls and operational systems
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Valid California Food Handler certification
Flexible availability including evenings, weekends, and holidays
Ability to meet the physical demands of a production kitchen

Job Qualifications

Minimum 3-5 years of Executive Chef experience in high-volume fast-casual or QSR environments
Demonstrated ability to thrive in a super fast-paced, high-pressure operating environment, effectively multitask across competing priorities, and uphold high performance standards across all team members without exception
Proven ability to lead teams, enforce accountability, and manage cost controls and operational systems
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Bilingual English/Spanish preferred
Proficiency with scheduling, communication, and inventory platforms including 7Shifts and Slack
Valid California Food Handler certification
Flexible availability including evenings, weekends, and holidays
Ability to meet the physical demands of a production kitchen

Job Duties

Serve as a trusted key holder responsible for opening and closing procedures, alarm systems, offices, and all secured storage areas
Lead by example in a high-speed, high-pressure environment, maintaining composure, structure, and authority during peak service periods
Collaborate with Human Resources and Operations to develop, modify, and enforce kitchen schedules aligned with sales forecasts, labor targets, and legal compliance
Participate in second-round interviews, skill assessments, and final hiring recommendations in coordination with HR and recruitment partners
Design, implement, and personally lead onboarding and training programs covering recipes, station execution, food safety, sanitation, speed, accuracy, and multitasking expectations
Maintain a professional, respectful, and structured work environment with zero tolerance for gossip, harassment, intimidation, or disruptive conduct
Set and uphold clear, non-negotiable performance standards
provide real-time coaching
document deficiencies
and follow through with corrective and disciplinary action
Hold all team members accountable to speed, quality, cleanliness, and accuracy standards at all times
Provide operational support to Front of House when necessary to protect service flow and guest experience
Ensure every menu item is produced strictly in accordance with approved recipes, build charts, portion controls, and presentation standards
Actively manage prep sequencing, cook times, line organization, and ticket flow to prevent service delays or bottlenecks
Prohibit all unauthorized recipe modifications, over-portioning, or substitutions
Confirm all food is cooked, held, cooled, labeled, dated, and served within approved food safety parameters
Maintain full working knowledge of butchering, marination, stacking, and prep processes to ensure total operational coverage
Oversee daily shawarma stacking to ensure proper yield, food safety, and cook-through
Ensure bread handling and storage procedures meet quality standards and guest expectations
Enforce ticket organization and kitchen communication systems to preserve speed, accuracy, and order priority
Maintain full compliance with California Department of Public Health regulations and internal sanitation standards
Enforce proper handwashing, glove use, uniform compliance, labeling, and station cleanliness at all times
Conduct and document daily BOH sanitation and safety walkthroughs
Ensure all meal and rest breaks are taken in full compliance with California labor law, with no employee working past the 5th hour
Prevent labor violations through proactive scheduling, break planning, and real-time enforcement
Complete and verify AM, MID, and PM operational checklists daily via 7Shifts
Perform daily inventory counts on critical items including proteins, sauces, dry goods, and packaging
Analyze product usage against sales data to identify waste, theft, or over-prep
Conduct monthly full inventory audits and reconcile discrepancies exceeding 5%
Receive and inspect all deliveries for quality, quantity, pricing accuracy, and damage
Approve invoices only after verification and submit promptly for processing
Ensure all inventory reporting and ordering deadlines are met without exception
Control ordering based on historical sales, prep logs, and actual usage data
Document and track all inter-location transfers for accurate cost allocation
Maintain physical readiness to perform all kitchen duties, including lifting up to 50 lbs
Independently manage large catering orders including prep, staffing, packing, labeling, and execution
Resolve operational disruptions decisively without reliance on ownership presence
Enforce company policies consistently and escalate violations through proper HR documentation channels
Maintain on-call staffing plans to support uninterrupted operations
Actively work shifts as required to stabilize labor and service execution
Delegate tasks with defined expectations, deadlines, and accountability
Ensure daily egg roll production, FIFO rotation, and correct thawing procedures
Prevent food carryover by discarding prior-day proteins
Monitor labor hours, meal premiums, and overtime exposure daily