Knowing how to hire an executive chef involves taking time to understand what the role entails in your kitchen and developing a job description that covers those competencies. 

You’ll need to publish the job description in places that have a wide reach, sift through all the applications and resumes you receive, and create a short list of candidates to interview.

Once you have interviewed all candidates, you should review their qualifications and select the best one. You may wish to have potential candidates conduct a trial run of service or agree to a trial period to ensure they’re a good fit for the environment before you hire them.

The other option for hiring an executive chef involves working closely with a recruiting agency. A high-end agency not only provides expert industry consulting and guidance, but it will typically have access to a coveted pool of proven candidates who possess sought-after skills. 

Going this route allows you to transfer the burden of internal hiring and will enable a team of professionals to find the right executive chef to meet your business’s needs.

An executive chef oversees the entire culinary operation in a restaurant establishment. They design and plan the menu according to the cuisine type and budget, develop new dishes, manage suppliers, vendors, and inventory, and coordinate food preparation for upcoming services. 

The executive chef also becomes responsible for sourcing, managing, and developing the kitchen staff by hiring, training, and scheduling them for shifts.

Executive chefs don’t normally cook during service. Though executive chefs have excellent culinary skills, they usually have a schedule full of strategic and administrative duties that keep them out of the kitchen.

In larger establishments, the chef de cuisine helps the executive chef execute their duties. 

More intimate establishments may choose to hire only one or the other. In these cases, the sous chef de cuisine (typically referred to as the sous chef) assists the executive chef, especially when it comes to directing kitchen operations and ensuring seamless service.