Location: [Hikari Miami, Surfside, Florida ]
Reports to: [Owner/GM/Director of Ops]Role Summary
Leads the culinary vision and execution of an upscale Japanese kitchen (omakase/kaiseki/robata/sushi). Owns menu R&D, sourcing, fish and rice programs, and service standards. Builds and mentors a world-class brigade, protects food safety and consistency, and steers kitchen financial performance.
Key ResponsibilitiesCulinary Leadership & MenuDesign seasonal menus (omakase/à la carte), chef’s tastings, and pairing menus that honor Japanese technique and luxury ingredients.
Codify recipes, specs, knife cuts, rice prep (wash/soak/steam/season), dashi fundamentals, tare/sauces, pickling/fermentation, aging/curing, tempura, kushiyaki/robata, and sashimi/sushi standards with photos and plating guides.
Calibrate taste and presentation daily; lead lineups and pre-service tastings.
Manage premium procurement: auction-grade seafood (Tsukiji/Toyosu import partners), wagyu (A5/Prefecture-specific), uni, toro, caviar, seasonal produce, specialty pantry (koji, miso, katsuobushi, kombu).
Build vendor SLAs (quality, traceability, delivery windows); implement receiving, temperature logging, and yield tracking for whole-fish butchery.
Own kitchen P&L: COGS, labor, waste, smallwares; maintain target food cost and contribution margins via recipe costing, portion control, and menu engineering.
Create prep lists, pars, station maps, and service flows to hit luxury-level ticket times without compromising craft.
Oversee inventory cycles, waste logs, and corrective actions.
Recruit, train, and performance-manage all BOH roles (CDC, sous, sushi chefs, robata cooks, pastry liaison, prep, stewards).
Coach Japanese culinary technique, knife safety/maintenance, and hospitality standards; build bench strength and succession plans.
Foster a calm, disciplined, respectful kitchen with continuous improvement.
Enforce HACCP and seafood-specific controls: time/temperature, parasite destruction (where applicable), shellfish tags, allergen protocols, labeling, and sanitation.
Maintain A-level health inspections; schedule preventive maintenance on specialized equipment (sushi cases, robata grills, binchotan management, blast chiller, rice cookers/warmer cabinets, combi ovens).
Lead expo and be present on sushi/robata lines during peak periods; coach in the moment.
Collaborate with Beverage on sake, Japanese whisky, and tea pairings; support Marketing with menu language, photography, and PR moments.
Execute chef’s tables, seasonal festivals (e.g., matsutake, cherry blossom), and off-site activations.
5–8+ years progressive culinary leadership; 2–3 years as Executive Chef or CDC in fine dining (Japanese or Michelin-level preferred).
Mastery of Japanese technique (knife work, rice, dashi, nigiri, sashimi, tempura, robata); strong plating and flavor discipline.
Proven P&L ownership and menu engineering; vendor negotiation experience.
Current Food Manager Certification; deep HACCP knowledge.
Taste & Technique • Leadership & Coaching • Precision & Discipline • Cross-Team Communication • Financial Acumen • Calm Under Pressure
KPI Targets (customize)Food Cost: 24–30% | Kitchen Labor: 18–22% | Weekly Waste: ≤ 1.5% of COGS
Health Inspection: A / 95+ | Avg. Ticket Times: Apps ≤ 10 min / Mains ≤ 20 min / Omakase cadence ≤ 8 min/course
90-Day BOH Retention: ≥ 85% | Guest Food Sentiment: ≥ 4.7/5
Schedule: Full-time; nights/weekends/holidays as needed.
Compensation: $[Range] base + KPI bonus.
Benefits: Medical/Dental/Vision, PTO, dining perks, professional development.
Inventory/recipes: [MarketMan, MarginEdge, xtraCHEF]
Scheduling/payroll: [7shifts, Toast, ADP] • POS: [Toast/Square] • Temp & HACCP logs: [Therma/MeazureUp]
Stand/walk extended periods; lift/carry up to 50 lbs; work in hot/cold environments; repetitive knife work.
EEO Statement[Company] is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to an inclusive workplace.