Executive Chef

Job Description Job Description

Chef de Cuisine Whiskey & Vine Lafayette, Louisiana

Located in the heart of Lafayette, Whiskey & Vine brings together carefully crafted cuisine, exceptional wine and spirits, and live jazz and blues in an upscale yet welcoming atmosphere. Our kitchen celebrates bold Southern flavors, Louisiana ingredients, and thoughtfully prepared dishes designed to create a memorable dining experience.

We are seeking a creative and passionate Chef de Cuisine who takes pride in exceptional food, thoughtful presentation, and consistent execution.

Working alongside our Corporate Executive Chef, you will help shape and maintain the culinary identity of Whiskey & Vine while leading the daily operation of the kitchen. We are looking for someone who brings ideas to the table, respects great ingredients, understands flavor and technique, and continuously looks for ways to elevate the guest experience.

What You'll Do

• Maintain and elevate the culinary standards and vision of Whiskey & Vine.
  
  
• Ensure every dish meets our standards for flavor, freshness, presentation, and consistency.
  
  
• Contribute creative ideas for menu development, seasonal offerings, daily features, private dining, and special events.
  
  
• Work with the Corporate Executive Chef on recipes, plating, menu execution, and continued development of our food program.
  
  
• Lead, train, and inspire the culinary team while creating a culture of pride, accountability, and craftsmanship.
  
  
• Oversee high-quality food preparation for dinner service, brunch, private events, and special functions.
  
  
• Evaluate ingredients, preparation techniques, and finished dishes with a constant focus on quality.
  
  
• Manage staffing, food cost, labor, purchasing, inventory, and waste without compromising standards.
  
  
• Maintain proper food safety, sanitation, storage, and kitchen organization.
  
  
• Work closely with front-of-house leadership to deliver a seamless and memorable guest experience.
  
  

Who We're Looking For

You are a chef at heart with a genuine passion for food.

You understand flavor, balance, seasoning, texture, presentation, and the importance of starting with quality ingredients. You are creative and enjoy developing new ideas while respecting the identity of the restaurant.

You also understand that creativity must be matched by consistency. You take pride in the details and expect every plate leaving your kitchen to meet the same high standard.

You are a leader who enjoys teaching and developing others and knows that exceptional food comes from a team that takes pride in its craft.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of culinary leadership or supervisory experience in a full-service restaurant.
  
  
• Experience in an upscale, chef-driven, or high-volume restaurant strongly preferred.
  
  
• Strong palate and understanding of flavor development, technique, and presentation.
  
  
• Experience with menu development, seasonal features, or recipe creation preferred.
  
  
• Culinary education, advanced culinary training, or equivalent professional experience preferred.
  
  
• Strong understanding of food cost, labor, inventory, ordering, and waste control.
  
  
• Advanced knowledge of food safety and sanitation requirements.
  
  
• ServSafe certification or willingness to obtain.
  
  
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
  
  

Join Whiskey & Vine

We are looking for more than someone who can manage a kitchen.

We want a chef who loves food, respects the craft, values great ingredients, thinks creatively, and takes personal pride in every plate. Someone who wants to contribute ideas, develop people, raise the standard, and help shape the future of the Whiskey & Vine culinary program.

If that sounds like you, complete our short application today.

I think this is much closer. It still feels like a serious Chef de Cuisine position, but the candidate gets to the important part-we want someone creative who cares deeply about food-within the first few seconds.