Head Chef

Thunderbolt is a neighborhood cocktail bar with delicious, Southern-inspired food, located at the intersections of Historic Filipinotown, Echo Park, and DTLA. We are inspired by the American South, and you’ll notice it from the smiles that greet you, to the countless bottles of Madeira on the backbar, an we are looking for a Head Chef to join our Team!

The Head Chef is the culinary leader responsible for the overall success, execution, and consistency of all kitchen operations. This role is equal parts creative and operational—owning menu development, food quality, kitchen systems, labor, and financial performance while protecting the culture and standards of the team. The Head Chef is accountable for delivering excellent food at every service, maintaining organization and cleanliness throughout the BOH, and building a high-performing kitchen team rooted in professionalism, urgency, and teamwork. This position requires strong leadership, disciplined execution, and the ability to operate at a high level during both high-volume services and day-to-day operations

Key Areas of Responsibility

Department: Kitchen

Reports To: Director, General Manager

• Menu Development & Culinary Direction: Create, maintain, and evolve all food menus (brunch/lunch/dinner/late night/specials) in alignment with the concept, seasonality, and operational feasibility. Develop new dishes, test recipes, and finalize specifications including ingredients, weights, yields, prep method, and plating standards.
• Recipe Standards & Systems: Build and maintain standardized recipe cards, prep sheets, and plating guides for every menu item. Ensure systems are clear, repeatable, and executable by the team to protect consistency across all services.
• Food Quality & Consistency: Maintain complete ownership of food execution and quality control. Ensure every dish leaving the kitchen meets standards for taste, portion size, temperature, presentation, and speed. Conduct daily walkthroughs to confirm readiness, pars, cleanliness, and station setup.
• Service Leadership & Execution: Lead BOH operations through service, monitoring ticket times, pacing, and bottlenecks. Expo food (or manage expo standards) during peak service and maintain active communication with FOH leadership regarding 86’d items, service flow, and any operational challenges.
• Prep Management & Kitchen Readiness: Build daily prep lists, assign station responsibilities, and ensure completion. Set daily and weekly pars for ingredients and prep items to maintain service execution while minimizing waste and inefficiency.
• Scheduling & Labor Management: Write kitchen schedules, manage labor targets, and monitor productivity. Approve time punches, prevent unnecessary overtime, and ensure BOH coverage supports the volume and standards of the business.
• Team Leadership & Development: Hire, train, and develop BOH staff including line cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, and sous/lead roles. Coach performance in speed, cleanliness, communication, and execution. Cross-train cooks across stations to build depth and coverage. Conduct performance reviews and corrective actions as needed while building a strong leadership bench.
• Inventory, Ordering & Vendor Relations: Manage ordering based on pars, sales trends, and upcoming business needs. Source vendors, maintain ordering guides, review invoices for accuracy and consistency, and support vendor relationships to ensure quality, reliability, and appropriate pricing.
• Cost Control & Financial Accountability: Cost every menu item accurately, set pricing with margin targets in mind, and engineer the menu for profitability. Track food COGS weekly and monthly, investigate variances, and implement controls for waste, portioning, and high-cost proteins. Use portion control tools (scales, scoops, ladles) and enforce standards consistently.
• Food Safety, Compliance & Standards: Ensure full compliance with health department requirements and food safety standards including labeling, FIFO rotation, sanitation, allergen controls, and cooling/reheating procedures. Maintain accurate logs, enforce cross-contamination prevention, and create allergen reference documentation for FOH.
• Cleanliness, Maintenance & BOH Organization: Maintain daily cleanliness standards across the kitchen, including line, floors, drains, hood area, and dish station. Implement weekly/monthly deep cleaning schedules. Maintain equipment organization and functionality by identifying issues quickly, requesting service, and tracking kitchen equipment maintenance schedules. Maintain smallwares inventory and ensure the BOH is properly resourced.
• Events, Rollouts & Special Projects: Coordinate menu rollouts including training, ordering, prep conversion, and execution. Plan and execute kitchen operations for events, pop-ups, catering, and special service needs, including prep plans, staffing, timing, and kitchen flow.
• Leadership Communication & Culture: Collaborate with GM/Ops on operational goals and business needs. Participate in P&L reviews and build kitchen action plans. Deliver weekly BOH updates to leadership and ensure the kitchen team remains aligned, supported, and accountable. Protect BOH culture through professionalism, urgency, teamwork, and respect.
• Closing, Reset & Operational Discipline: Ensure service closes correctly every day including labeling, wrap, inventory procedures, cleaning standards, restocking, and resets. Maintain execution standards even in high-volume and short-staffed situation

Essential Functions/Position Qualifications

• Ability to lift and carry supplies and equipment up to 30 lbs
• Ability to raise a tray weighing up to 25 lbs to shoulder height
• Able to bend, stoop, reach, wipe, lift, and grab
• Must have sufficient mobility to move and operate in work area
• Must be able to stand and walk throughout a 4 to 8 hour shift
• Must be able to hear well in a loud environment to respond to employee and guest needs
• Must meet any state, county or municipal regulation pertaining to health risk concerns about food handling
• Must be able to observe and differentiate between monetary denominations
• Must be able to serve all menu products
• Must be able to operate point of sale system
• Must be able to work around potentially hazardous chemicals

• Minimum Age requirements of 21.
• Able to work in a team environment.
• Meets uniform and grooming standards and maintains them throughout the shift.
• Must be able to pass all required tests and training requirements.
• Must meet any state, country or municipal regulation pertaining to health risk concerns about food handling and legal requirements for serving alcohol.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including holidays, nights and weekends.
• Possesses excellent guest service skills.
• Able to learn basic tasks and follow instructions.
• Places a value on diversity and shows respect for others.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employees assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities or tasks which may be required to be performed in this position. Employer may amend, change, or modify the responsibilities and duties of this position to meet business needs as necessary. This job description does not constitute a contract for employment and may be changed at the discretion of the employer with or without notice.

Denco Family, Inc is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, color, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.