Culinary Director

Soul & Smoke is seeking a Culinary Director to lead kitchen operations, foster team development, and ensure food quality/safety across multiple locations. This role partners with the Chef, office team, and kitchen staff to maintain high standards while driving efficiency and coordination in a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere. The job is based in our main location at 1601 Payne St, Evanston, with regular time spent at West Loop, Avondale, and Soldier Field locations.

We’re looking for a passionate and organized leader with strong culinary expertise, excellent people and communication skills, and a talent for mentoring teams. The Culinary Director will oversee daily kitchen operations, support training efforts, use software to track food costs/inventory, and contribute to menu development. They will also assist with off-site events, industry activations, and staff scheduling.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee kitchen operations across Soul & Smoke locations, maintaining clear communications and making regular visits to ensure alignment and consistency.
• Train and mentor kitchen staff, maintaining high standards in food quality and execution.
• Lead with integrity and humility, staff should feel supported and that you are on their side.
• Manage inventory and prep software systems to help manage food costs, pricing, and inventory to optimize efficiency.
• Work closely with Exec Chef to lead live demonstrations, new dish rollouts, and recipe/menu research & development.
• Step in on the line or prep to fill staffing gaps, provide on-site training, or assist during service/production as needed.
• Help plan and execute offsite events, representing Soul & Smoke at media and industry activations.
• Coordinate schedules and calendars to ensure smooth operations.
• Solve problems in a positive manner.
• Lead product quality control and consistency via visits to outlets every week, walk-in and waste log management, and monitoring daily line checks.

Qualifications:

• Management experience with a strong culinary background.
• Multi-unit and fine dining experience preferred.
• Reliable and timely, able to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Proficiency in food cost tracking, menu pricing, and inventory management.
• Strong organizational and computer skills (comfortable with spreadsheets, POS and inventory software, and email communication).
• Good people skills, effective communication and leadership. Professional and approachable with a passion for training and mentoring.
• Flexible and dependable, with the ability to adapt to business needs.
• Comfortable representing Soul & Smoke at public, client, and industry events.
• Valid food manager and allergen certificates.
• Ability to walk/stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 pounds.
• Driver’s license required.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Job type: full-time, averaging 45-55 hours per week.
• Base salary: $60,000 - $65,000 per year.
• Revenue share: approx $10,000+ additional compensation from pooled revenue share/service charge, total compensation of $70-75k.
• Benefits: Paid personal time off. Health/dental insurance (50% paid for employee, 25% for dependents), Aflac, and retirement savings plan available.

Soul & Smoke (Evanston, Avondale, West Loop) is a collection of restaurants, two food trucks, and catering team that serve barbecue fare and comfort food from the heart. The Black-owned and women-led team at the helm of Soul & Smoke values being part of the community through thoughtful initiatives, like providing customers the option to purchase a meal for a neighbor in need and partnering with nonprofits like World Central Kitchen to feed underserved populations.