Job Description

Sweetwaters a modern, seafood-forward, waterfront restaurant is opening in Fort Lauderdale, built around polished service, exceptional ingredients, and a high-level of hospitality .

We are assembling the founding leadership team that will set the culture, the standards, and the guest experience from day one.

This is an opportunity to help create a restaurant that feels refined without being formal, elevated without being pretentious, and deeply hospitality-driven at every level.

We are seeking a Chef de Cuisine (Executive Sous Chef) who is ready to lead at scale — someone who can orchestrate excellence while continuing to elevate and evolve a menu that is bold, seasonally driven, and unforgettable.

The Opportunity

This is not a back-of-house management role - this is a culinary leadership position.

As Chef de Cuisine, you will:

• Lead a high-performing culinary brigade, high-volume, upscale environment
• Drive consistency and excellence across premium offerings, and seasonally inspired dishes
• Inspire innovation while protecting the integrity of the concept
• Set the tone for kitchen culture — disciplined, collaborative, accountable, and proud
• Partner closely with the Executive Chef and senior leadership to execute strategic culinary initiatives

You will be hands-on, present on the line, and relentlessly focused on execution. Every dish that leaves the pass represents our brand and your leadership.

What You’ll Own

• Daily kitchen operations and service execution at the highest level
• Culinary training, mentorship, and development of sous chefs and line cooks
• Labor management and food cost performance in a high-volume setting
• Menu implementation and seasonal rollouts
• Inventory, purchasing, and vendor partnerships
• Health, safety, and sanitation excellence
• Seamless collaboration with front-of-house leadership to deliver a refined, guest experience

Who You Are

• 3+ years as a Chef de Cuisine or Executive Sous Chef in an $8MM+ upscale restaurant
• A proven leader of large teams in high-expectation environments
• Financially savvy — you understand margins, labor models, and cost controls
• Passionate about premium ingredients, technique, and presentation
• Calm under pressure and energized by volume
• A culture-builder who develops people and holds high standards

Culinary degree preferred, though demonstrated excellence and progressive growth matter most.

Why Sweetwaters

• Competitive compensation package
• Comprehensive benefits package
• The opportunity to lead and set the standard for a new restaurant
• Visibility within Specialty Restaurants Corporation , a respected, privately held restaurant group with iconic properties
• Real opportunity for career progression within a growing organization

If you are ready to lead a kitchen where performance meets precision, where volume meets refinement, and where every guest matters, we would love to meet you.

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