Japanese Restaurant Hiring jobs in North York, ON

Duties and Responsibilities:

· Reporting directly to the General Manager and Managing Director, the Chef leads and holds ultimate accountability for all culinary operations, menu strategy, and Back of House (BOH) performance across the restaurant. The Chef is responsible for establishing and maintaining the highest standards of culinary excellence, food safety, and operational efficiency. Beyond managing daily kitchen workflows, the Chef drives menu innovation—including seasonal development, limited-time offerings, and recipe standardization—while controlling overall COGS (Cost of Goods Sold), labor expenditures, and kitchen profitability. As a key leadership figure, the Chef mentors, trains, and holds the Kitchen Manager, BOH Supervisors, and line staff accountable for executing brand standards from supplier to guest.

• Strategic Leadership & Overall Management:
• Directs, oversees, and holds ultimate responsibility for all kitchen operations and BOH team performance, collaborating closely with the General Manager (GM) and Managing Director.
• Establishes overall culinary vision, kitchen operational strategy, and long-term performance objectives for the restaurant.
• Menu Innovation & Culinary R&D:
• Leads culinary innovation and recipe formulation, including the conceptualization, testing, and rollout of seasonal specials, limited-time offers, and core menu updates.
• Standardizes official yield tests, prep specifications, and exact recipe documentation to ensure consistent product execution and quality control across all shifts.
• Financial Management & Cost Control:
• Drives kitchen financial performance, key performance indicators (KPIs), COGS, food cost percentage, and labor cost efficiency in direct alignment with budget targets.
• Manages strategic vendor and supplier relationships, negotiating purchasing agreements, quality specifications, and pricing for raw ingredients.
• Quality Assurance & Brand Standards:
• Defines, implements, and enforces BOH Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), food presentation guidelines, and taste standards to ensure continuous compliance with brand excellence.
• Conducts comprehensive kitchen audits, root-cause operational analyses, and menu reviews, executing immediate strategic solutions for identified performance gaps.
• Team Development, Training & Culture:
• Recruits, hires, mentors, and evaluates top culinary talent, actively coaching the Kitchen Manager, Supervisors, and BOH team members to foster a high-performance culture.
• Develops structured succession and training plans for kitchen personnel to ensure leadership continuity, skills enhancement, and high employee retention.
• Health, Safety & Compliance Oversight:
• Serves as the primary authority ensuring strict compliance with public health mandates, municipal food safety regulations, occupational safety policies, and sanitation standards.
• Oversees overall food traceability, inventory auditing, FIFO standards, and proper storage protocols throughout all storage and prep areas.

Job Requirements:

● Secondary (high) school graduation certificate or equivalent

● Minimum 3 years of commercial kitchen experience with a focus on menu development, inventory management, food safety compliance, and BOH team supervision.

● Previous commercial kitchen experience with Japanese cuisine required.

● Strong communication skills in English; Japanese is considered an asset.

● Exceptional culinary vision and strategic leadership with an entrepreneurial spirit.

● Strategic driver of sales, overall kitchen profitability, COGS management, and operational excellence.

● Demonstrated passion for culinary innovation, menu development, and recipe standardization.

● Proven track record of recruiting, mentoring, coaching, and developing high-performing BOH leaders and kitchen teams.

● Proven ability to inspire, motivate, and foster a positive, accountability-driven kitchen culture.

● Uncompromising commitment to culinary quality, consistency, and high-level attention to detail in food execution.

● Proactive problem-solving, decision-making under high pressure, and effective conflict resolution skills.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the Chef position. This role requires high stamina and physical endurance in a fast-paced, high-volume kitchen environment.

Standing & Mobility: Must be able to stand, walk, bend, kneel, stoop, crouch, and reach for up to 12 hours per shift while actively overseeing line operations, conducting quality checks, and managing kitchen workflow.

Temperature & Environment: Must be able to work comfortably and continuously in extreme temperatures, including hot kitchen line environments and cold walk-in coolers or freezers.

Lifting & Physical Strength: Required to perform frequent lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling of objects, stock, and culinary equipment weighing up to 50 lbs (from floor to waist, waist to shoulder, and above head).

Sensory & Culinary Precision: Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, colour vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment. Strong olfactory (smell) and gustatory (taste) sensory abilities are required for continuous recipe testing, menu development, and food quality assurance.

Manual Dexterity: Excellent fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, twisting, turning, and precise knife/kitchen tool skills are essential for culinary demonstration, active line support, and food preparation.

Pay: From $36.92 per hour

Expected hours: 44.0 per week

Work Location: In person