Executive Chef – Italian Fine Dining

Recruiting Partner: Emily Lauro

New York, New York | Food & Beverage & Lodging | Not Remote | $100,000 to $120,000 | Job ID: 166577

Job Summary

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We are seeking a visionary Executive Chef to lead all culinary operations for our Tribeca opening (early 2026). This is a rare opportunity to define the culinary identity from the ground up: you’ll build the kitchen, shape the menu, recruit and train a high-performing team, and deliver a truly elevated Italian dining experience in New York City.


Executive Chef – Benefits & Compensation

  • Competitive base salary + performance bonus potential
  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
  • Paid time off & personal days
  • Retirement benefits / 401(k) matching
  • Staff meals, wine benefits, and dining discounts
  • Opportunities for professional growth and global collaboration with the Paper Moon brand
  • A creative and supportive work environment with ownership aligned to excellence

Executive Chef – Requirements & Qualifications

  • 8+ years of progressive culinary leadership, preferably in upscale Italian, fine dining, or Michelin-level kitchens
  • Proven experience launching or relaunching concepts, ideally in NYC or other major culinary markets
  • Deep knowledge of Italian culinary techniques, regional Italian cuisine, pasta from scratch, butchering, and from-scratch sauces
  • Demonstrated P&L accountability, cost control, menu engineering, and yield management
  • Strong leadership and team-building skills, with experience recruiting, mentoring, and retaining high-level culinary talent
  • Proficiency in kitchen systems, inventory controls, and modern recipe management software
  • Excellent communication skills in English (Italian or another language is a plus)
  • Ability to work flexible hours, nights, weekends, and holidays as needed

Executive Chef – Must Haves

  • Lead menu development, seasonal rotation, and dish innovation in alignment with brand standards
  • Oversee recipe scaling, costing, portion control, and kitchen consistency
  • Establish and maintain kitchen SOPs, quality controls, sanitation, and safety
  • Lead hiring, training, and performance management of all BOH staff (Sous Chefs, line cooks, prep)
  • Work closely with FOH leadership to ensure smooth service flow, timing, and communication
  • Manage vendor relationships, sourcing, and procurement to support ingredient quality and cost targets
  • Monitor daily production metrics (waste, food costs, labor, yields) and adjust operations accordingly
  • Participate hands-on in service during launch and steady state, setting the tone from the line
  • Ensure compliance with NYC health codes, licensing, and food safety regulations

Executive Chef – Preferred Background & Skills

  • Prior experience with restaurant groups that operate multiple units or international brands
  • Familiarity with private club or membership-style dining experiences
  • Exposure to high-design hospitality spaces—collaboration with design, architecture, and branding
  • Experience with wine pairing and menu integration of beverage programs
  • Ability to lead sustainable and seasonal programs, sourcing local and responsibly

At Goodwin Recruiting, we are committed to our core values and providing world class customer service. We are committed to helping our clients navigate and comply with the complex and ever-changing labor laws as well as help ensure that in every hiring decision, internally and with our client partners, that all viable candidates are considered, and the most qualified candidate is offered the role. We evaluate the knowledge, skills, and abilities that meet the requirements of the position and aim to open doors and change lives. We value all people, understanding that uniqueness and diversity foster a stronger team that is innovative and brings varying perspectives to the table. We put our money where our mouth is and are proud of our efforts to identify a broad slate of candidates, with many hiring success stories to share.

 

JOB ID: 166577

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Emily Lauro

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Additional Information

At Goodwin Recruiting we are committed to our core values. We take our value, Dedicated to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, very seriously and will never discriminate against a candidate or client based on any protected classes. Our clients seek qualified candidates, and that is what we deliver. A person’s age, gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status, or arrest or conviction record has no bearing on whether he, she, or they are able to do the job. We evaluate the knowledge, skills, and abilities that meet the requirements of the position and aim to open doors and change lives. We value all people, understanding that uniqueness and diversity foster a stronger team that is innovative and brings varying perspectives to the table. We put our money where our mouth is and are proud of our efforts to identify a broad slate of candidates, with many hiring success stories to share.

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Additional Information

At Goodwin Recruiting, our clients seek qualified candidates, and that is what we deliver. A person’s age, gender, race, color, marital or family status, national origin, disability, religion, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity has no bearing on whether they are able to do the job. We evaluate the knowledge, skills, and abilities that meet the requirements of the position and aim to open doors and change lives. We work hard to identify a broad slate of candidates for each of our clients, with many hiring success stories to share.

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Emily Lauro

Senior Recruiting Partner & Recruiting Partner Mentor