Executive Chef - Soho Farmhouse (Japanese Restaurant)

The Role… 

At Soho House, the Executive Chef at Pen Yen is responsible for supporting the Head Chef in leading and operating the kitchen, delivering a high-quality Japanese dining experience for our members and guests.

Pen Yen is a Japanese restaurant centred around sharing dishes, sushi, sashimi and robata cooking over charcoal. As Chef de Cuisine, you will be a hands-on culinary leader, responsible for maintaining the quality, consistency and standards of the food while supporting the development and performance of the kitchen team.

A successful Executive Chef will work closely with the Head Chef in the day-to-day operation of Pen Yen, supporting menu execution, team development, scheduling, labour, food quality and kitchen performance.

What's in it for you?

• Weekly Pay
• Team meal whilst on shift prepared by our chefs
• Every House Membership
• 50% off Food & Drink, 7 days a week
• Staff Room Rate; Any Bedroom, Any House, $100 a night
• Private Health and Dental Care
• Life Assurance
• Day off on your birthday
• Up to 50% Staff Discount on Cowshed & Soho Home
• In conjunction with Soho Impact, take 2 days paid a year to support a charity of your choice.
• Free Counselling Sessions
• Cookhouse & House Tonic: Our Cookhouse & House Tonic programmes offer unique food and drink trainings, events and opportunities to inspire and educate.
• Continuous training to develop yourself personally and professionally
• Team Events: From fitness sessions to cinema screenings and art classes, each month we hold a series of fun events which you can sign up to

Soho House offers competitive compensation packages that feature global benefits and perks. Whether you’re seeking entry-level employment or a new opportunity to expand your profession, we offer training to develop the technical and managerial skills necessary to enhance your career

Key duties…

• Deliver a consistent, high-quality Pen Yen dining experience across sushi, sashimi, robata and Japanese sharing dishes.
• Oversee the day-to-day BOH operation, ensuring effective staffing, preparation, service and execution of all dishes to Pen Yen and Soho House standards.
• Maintain the highest standards of food quality, presentation, consistency and attention to detail across the kitchen.
• Support with menu development, seasonal dishes, recipe creation, food specifications, costing and menu updates.
• Ensure all dishes are prepared and executed according to agreed recipes, specifications and presentation standards.
• Support the development and training of the kitchen team through on-the-job coaching, Cook House training and regular skills development.
• Create a positive, collaborative kitchen culture and ensure effective communication between the BOH and FOH teams.
• Manage kitchen schedules, labour, prep, production, service, opening and closing procedures to ensure the operation runs efficiently.
• Ensure all food safety, health and safety, hygiene and allergy procedures are followed in line with Soho House and local regulations.
• Support purchasing, stock control, food cost, waste management and supplier relationships to maintain quality and commercial performance.
• Manage events, special menus and private dining experiences.
• Ensure all kitchen equipment is maintained and report and follow up on any maintenance issues.
• Manage and develop the kitchen team, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management and succession planning.

What we are looking for...

• Minimum 4–5 years’ experience in a similar Executive Chef, Head Chef or Culinary Senior Leadership role within a high-volume, quality-driven restaurant.
• Strong experience working with Japanese cuisine, ideally including sushi, sashimi, robata or charcoal cooking.
• Culinary trained and passionate about Japanese food, ingredients, technique and continuous development.
• Proven experience leading, training and developing a kitchen team in a busy, high-volume environment.
• Strong knowledge of food quality, kitchen operations, food safety, HACCP and local sanitation regulations.
• Experience managing labour, purchasing, stock, food cost and waste control.
• A hands-on and operational leader who is comfortable working alongside the team during service.
• Strong communication and organisational skills, with the ability to build positive relationships across the kitchen and wider House.
• Experienced managing P&L’s, labour, purchasing, vendors and quality control while providing results in revenue 
• Must be able to demonstrate competency as outlined in the training schedule and Club School
• Must be able to work flexible shifts and schedules, including weekends and holidays as needed
• Ability to take direction, work in a team environment and autonomously