Executive Chef

General Description of Work:

The Genuine Hospitality Group, led by James Beard Award–winning Chef Michael Schwartz, is seeking a visionary Executive Chef to lead the culinary program at Amara at Paraiso—one of South Florida’s premier waterfront dining destinations. This is a rare opportunity for a dynamic culinary leader to shape a high-profile, high-volume restaurant known for bold Central and South American flavors, seasonal coastal cuisine, and an elevated guest experience. With over 300 seats, a thriving events business, and a team of nearly 100 employees, this role offers both creative freedom and operational impact at scale. 

With delegated authority, reporting to the Owner and General Manager, the Executive Chef is responsible for…

Essential Function:

• Lead development of seasonal, coastal South American inspired menus that adhere to the ethos of
• Genuine cooking
• Develop, implement and maintain systems that enhance communication, cost control, and nurture
• creative output
• Design and evolve menus that reflect culinary trends, guest preferences, dietary needs, and locally and
• sustainably sourced ingredients
• Plan and execute seasonal menu transitions with a strong focus on quality, consistency, and creativity
• Create, document, and standardize recipes to ensure scalability and consistency across operations
• Oversee all kitchen operations, including prep, production, service, and execution across both the
• restaurant and offsite commissary kitchen
• Manage commissary operations including labor, logistics, maintenance, production, and quality control
• as an extension of the main kitchen
• Ensure all food is prepared and presented according to established recipes, portioning, and quality
• standards
• Implement and maintain rigorous quality control measures for sourcing, handling, and preparation of
• all ingredients
• Maintain strict adherence to sanitation, safety, and cleanliness standards, including scheduled
• maintenance of equipment and facilities
• Own and manage kitchen financial performance, including food cost (COGs), labor, and operating
• expenses
• Develop and manage kitchen budgets; proactively monitor and adjust to meet financial targets
• Optimize costs while maintaining the highest standards of quality and guest experience
• Control inventory, ordering, and product usage in alignment with company specifications and
• procedures
• Provide strong leadership, direction, and motivation to a large, high-performing kitchen team (up to 40
• employees)
• Recruit, interview, hire, train, evaluate, and develop kitchen personnel
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Oversee onboarding and training programs to ensure team success and alignment with company
• standards
• Schedule labor strategically based on business needs while meeting labor cost goals
• Lead by example—stepping into operations as needed to support service and uphold standards
• Partner closely with front-of-house leadership to ensure seamless service and communication
• Collaborate with the Marketing team to develop food-focused content and campaigns
• Contribute to brand storytelling through menu features, seasonal promotions, and participation in key
• food holidays and events
• Work with senior leadership to align culinary strategy with overall business objectives

Qualifications & Experience:

• Minimum 7+ years of progressive culinary experience, including leadership in high-volume or fine
• dining environmentsAt least 5 years in a senior kitchen leadership role (Executive Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or equivalent)
• Proven experience leading large teams of 10 or more staff members and complex kitchen operations
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing COGs, labor, and budgets
• Experience with high-volume production and/or commissary operations preferred
• Passion for seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and culturally inspired cuisineExceptional leadership, communication, and organizational skills