Chef de Cuisine

Scratch & Co. is a chef-driven neighborhood restaurant in Pittsburgh serving brunch and dinner. We re entirely dedicated to locally sourcing our food menu: from the Allegheny Mountains to our east, the state line to our south, and west to Northeast Ohio. Those boundaries define our foodshed, and we build the menu around what our farmers and producers bring us.

When we call our farmers, we're calling people we know and are friendly with. We ask what's up, how the season's treating them, what's going sideways, what they're proud of, and on every call, how we can help. Sometimes that means finding a way to use a hundred pounds of overage nobody planned for. Sometimes it means planning the next year's growing plan. Sometimes it means keeping our course as is. The fact that money changes hands doesn't make the relationship less real; it makes it more so. Our success is mutually defined.

Those relationships with our farms shapes our entire food operation: whole-animal cooking, an in-house fermentation and preservation program, and a no-waste orientation that puts every part of every product to use. It also shapes how we treat our own people. We use our proceeds firstly to pay our team properly, because a restaurant that treats its staff as a cost center has no business lecturing anyone about sustainability.

We are a growing hospitality company, and we are looking for leaders who share that passion.

The Chef de Cuisine is responsible for the daily leadership of the Scratch & Co. kitchen and reports directly to Chef Peter Henry, Director of Culinary Operations and Executive Chef. The Chef de Cuisine will take ownership of an established, well-run culinary program, overseeing kitchen staff, food quality, cost controls, and back-of-house operations.

The ideal candidate is a people-focused leader with a demonstrated record of building, developing, and retaining strong kitchen teams, and a genuine passion for foodshed cooking, whole-animal utilization, and fermentation.

• Position type: Full-time, salaried
  

• Reports to: Director of Culinary Operations and Executive Chef
  

• Location: Pittsburgh, PA
  

• Lead, train, and mentor back-of-house staff, fostering a professional, positive, and accountable kitchen culture
  

• Recruit, hire, and onboard kitchen staff in partnership with the Executive Chef
  

• Provide regular (weekly) performance feedback and develop team members for advancement via department meetings
  

• Build weekly schedules within labor targets
  

• Oversee daily execution of brunch and dinner service, ensuring consistency in quality, presentation, and ticket times
  

• Maintain prep systems, line checks, station standards, and recipe and plating specifications
  

• Execute private events and special dinners alongside regular service
  

• Partner with front-of-house leadership to ensure a seamless guest experience
  

• Build and maintain direct relationships with our farmers, ranchers, and producers, including farm visits and seasonal planning with Chef Henry
  

• Lead whole-animal butchery and full utilization of every product that comes through the door
  

• Run and expand our fermentation, preservation, and reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) programs alongside the Executive Chef
  

• Uphold a no-waste kitchen and inspire the team to cook with the same discipline
  

• Represent Scratch & Co. in the local food community through farm partnerships, events, and collaborations
  

• Manage food and labor costs to budgeted targets
  

• Oversee ordering, receiving, and inventory across our network of local farms and producers
  

• Track yields, utilization, and portion control to support a no-waste kitchen
  

• Report weekly on cost and operational performance to the Executive Chef
  

• Ensure compliance with Allegheny County Health Department and all applicable food safety regulations
  

• Maintain HACCP plans and documentation for reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) and fermentation programs
  

• Uphold sanitation, equipment maintenance, and workplace safety standards
  

We want this role to grow with the person in it. Chefs who already bring deep experience in whole-animal cooking, fermentation, and kitchen leadership will move into creative ownership on a timeline that reflects what they bring.

• Close collaboration with the Executive Chef on our ROP and fermentation programs, building on the skills you bring
  

• A seat at the table for menu development with the Executive Chef and ownership, once you have shown command of the programs, costs, operations, and team
  

• Leadership opportunities as Scratch & Co. expands to additional locations
  

• Minimum of 3 years of experience as a Sous Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or Kitchen Manager in a full-service, scratch kitchen
  

• Proven track record of leading, developing, and retaining kitchen teams
  

• A deep commitment to local sourcing, seasonal cooking, and no-waste practices
  

• A desire to build real relationships with farmers, producers, and the community
  

• Demonstrated experience managing food cost, labor, ordering, and inventory
  

• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills
  

• Composed and decisive in a high-volume environment
  

• Experience with whole-animal butchery, fermentation, and preservation; ROP experience a plus
  

• ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification, or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire
  

• Availability for a flexible schedule, including weekends, holidays, and evening events
  

• Ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbs
  

• Annual salary range $60,000 - $75,000 based on experience and qualifications and needed training
  

• Health insurance
  

• 10 days paid time off
  

• Profit sharing
  

• Career development and advancement opportunities
  

Please submit a resume and brief cover letter to with "Chef de Cuisine" in the subject line. Candidates are encouraged to include examples of team members they have trained and promoted.

Scratch & Co. is an equal opportunity employer.