Regional Chef - Multi-Unit Culinary Operations (Phoenix & Dallas)

We are seeking an accomplished Regional Executive Chef to provide culinary leadership across a growing portfolio of fine-dining restaurant concepts in the Phoenix and Dallas markets.

This is a senior culinary leadership opportunity for an established operator who can maintain exceptional standards across multiple locations while developing Executive Chefs, culinary teams, and consistent systems of execution.

The ideal candidate is a fine-dining culinary leader first and foremost—with the ability to balance culinary excellence, operational discipline, financial performance, and team development across multiple markets.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Culinary Leadership

• Oversee culinary operations across multiple fine-dining locations.
• Maintain exceptional standards for food quality, presentation, consistency, and execution.
• Partner with local culinary and operational leadership to drive performance.
• Ensure each location consistently delivers an elevated guest experience.

Team Development

• Mentor, coach, and develop Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, and senior culinary leaders.
• Build strong leadership pipelines across multiple locations.
• Establish accountability, structure, and consistent culinary standards.
• Support recruitment, training, and retention of top culinary talent.

Culinary Excellence

• Support menu development, innovation, and culinary programming.
• Ensure recipes, plating, preparation, and execution standards are consistently followed.
• Maintain the integrity and identity of each restaurant concept.
• Identify opportunities to elevate food quality and guest experience.

Financial & Operational Performance

• Partner with restaurant leadership on food cost, labor, inventory, and profitability.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, purchasing, and cost-control initiatives.
• Balance exceptional culinary execution with disciplined financial performance.

Multi-Market Operations

• Travel regularly between Arizona and Texas properties.
• Conduct kitchen assessments and operational reviews.
• Provide hands-on support during critical service periods and operational challenges.
• Ensure consistent standards across all assigned locations.

Required Qualifications

• Extensive fine-dining culinary leadership experience is required.
• Proven experience as an Executive Chef, Corporate Chef, Regional Chef, Culinary Director, or comparable senior culinary leader.
• Strong background overseeing high-end, chef-driven, full-service restaurant operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing senior culinary teams.
• Strong knowledge of food cost, labor management, inventory, purchasing, and profitability.
• Experience supporting multiple locations or complex culinary operations strongly preferred.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly between assigned markets.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an established fine-dining culinary operator who can successfully transition between strategic regional leadership and hands-on kitchen support.

You should be equally comfortable:

• Developing Executive Chefs and culinary leaders
• Evaluating kitchen and operational performance
• Maintaining elevated fine-dining standards
• Supporting menu development and innovation
• Managing food and labor costs
• Solving operational challenges
• Traveling between multiple markets and locations

What We're Looking For

This search is fine dining only.

We are seeking a leader with a proven track record in upscale, high-end, chef-driven, or fine-dining restaurant environments. Candidates without substantial fine-dining culinary leadership experience will not be a strong match.

The Restaurant Zone is a leading hospitality recruitment agency specializing in connecting top-tier talent with restaurants, hotels, and hospitality groups across the United States. We partner with growing brands and established operators to deliver high-quality candidates for management, executive, and specialized roles. Our team combines industry expertise, a vast candidate network, and a results-driven approach to help businesses build strong, reliable teams. At The Restaurant Zone, we focus on speed, quality, and long-term fit—ensuring both clients and candidates succeed.