Chef de Cuisine (Seasonal)

Summer Salt | Avalon, NJ

Seasonal Full-Time: May 1 – October 30, 2026 (6 months)

Pay: $45,000–$60,000 per season (based on experience)

Summer Salt is a seasonal, BYOB, ingredient-driven, dinner-only restaurant at the Jersey Shore. We offer a rotating four-course tasting menu inspired by Cape May County’s land and sea. Our kitchen is values-driven, fast-paced, and collaborative, with a strong focus on seasonality, mentorship, and consistency.

We offer four distinct tasting menus each season, running for approximately 4 weeks each.. Every menu is thoughtfully curated to honor peak ingredients. Our tasting menus features 12 dishes: six tapas-style appetizers served family-style, three entrée options (fish, meat, or pasta), and three dessert selections.

We are hiring a Chef de Cuisine to lead kitchen operations for the 2026 season. This is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced chef who is organized, calm under pressure, and excited to mentor and guide a seasonal team.

During a typical day, the CDC will lead prep from 11am-5pm, and then lead the line as Expo from 5pm-close.

Responsibilities

Lead daily kitchen operations during prep and service
Help develop and execute four seasonal tasting menus (each menu has 12 total dishes and runs for 4-5 weeks)
Supervise, train, and mentor seasonal kitchen staff, predominately students and new cooks
Serve as Expo during nightly service; step on the line as needed
Manage inventory, ordering, receiving, and organization
Ensure food quality, consistency, pacing, and food safety standards
Lead kitchen execution for special events (weddings, rehearsal dinners, buyouts)
Maintain recipes, prep lists, order guides, and training materials
Foster a respectful, accountable, team-oriented kitchen culture

Schedule & Season Details

Typical shift: 11:00am-9:30pm, 6 days/week
Prep leadership: 11:00am–5:00pm
Service/Expo: 5:00pm–9:30pm
Pre- and Post-Season: the restaurant is typically closed in April and October. In this period, you'll work daytime hours M-F, focused on menu development, training, and seasonal opening/closing tasks
Occasional off-season special events will occur

Qualifications

Prior experience as a Chef de Cuisine or Senior Sous Chef
Strong background in seasonal, ingredient-driven cooking
Passion for mentorship, teaching, and team development
Proven leadership and communication skills
Ability to work long hours in a fast-paced, seasonal environment
Availability for the full 2026 season

Pay: $45,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Relocation assistance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Application Question(s):

Do you have experience with training and mentoring beginning, seasonal Prep Cooks and Line Cooks?
Do you live locally, or will you be relocating for this job?

Work Location: In person

Summer Salt

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