Summary
Imagine leading a kitchen where the view is as memorable as the food. Located on the waterfront in beautiful Mill Bay on Vancouver Island, this established restaurant is part of a growing collection of distinctive marine, hospitality, and destination experiences across coastal British Columbia. With sweeping views of the Saanich Inlet, a loyal local following, and a menu inspired by the flavours and ingredients of the West Coast, this is an opportunity to build something special in one of Vancouver Island’s most naturally beautiful communities.
We are seeking an experienced and passionate Head Chef to take ownership of the culinary program and lead the kitchen into its next chapter. This is a hands-on leadership role for a chef who loves great food, understands the business of running a successful kitchen, and knows how to create an environment where people enjoy coming to work. The successful candidate will bring creativity, consistency, strong operational instincts, and a genuine appreciation for approachable, high-quality food. You will have the opportunity to influence menus, showcase local and seasonal ingredients, develop a strong culinary team, and create experiences that keep both locals and visitors coming back. For a chef looking to combine career opportunity with an exceptional West Coast lifestyle, this is a compelling chance to make your mark.
Description
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Lead the day-to-day culinary operation, ensuring exceptional food quality, presentation, consistency, and execution.
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Develop and evolve menus that reflect the restaurant’s approachable West Coast identity, incorporating local and seasonal ingredients wherever possible.
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Build, coach, motivate, and retain a strong kitchen team while creating a positive, respectful, and accountable culture.
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Lead from the kitchen floor, remaining visible, engaged, and hands-on during service.
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Maintain strong standards around food preparation, recipes, portioning, presentation, and quality control.
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Manage food costs, labour, inventory, purchasing, waste, and kitchen productivity to support both culinary excellence and financial performance.
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Establish effective prep, production, ordering, and scheduling systems that allow the kitchen to operate efficiently through changing seasonal volumes.
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Develop strong relationships with suppliers and identify opportunities to showcase quality regional products.
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Partner closely with restaurant and senior leadership to continually enhance the guest experience and overall performance of the business.
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Maintain exceptional standards of food safety, sanitation, cleanliness, and regulatory compliance.
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Support special events, seasonal programming, and opportunities to further establish the restaurant as a destination within the Cowichan Valley.
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Bring ideas forward. This organization values leaders who see opportunities, take ownership, and want to contribute beyond their immediate area of responsibility.
Requirements
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Proven culinary leadership experience as a Head Chef, Executive Chef, Chef de Cuisine, or strong Sous Chef ready to step into a senior leadership role.
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Strong hands-on cooking skills combined with the ability to lead and organize a busy kitchen operation.
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Experience developing menus and maintaining consistent culinary standards.
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Strong understanding of food cost, labour management, inventory control, purchasing, and kitchen financials.
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A genuine passion for fresh, approachable, high-quality food and the opportunity to work with local and seasonal ingredients.
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A collaborative leadership style with the ability to coach, develop, and inspire kitchen employees.
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Comfortable working within a business that experiences seasonal fluctuations in volume.
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Organized, calm, and decisive during busy services.
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Strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with front-of-house and senior leadership.
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FoodSafe certification and a strong understanding of health and safety standards.
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Most importantly, a chef who takes pride in their kitchen, their people, and the experience being delivered to every guest.
Corporate Culture
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Salary - $75,000 - $89,000 plus incentives
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The opportunity to lead the culinary program at a distinctive waterfront restaurant in one of Vancouver Island’s most desirable coastal communities.
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Significant influence over menu development, culinary standards, kitchen culture, and the future direction of the food program.
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A supportive ownership group with an established and growing portfolio of hospitality and marine destinations throughout coastal British Columbia.
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The opportunity to work with local suppliers and celebrate the ingredients and flavours of Vancouver Island.
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A leadership role with autonomy, visibility, and the ability to make a meaningful impact.
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Competitive compensation commensurate with experience.
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The lifestyle advantage of living and working in the Cowichan Valley, surrounded by ocean, wineries, farms, outdoor recreation, and some of Vancouver Island’s most beautiful scenery.