CHEF OPERATOR

As we prepare to reopen this location, we are seeking an entrepreneurial and performance-driven Chef Operator to lead both culinary excellence and day-to-day restaurant operations. This role carries full accountability for team leadership, financial performance, guest experience, and the consistent execution of our standards in a fast-paced, open-kitchen environment. The Chef Operator will be instrumental in rebuilding culture, developing a high-performing team, and driving operational discipline to ensure this restaurant reopens with strength and sustained success.

Location: 200 Central Ave, St Pete FL

Naked Farmer is a pioneering farm-to-table restaurant group with multiple locations across Florida, cooking and serving scratch-made, healthy, and affordable meals. Our restaurants celebrate the seasonality of vegetables and the spirit of innovation, striving to create a sustainable food system that strengthens the connection between farmers and the community.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

As Chef Operator, you will spearhead a team that is passionate about culinary excellence and guide them towards acquiring new skills in our scratch-based kitchen. Your role is to nurture and cultivate your team, training and mentoring them to become future leaders through daily skill development. You are an achiever with a keen sense for operations, driven by tangible results. In our innovative operation, you are constantly viewing the business through a strategic and systematic lens, aiming to position both yourself and your team for success.

Maintaining organization while managing logistics and adopting a visionary approach in a fast-paced environment is crucial to your role as Chef Operator. Our menu is ever-evolving, aligning with the seasons and incorporating new initiatives to enhance our business operations. Your leadership will be pivotal in guiding and delegating tasks, ensuring your team is fully prepared to meet any new challenge head-on. You will communicate culinary standards clearly and motivate your team to strive for a better future in food. You are accountable for maintaining an efficient restaurant operation and providing comprehensive oversight of all Naked Farmer personnel under your leadership.

BENEFITS:

• Competitive salary and a vibrant work culture
• Profit-sharing incentives
• Annual paid vacation
• Affordable health, dental, and vision insurance
• Opportunities for career progression within our rapidly growing company
• A complimentary Naked Farmer meal daily
• Flexible work schedule
• Paid Parking

The next generation of chefs are evolving in Naked Farmer restaurants. As Chef Operator, you hold the premier leadership position, embodying a profound sense of responsibility for your restaurant. In partnership with the Chef de Cuisine, you drive the establishment's success at running efficient restaurants and maintaining a culture that’s welcoming, fun and accountable to its team members, guests, and Area Operations Team. Collaborating with our Culinary Director, Controller, and other key restaurant leaders, you ensure the restaurant staff is expertly trained and organized, thus providing our guests with an experience that transcends an delicious meal.

YOU WILL:

• Oversee the entire restaurant operation, including the management of costs, labor efficiency, guest experience, and driving sales growth.
• Inspire, encourage and coach your team to build daily disciplines and behaviors to run an efficient restaurant.
• Work closely with the Chef de Cuisine on quality assurance processes and transform guest feedback into actionable insights for continuous improvement.
• Spearhead new initiatives and manage their implementation, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset within your team to maintain high engagement and enthusiasm.
• Ensure the smooth operational flow of the restaurant by upholding culinary excellence, service quality, and adherence to health protocols.
• Handle technological and third-party platform issues proactively, adeptly troubleshooting and managing various operational aspects.
• Execute thorough reporting and documentation to deliver consistent updates and insights to the leadership team.
• Attain and uphold Department of Health Standards, set an example in cleanliness, and organize the kitchen and service areas effectively.
• Lead recruitment efforts, conducting interviews, and overseeing the onboarding process for new team members.
• Facilitate pre-shift briefings and team-building events to align your team with the latest updates and goals.
• Communicate proficiently across various digital platforms such as Google Drive, Slack, Toast, 7Shifts, Email, etc., ensuring timely correspondence.

YOU HAVE:

• A passion for real, good food and a genuine interest in culinary practices and skills.
• A minimum of 3-4 years of experience in high-volume kitchen management or operational restaurant management with P&L responsibility.
• A deep understanding of how to run efficient restaurants.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a strong work ethic and reliability.
• Physical capability to perform job duties, including lifting up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodations.
• A team-oriented mindset, valuing the contributions of colleagues and aiming for the restaurant's collective success.
• Excellent verbal communication skills and a proactive, positive approach to challenges.
• A commitment to delivering outstanding experiences for both employees and guests.
• An eye for to detail.
• Quick learning ability and adaptability, particularly when it comes to new recipes and seasonal menu changes.
• A sense of responsibility in a demanding, high-volume, and high-standard environment.

ABOUT NAKED FARMER:

Born during a global pandemic, Naked Farmer quickly adapted, delivering fresh food directly from farm to doorstep. Our ethos is founded on resilience, transparency, and telling the story of the farmers behind our local food supply. With a commitment to becoming 100% locally-sourced, we are now embarking on an expansion phase, opening new locations and furthering our mission of transparency in sourcing and cooking while supporting local farmers, communities, and chefs. Currently operating six restaurants in Tampa Bay and South Florida, we are in the process of adding six more across the state over the next 18 months.

And yes, all employees enjoy complimentary Naked Farmer meals every day—don't miss out on the sweet potatoes.

Join us as we build the future of food together.

CHEF DE CUISINE

As we prepare to reopen our St Pete location in March 2026, we are seeking a highly driven and operationally excellent Chef de Cuisine (CDC) to lead the culinary execution from day one with our new team. This role is responsible for rebuilding and developing the kitchen team, upholding our standards for clean, high-quality ingredients, and ensuring flawless execution in a fast-paced, open-kitchen environment. The CDC will play a critical leadership role in reestablishing the tone, culture, and performance standards that define this restaurant’s next chapter of success.

Location: 200 Central Ave #150 St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Naked Farmer is a pioneering farm-to-table restaurant group with multiple locations across Florida, cooking and serving scratch-made, healthy, and affordable meals. Our restaurants celebrate the seasonality of vegetables and the spirit of innovation, striving to create a sustainable food system that strengthens the connection between farmers and the community.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

As Chef De Cuisine, you will lead the culinary team in our scratch kitchen, acting as the culinary nuts-and-bolts of our restaurant. Your role will be to manage and guide your team of chefs to run an efficient kitchen where chefs love to work. With a talent for balancing culinary excellence with operational savvy, you will lead and inspire others, demonstrating both leadership and culinary skills. Your ability to maintain strong relationships with farmers, partners, and suppliers is essential, as is your oversight of daily kitchen operations, adherence to sanitation standards, and maintenance of kitchen equipment. You will be responsible for supervising food preparation, menu planning, staffing, and ensuring that every kitchen station operates smoothly.

BENEFITS:

• Competitive salary and a vibrant work culture
• Profit-sharing incentives
• Annual paid vacation
• Affordable health, dental, and vision insurance
• Opportunities for career progression within our rapidly growing company
• A complimentary Naked Farmer meal daily
• Flexible work schedule
• Parking Reimbursement

At Naked Farmer, we are cultivating the next generation chefs. Our scratch-based kitchens are a hub for individuals passionate about real, good food. Your passion for cooking delicious food will be evident as you are a farmer of people who enjoys helping other chefs master various cooking stations, ensuring each recipe is prepared consistently to showcase the best of the season. You will inspire and lead those eager to share their love for cooking and transform others into skilled chefs. If you are driven by a sense of purpose and a craving for shaping the future of food, join us on our mission to build a better food system.

YOU WILL:

• Cultivate a kitchen culture that embodies our best practices and standards, inspiring your team through every service.
• Lead and mentor the chef trainees, setting an example of culinary expertise and positivity to consistently deliver exceptional food.
• Guarantee the quality and presentation of food across all business channels, treating dine-in, pick-up, and delivery orders with equal dedication.
• Act as the go-to resource for the kitchen staff on recipe inquiries, preparation checklists, and food quality, maintaining order and consistency.
• Manage the receipt and quality control of fresh ingredients from our farm partners, and oversee inventory, supplies, and quality assurance processes.
• Organize prep lists and collaborate with the Chef Operator on food inventory and ordering to ensure the kitchen is well-prepared and organized.
• Setup your team for success on each service by managing the deployment board and prep schedules effectively.
• Perform line checks, assess readiness of food, anticipate needs, and manage potential waste to ensure seamless service.
• Set the kitchen up for success, completing all tasks with timeliness and a focus on safety.
• Introduce and test food preparation techniques that enhance kitchen efficiency, and remain open to innovative systems and processes.
• Uphold stringent kitchen operations, including storage, labeling, preparation, and safety protocols, ensuring compliance with health standards and guidelines.
• Lead in placing orders and managing kitchen facilities, and collaborate with the Chef Operator on labor and food costs.
• Grow your kitchen team through active recruitment, training, performance management, mentorship, and disciplinary procedures when necessary.

YOU HAVE:

• A minimum of 2 years' experience leading a culinary team in a high-volume setting.
• A deep passion for quality food and a desire to constantly improve.
• Strong culinary expertise with a willingness to learn and adapt.
• A proven work ethic and the ability to perform the job's physical demands, such as lifting up to 50 pounds.
• A collaborative spirit and readiness to contribute as needed.
• Respect and appreciation for your team and a commitment to fostering a positive work environment.
• Exceptional communication skills.
• A vision for mentoring and developing chefs into future restaurant leaders.
• Reliability and a consistent performance record.
• Adaptable interpersonal skills and the ability to meet new challenges with agility.
• An unwavering attention to detail.

ABOUT NAKED FARMER:

Born during a global pandemic, Naked Farmer quickly adapted, delivering fresh food directly from farm to doorstep. Our ethos is founded on resilience, transparency, and telling the story of the farmers behind our local food supply. With a commitment to becoming 100% locally-sourced, we are now embarking on an expansion phase, opening new locations and furthering our mission of transparency in sourcing and cooking while supporting local farmers, communities, and chefs. Currently operating six restaurants in Tampa Bay and South Florida, we are in the process of adding six more across the state over the next 18 months.

And yes, all employees enjoy complimentary Naked Farmer meals every day—don't miss out on the sweet potatoes.

Join us as we build the future of food together.