Head Chef, Haugen's Chicken & Ribs

Haugen’s Chicken & BBQ, part of the Circles & Squares Bakery family, is looking for a passionate and driven Head Chef to lead our kitchen team in Port Perry.

As we continue building the next chapter of Haugen’s, we’re placing a major focus on food quality, hospitality, consistency, and operational excellence while growing the restaurant into a destination known for great BBQ, comfort food, and housemade offerings.

We’re looking for a strong culinary leader who genuinely cares about food, people, and creating an excellent guest experience. The ideal candidate is hands on, organized, solution focused, and capable of leading by example in a fast paced environment.

This role requires someone who can maintain high standards while mentoring and developing the current kitchen team, improving systems and organization, and helping drive the restaurant forward operationally and creatively.

The Head Chef will oversee all kitchen operations including daily service, team leadership, menu development, food quality, systems, ordering, labour management, and overall kitchen performance.

Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership & Menu Development

Lead and oversee all day to day kitchen operations

Collaborate with ownership and the culinary team on menu development, seasonal features, and ongoing food innovation

Maintain high standards for food quality, consistency, presentation, and execution

Develop and improve recipes, prep systems, kitchen organization, and operational procedures

Continue evolving Haugen’s menu while staying true to the brand and guest expectations

Team Leadership & Development

Lead, mentor, and develop the kitchen team through positive and hands on leadership

Foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and growth

Support training and ongoing development of cooks and kitchen leaders

Build strong communication and collaboration between front and back of house teams

Create a kitchen culture where people feel supported, motivated, and proud of the food being produced

Operations & Continuous Improvement

Drive operational improvements, kitchen organization, and workflow efficiencies throughout the business

Identify opportunities to improve systems, consistency, labour management, prep flow, and overall kitchen performance

Manage labour, scheduling, food cost, waste, ordering, inventory, and daily production needs

Work closely with leadership to support restaurant growth and long term operational goals

Maintain strong awareness of sales performance, opportunities, and operational improvements

Food Safety & Standards

Ensure all food safety, sanitation, allergen, and health standards are consistently upheld

Maintain a clean, organized, and professional kitchen environment

Ensure equipment is maintained properly and issues are addressed proactively

Lead by example in cleanliness, organization, urgency, and kitchen standards

Qualifications & Skills

Previous experience as a Head Chef, Executive Chef, or senior kitchen leader

Strong leadership and team development skills

Passion for BBQ, comfort food, hospitality, and quality ingredients

Experience with menu development, costing, systems, and kitchen operations

Strong understanding of labour management, food cost, and operational efficiency

Ability to lead change, improve systems, and build structure within a growing kitchen

Organized, reliable, hands on, and solution oriented

Valid Food Handler’s Certification required

Must be flexible and available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by restaurant operations

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From $70,000.00 per year

Benefits

Company events

Discounted or free food

Flexible schedule

On-site parking

Paid time off

Ability to commute/relocate

Port Perry, ON: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience

Kitchen Leadership (in high volume): 5 years (required)

Language

English (required)

Work Location: In person