Executive Working Chef Jobs in Alabama (NOW HIRING)

Local & Company Food+Drink
Foley, Alabama (only 12 miles from the beautiful white sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast)

Local & Company is seeking an experienced, talented Working Executive Chef to lead our culinary team and help shape the next chapter of our independent restaurant in Foley, Alabama.

We are looking beyond our immediate market for a chef who may be ready for something different: the opportunity to lead a respected independent restaurant, have a meaningful voice in the kitchen and menu, and enjoy a quality of life that can be difficult to find in larger cities.

Local & Company is a locally owned, chef-driven restaurant located in a beautifully restored historic (Old National Guard Armory) building in downtown Foley, just a short drive from Alabama's beautiful white-sandy Gulf Coast beaches.
Our food is inspired by the Gulf Coast, Southern ingredients, seasonality, and the diverse culinary backgrounds of our team. We believe in thoughtful food that begins with excellent ingredients rather than unnecessary complication.

Our connection to local agriculture is more than a philosophy. The owners also operate Belvedere Farm, where seasonal produce is grown for the restaurant, giving our kitchen opportunities to work with ingredients grown specifically for our menus.

We also have an established wine program, regularly host curated wine-and-food pairing dinners, and operate a private dining room for celebrations, business gatherings, and special events.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is not a position for someone simply looking to maintain an existing kitchen.

We are looking for a chef who wants to lead it.

The Executive Chef will have the opportunity to bring creativity and leadership to the menu while maintaining the quality and identity our guests have come to expect from Local & Company.

The right chef will be equally comfortable developing a dish, teaching a young cook, managing food cost, working with local and regional suppliers, and leading a busy service.

You will work closely with ownership, but you will also be trusted to lead your kitchen.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading, mentoring, scheduling, and developing the culinary team
• Menu development and seasonal menu changes
• Maintaining consistency, presentation, and food quality
• Managing food and labor costs responsibly
• Purchasing, inventory, and vendor relationships
• Maintaining strong sanitation and kitchen standards
• Developing systems that allow the kitchen to operate efficiently
• Collaborating on wine dinners, private events, and special menus
• Creating a kitchen culture built around professionalism, respect, accountability, and pride in the work

THE CHEF WE'RE LOOKING FOR

We are interested in an experienced Executive Chef or a highly accomplished Chef de Cuisine or Executive Sous Chef who is ready to take the next step.

You should have strong culinary fundamentals, leadership ability, financial awareness, and the maturity to understand that running a successful kitchen requires both creativity and discipline.

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys food, people, and hospitality.

We value a chef who leads by example rather than intimidation and understands that talented people do their best work in an environment where expectations are high but respect is mutual.
OUR WORKPLACE

Local & Company is independently owned—not a corporate restaurant or restaurant group.

That means decisions are made here.

Owners Ephraim Kadish, an experienced chef and restaurateur, and Sylvia Smith-Kadish are actively involved in the restaurant and understand the realities of the hospitality business. Ephraim's culinary background brings an added understanding of the demands of leading a professional kitchen, while allowing our Executive Chef the opportunity to lead, create, and make the kitchen their own.
Learn more about our team:  https://www.localandcompanyrestaurant.com/about-us#team

We want our Executive Chef to have a collaborative relationship with ownership and the freedom to contribute ideas, solve problems, develop people, and make an impact.

We take the food seriously without believing that a successful kitchen has to be an unpleasant place to work.

Our goal is a professional kitchen where people are accountable, respected, and proud of what they produce.
WHY SOUTH ALABAMA?

For chefs coming from Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans, Charleston, Asheville or other larger restaurant markets, Foley may not be the first place that comes to mind.

That's part of what makes this opportunity worth considering.

Foley sits in the heart of Alabama's Gulf Coast region, minutes from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and their miles of beautiful white-sand beaches.

The area offers restaurants, boating, fishing, golf, outdoor recreation, arts and community events, while still retaining the friendliness and relaxed pace for which the Gulf Coast is known.

And there is another important advantage: your income can go considerably further here.

Housing and everyday living expenses can offer substantially more value than many larger culinary markets. A salary that may require compromises in a major city can provide the opportunity for more space, a shorter commute, and a different overall quality of life in South Alabama.

There is traffic on busy summer weekends—but there isn't a two-hour commute home after dinner service.

For the right chef, this can be more than a career move. It can be a lifestyle move.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

We believe an accomplished Executive Chef should be compensated accordingly.

Competitive salary commensurate with experience
Performance-based bonus opportunity
Relocation assistance available for the right candidate
Paid time off
Additional benefits discussed during the interview process

Candidates currently living outside Alabama are strongly encouraged to apply. We are happy to discuss the area, housing, lifestyle, and what relocation to the Alabama Gulf Coast could look like for you and your family.

If you are an experienced culinary leader who wants creative involvement, ownership support, and the opportunity to build a strong kitchen and a good life outside of work, we'd like to hear from you.

Local & Company
Foley, Alabama
Near Gulf Shores & Orange Beach on Alabama's Gulf Coast