Kitchen Director — Brooklyn Brewery (1 Wythe)

Reports to: Senior Director of Hospitality Operations

Department: Kitchen Operations

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Opening: June 2026

Position Overview

Brooklyn Brewery is opening a new flagship hospitality and cultural space in Williamsburg in Summer 2026. The Kitchen Director will lead and build the culinary program across a multi-floor, multi-use venue that includes public food service, private events, large-scale catering, and collaborative guest programming.

This role is not a traditional single-restaurant chef position. The Kitchen Director functions as a department head within an integrated hospitality operation, working closely with Bar Operations, Private Event Sales & Production, and Partnerships & Programming to deliver a cohesive guest experience and a profitable food program.

The food program exists to support a live hospitality and event venue. Public food service, private events, and brand programming operate simultaneously, and the kitchen must be structured to reliably execute multiple service types within the same service window.

The culinary program will include a high-volume pizza-focused service model, elevated private dining, and event-driven catering. The successful candidate is an operational leader capable of building systems, managing large teams, and executing consistently across different service formats.

Core Responsibilities

Department Leadership & Operations

• Build and lead the Kitchen Operations department across multiple service areas and kitchens
• Hire, train, schedule, and develop BOH management and hourly staff
• Establish kitchen organizational structure, staffing models, and service standards
• Create scalable systems for prep, service, and event execution
• Design kitchen workflow capable of executing simultaneous public service and private event production without service interruption
• Maintain consistent quality across daily service, private events, and large-scale functions
• Lead pre-shift and post-shift operational communication with FOH leadership

Culinary Program & Menu Development

• Develop menus aligned with the Brooklyn Brewery brand and guest experience
• Design a high-volume, production-efficient pizza program
• Create adaptable menus for events, catering, and seasonal programming
• Maintain quality, consistency, and speed of service across multiple service styles
• Support visiting chefs and guest partners within operational capabilities and service standards

Financial Management & Profitability

• Own food cost performance and kitchen labor performance
• Develop menus and prep systems that meet predetermined margin and labor targets established by Hospitality leadership
• Manage purchasing, receiving, and vendor relationships
• Maintain accurate inventory controls and waste reduction systems
• Forecast demand for public service and event production
• Work with Hospitality leadership on pricing, margins, and product mix

Events, Catering & Programming Collaboration

• Execute culinary production for private events and large-scale functions
• Coordinate with Private Event Sales & Production on menus, staffing, and logistics
• Execute menus and service formats developed in coordination with Private Event Sales & Production packages
• Support Partnerships & Programming activations, brand collaborations, and special events
• Develop systems that allow simultaneous public service and event catering

Compliance & Safety

• Ensure compliance with NYC DOH regulations and company safety policies
• Maintain sanitation, food safety, and kitchen maintenance standards
• Implement training and certification programs for BOH staff

Leadership Expectations

• Act as a cross-department partner to Bar Operations, PES, and P&P
• Participate in weekly operational leadership meetings
• Contribute to overall guest experience strategy, not just kitchen output
• Build a positive, respectful, and sustainable kitchen culture
• Mentor and develop BOH managers into future leaders
• Accept fluctuating service volume and variable event schedules as a core function of the role

Qualifications

• 5+ years Executive Chef, Culinary Leadership experience or similar role
• Experience operating high-volume kitchens with multiple revenue streams
• Demonstrated success with catering and event production
• Strong operational and systems-building mindset
• Experience opening or scaling a new concept strongly preferred
• Experience with pizza programs or high-throughput service models preferred
• Comfortable working in a collaborative, non-hierarchical hospitality environment

Success Metrics

The Kitchen Director will be evaluated on:

• Food cost targets
• Kitchen labor performance
• Event execution reliability
• Service consistency and speed
• Staff retention and development
• Ability to support simultaneous service and events
• Cross-department collaboration

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000 – $120,000 annually (commensurate with experience)

Benefits

• Performance bonus potential
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• 401(k) with company match
• Commuter benefits
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Staff discounts and industry perks