Where to look for Exec. Chef or Chef de Cuisine positions

[brandonscott]

I have been cooking for a long time. Since I was 16, and I am 31 now. I have done stages at awesome European restaurants and worked for James Beard nominated chefs. I have performed all the tasks of an Exec. chef- like running a succesful restaurant, food costing, blah blah blah... just w/o the exec. chef title. My resume reflects all this and I feel that I am ready to take on the position. The problem is where do I look? I know there is craigslist, monster, etc... but those are mainly fast food, chain restaurant FOH management and the like. More specialized sites like starchefs.com are very limited. Does anybody know of other ways to find good head chef positions? Thanks

[Lisa Shock]

Every good food related job I have gotten was from a lead I got networking. Keep in touch with people from old jobs via LinkedIn. Join the ACF. If you went to culinary school join their alumni association. Work Facebook for connections. Do volunteer work cooking when you can, it allows more people to see how you work and give recommendations to others.

Edited February 27, 2012 by Lisa Shock (log)

[nikkib]

Catererglobal.com - also recruitment companies like portfolio international etc

[Edward J]

I'll second the networking.

You have to put yourself in the employer's position for a minute:

Do you want to give an unknown person the control of your payroll, supplier's credit, and your reputation? Most employers like to promote within, having a good knowledge of the person they will entrust the above mentioned with.

[brandonscott]

I agree... I have found almost all of my previous positions by networking through my Chef, owners, etc. The issue I am having now is that I am employed as a sous under an amazing guy who is well known within the industry- but I have climbed as high as possible under him. He said that there were many places he could send me to cook- all of which I have been doing for the past 10 years. I feel like I shot myself in the foot... years ago I had many friends who were taking Chef positions, and Im sure i could have found one too, but I didnt want just any crap restaurant/catering career- nor did I want to limit my craft to what I knew skillwise at the time. I look at where they are now, and Im glad I stuck it out and really learned to cook and run a kitchen. At the same time though, my wife is pregnant with twins and I need to make more than line wages. Not that its about money...if it was I probably would have jumped ship long ago.

[tigerwoman]

goodfoodjobs.com - http://goodfoodjobs.com

craiglist in major cities is a good source too

and of course word of mouth.