Description

Who We Are & About This Role

Since 1946, Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill has been a cornerstone of Michigan agriculture and agritourism — an 80-year family operation with deep roots in Armada and a genuine growth ambition. We make world-class hard and sweet cider, operate tasting rooms and restaurants across four locations, and host thousands of guests a year.

The Head Chef & Kitchen Manager owns the back of house — its people, culinary identity, cost performance, and daily execution. This is a role for a creative, guest-aware culinarian who leads with both passion and precision. You’ll bring fresh ideas to the menu, build a kitchen team that’s proud of the food they put out, and hold an uncompromising standard for quality, safety, and development — day in, day out.

This role is central to delivering a consistent and distinctive guest experience across restaurant service, special events, and seasonal outposts.

If you’ve run a kitchen, led cooks through hard service, and made great food work with the resources you had — we want to hear from you.

Your RoleWithBlake’s — Key Responsibilities

Culinary Vision & Creativity

You set the culinary identity. The menu, the standards, the craft — that’s yours to own.

Drive the culinary identity of the restaurant with a creative, guest-informed perspective on food
Develop menus, specials, and seasonal offerings in partnership with leadership — with a focus on originality, local and seasonal sourcing, and evolving guest tastes
Stay current on food trends, regional influences, and emerging techniques that elevate the guest experience
Lead all food production and kitchen execution to ensure consistency, quality, taste, and presentation
Standardize recipes, portions, plating, and prep procedures
Conduct regular line checks and taste tests to maintain quality standards

Guest Connection & Experience

Great food is part of a bigger picture. You understand the guest and use that to shape everything that comes out of the kitchen.

Maintain a strong understanding of who our guests are and what they value — let that shape menus and specials
Collaborate with front-of-house leadership to ensure seamless communication and a unified guest experience
Represent the kitchen’s culture and craft with pride — be a visible, positive presence across the broader team
Incorporate guest feedback into ongoing menu and process improvements

Team Leadership & Culture

You recruit, train, coach, and develop. Your job is to build a kitchen people want to work in and grow through.

Recruit, hire, train, schedule, and develop kitchen staff
Build a kitchen culture rooted in accountability, teamwork, urgency, and pride in the work
Invest in mentorship and career development to retain strong talent and grow future leaders
Conduct performance reviews and corrective action when necessary
Ensure proper onboarding and training for all new BOH employees

Financial & Operational Performance

You’re not just cooking — you’re running a business within a business. Food cost, labor, and efficiency are yours to manage.

Manage food cost, labor cost, waste control, and inventory accuracy
Forecast purchasing needs based on business volume and seasonality
Order food, beverage, and kitchen supplies within budget parameters
Improve kitchen productivity, prep systems, and ticket times

Safety & Sanitation (Non-Negotiable)

Every guest trusts us with their safety. This doesn’t require a credential — it requires someone who takes it seriously every single day.

Maintain full compliance with health department, food safety, and sanitation standards — no exceptions
Train staff on rotation, labeling, chemical safety, knife safety, and safe work practices
Ensure daily and weekly cleaning schedules are completed without fail

Facilities, Equipment & Additional

Monitor kitchen equipment condition and coordinate repairs and maintenance as needed
Maintain organized storage, receiving, and product handling procedures
Lead kitchen execution for special events, festivals, and high-volume seasonal operations — including 6-day weeks during peak September–October season
Document and continuously improve SOPs for consistency and scalability
Step into any kitchen function needed during peak business periods — leadership by example

Requirements

What Great Looks Like — Qualifications

Backgrounds that succeed here look different: fine dining, volume production, catering, seasonal operations. Credentials matter less than what you’ve built and how you’ve led.

Required

5+ years of experience in a senior kitchen management role
Proven ability to lead and coordinate a kitchen team of 10 or more
Documented experience with menu development, including seasonal and special menus
Demonstrated record of running a comparable operation efficiently and profitably
Strong organizational and systems-thinking skills; you build structure where there isn’t any
Excellent knowledge of industry trends and guest expectations
Effective communicator in English — verbal and written — with FOH leadership and vendor partners
Proficiency in food cost math, pricing, and routine kitchen financials
Ability to lift and move at least 100 lbs regularly; ability to stand for an entire 8–12 hour shift
Regular, predictable, full attendance is an essential function of this role

Preferred

ServSafe certification or equivalent food safety credential
Culinary degree or formal culinary training
Experience working in seasonal or event-driven restaurant environments

How You’re Rewarded — Compensation & Benefits

Competitive base salary, performance-based incentive, 401(k) with match, full health/dental/vision benefits, PTO, and all the perks of working at one of Michigan’s most beloved farms. Full details shared during the interview process.

Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill is an equal opportunity employer.

Learn more about this Employer on their Career Site