Executive Chef

Umami Riot was born from a simple idea: pair joyful hospitality with uncompromising craftsmanship. Founded by Chef Tim Cushman and sake expert Nancy Cushman , our restaurants celebrate bold flavor, precision, and a deep respect for Japanese foodways – translated through a distinctly Boston lens. At Umami Riot, we’re not here to follow the rules of hospitality, we’re here to rewrite them – with heart, craft and fearless creativity.

Hojoko is a fun, high-energy izakaya (Japanese Tavern) located in The Verb Hotel in the Fenway Neighborhood of Boston. Hojoko’s kitchen encompasses live fire cooking over traditional Japanese binchotan charcoal, an award-winning burger, all the way to a sushi program that utilizes fish from Japan’s famed Toyosu Fish Market. We are looking for a skilled Executive Chef to join our team.

The role of Executive Chef requires the ability to lead and oversee daily culinary operations, in partnership with the Sr. Vice President of Culinary and Ownership. The primary focuses of this role are to work with and guide cooks to produce an incredible product while also learning established culinary systems. This position must take a global view of restaurant kitchen operations, understanding both creative elements of recipe development as well as the financial and organizational structure of a well operated kitchen. Precision, leadership, patience, resourcefulness, and a passion for and knowledge of food are essential elements to succeeding in this role.

Executive Chef Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide comprehensive leadership of restaurant operations, aligning both Front of House and Heart of House teams to deliver a seamless, high-level guest experience
• Recruit, hire, develop, coach, and hold accountable all Heart of House team members, including Line Cooks, Prep Cooks, and Dish Team, building a high-performance culture
• Direct daily culinary operations with an uncompromising focus on consistency, craftsmanship, quality control, and execution within established brand standards
• Partner with operations leadership to successfully launch new menu items, seasonal features, and culinary initiatives across locations
• Foster a culture of growth, inclusion, and ambition within the HOH team, actively mentoring emerging leaders and building internal succession
• Develop and manage weekly labor schedules strategically, aligning staffing levels with sales forecasts, productivity metrics, and team strengths
• Maintain and refine recipe systems, ordering guides, prep pars, and kitchen workflows to ensure consistency, minimize waste, and maximize profitability
• Lead ongoing culinary education initiatives including knife skills, technique development, product knowledge, operational standards, and sanitation best practices
• Analyze P&L statements in partnership with the SVP of Culinary, making data-driven decisions related to food cost, labor management, inventory control, and purchasing
• Command the kitchen during service, setting the tone for urgency, professionalism, teamwork, and excellence
• Collaborate cross-functionally to drive sales growth, support marketing initiatives, execute special events, and strengthen community engagement
• Oversee the flawless execution of private dining and special events, ensuring operational alignment and memorable guest experiences that drive repeat business
• Supervise daily financial reporting, inventory management, and execution of opening and closing management procedures
• Manage purchasing and vendor relationships responsibly, negotiating where appropriate and actively working to reduce waste and control costs
• Maintain immaculate kitchen organization, equipment maintenance, and facility standards
• Perform additional duties as assigned in support of restaurant and organizational objectives

Job Requirements:

• 5–7 years of progressive kitchen leadership experience, including direct management of high-performing culinary teams
• Proven ability to lead under pressure in a dynamic, high-volume, fast-paced environment
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing food cost, labor budgets, and inventory controls
• Exceptional organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and accountability
• Inspiring leadership presence with a positive, energetic, solutions-oriented mindset
• Deep working knowledge of culinary technique, food safety regulations, and sanitation standards
• Physical ability to stand and walk for extended periods (8+ hours), and lift, push, pull, or carry up to 50 lbs.

EOE