Kitchen Manager

Nhau is a new 45-seat Vietnamese bar and restaurant opening in downtown Natick in November 2026. We are seeking a strong, hands-on kitchen professional ready to take the next step into leadership.

Working directly with owner and restaurateur Sa Nguyen, the Kitchen Lead will help turn Nhau’s recipes and culinary vision into an organized, consistent kitchen operation. This is an opportunity to build an opening team and kitchen system from the ground up.

Responsibilities

• Help recruit, train, and lead the opening BOH team

• Participate in menu testing and recipe documentation

• Build prep lists, production schedules, station systems, and pars

• Lead daily prep and service while working a station or expo

• Maintain recipe, portion, presentation, sanitation, and food-safety standards

• Manage ordering, receiving, inventory, and waste

• Assist with scheduling and BOH labor control

• Create a calm, respectful, and accountable kitchen culture

Qualifications

• At least three years of professional kitchen experience

• Strong scratch-kitchen and line-cooking skills

• Experience training or supervising cooks

• Organized, dependable, calm, and team-oriented

• Comfortable executing an owner-led culinary vision

• Available to work nights and weekends

• ServSafe Manager certified or willing to become certified before opening

Vietnamese or Southeast Asian cooking experience and restaurant-opening experience are welcomed but not required. This role may be an excellent fit for a sous chef, kitchen supervisor, or accomplished lead cook ready to run a kitchen.

Compensation and Benefits

• $60,000 annual salary

• $1,500 retention payment after 90 days

• Additional $1,500 retention payment after six months

• Paid opening training

• Target 45–50-hour weekly schedule after stabilization

• Two scheduled days off per week

• Employee meals

• One week of paid vacation during the first year

• Formal six-month performance and compensation review

• Advancement path to Chef/Kitchen Manager

Expected start: September 14–21, 2026

To apply, please submit a résumé and briefly describe your current kitchen leadership responsibilities and why you are interested in helping open Nhau.