Culinary Partner at Sizzler – Mission Viejo, California

If you're the kind of person who gets just as excited about a fluffy baked potato as a perfectly cooked steak, this is your moment.

Sizzler Family Steak House is looking for a Culinary Partner to help lead us forward - by guarding the soul of the brand and building what comes next. The first mission? Get our culinary house in order.

Over time, this person will oversee test kitchen operations, guide menu development, and serve as the living archive for our food.

This isn't just a chef role. It's a brand stewardship role. You'll work at the intersection of marketing, operations, and procurement - and you'll be the go-to expert of everything that comes out of the kitchen. Your work will shape how our food is developed, how it's prepared, and how it's represented everywhere from our kitchens to our social feeds. How it tastes, how it looks, how it feels.

Right now, the world is obsessed with nostalgic food, and they expect it to deliver on today's terms: better quality, better visuals, better consistency. Our goal? The food you eat at Sizzler tastes like it did when you were 12 - and still holds up when you're 42. That kind of flavor doesn't happen by accident. It takes intention. It takes someone who gets it.

• Part-time, in-office position (Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday), with the potential to grow into a full-time position
• Based within the Sizzler Marketing Department

• Be the culinary expert on all current menu items: taste, texture, plating, execution
• Define the document standards and specs for the entire menu (including legacy items)
• Lead recipe development and menu innovation from a strategic brand lens
• Own test kitchen operations: ordering, prep, cleanliness, calendar
• Partner with Procurement to test and source ingredients and equipment
• Work with Marketing to make sure food shows up correctly in photography, video, and training content
• Support Operations in training and rollouts of new products and procedures
• Be the connective tissue between vision and execution — from concept to plate.

• Minimum 5-7 years culinary experience (no formal education required – we value practical culinary experience and demonstrated skills)
• Proven experience developing scalable recipes for restaurant concepts
• Strong ability to create clear, simple recipes that can be consistently executed in high-volume environments
• Demonstrated skill in communicating culinary standards both in writing and demonstration
• Highly organized with excellent kitchen management capabilities
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently in a part-time capacity
• Experience in casual dining concepts preferred
• Comfortable working in both consultant and collaborative team environments

• Opportunity to shape the menu of an iconic American brand
• Creative freedom to innovate within a beloved culinary tradition
• Flexible part-time schedule with potential for growth
• Collaborative work environment with direct access to leadership
• Monthly stipend to eat at Sizzler Family Steak House

Send us your resume and answer one of the following:

• Is there an item on the menu that you think should be replaced, removed, or improved?
• How do you like your steak - and why?
• What's the favorite meal you've ever had?