Executive Chef- Rosso in San Antonio, Texas at Silver Ventures LLC

Summary/Objective

The Executive Chef leads the culinary program at Rosso, a modern Italian-American steakhouse at Pearl in San Antonio. This role carries full accountability for kitchen operations, culinary standards, team development, and financial performance, in alignment with La Unión's concept direction. This is a public-facing leadership role. The Executive Chef represents Rosso in media, press, and community contexts and maintains an active presence as a brand ambassador for the restaurant.

Essential Functions

CULINARY PROGRAM

• Lead and execute the fresh pasta and extruded pasta program at production volume
• Manage a best-in-class beef program: butchery, portioning, yield management, and broiler execution consistent with high-end steakhouse standards
• Develop and maintain all stocks, sauces, and production systems
• Own recipe development and seasonal menu transitions in partnership with La Unión culinary direction
• Maintain precision time and temperature cooking and other modern production techniques as part of standard kitchen workflow

KITCHEN OPERATIONS & FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

• Build and maintain all kitchen systems: order guides, par levels, prep schedules, and production documentation
• Manage food cost at or below budget without compromising quality; labor cost and operating expenses managed to targets in partnership with the General Manager
• Maintain a sales-driven mindset, understand how menu mix, portion standards, and purchasing decisions connect to revenue performance
• Utilize AI tools to drive kitchen efficiency and operational consistency
• Maintain full HACCP compliance; ensure all food safety standards meet or exceed applicable health department requirements
• Oversee smallwares, equipment maintenance, and BOH supply accountability
• Participate in monthly P&L review with La Unión partners

TEAM LEADERSHIP, DEVELOPMENT & CULTURE

• Hire, train, and develop a BOH team from pre-opening through sustained operations
• Manage Sous Chefs (x2) as direct reports; conduct structured performance reviews and ongoing development conversations
• Make retention a priority, build a team that stays, grows, and performs consistently
• Lead with a modern kitchen culture: positive, healthy, and built on accountability and craft
• Model and maintain the kind of environment that reflects well on the restaurant publicly as well as internally
• Target staff turnover at or below 25%

BRAND, MEDIA & PUBLIC PRESENCE

• Serve as the culinary face and brand ambassador of Rosso in press, local media, and community events
• Maintain an active and professional social media presence as an advocate for the restaurant and its culinary program
• Participate in dinner series, chef collaborations, and PR initiatives as scheduled
• Work with La Unión's PR partners on media appearances and editorial opportunities

Required Education and Experience

• Demonstrated experience leading an Italian kitchen with a fresh pasta and extruded pasta program at service volume
• Experience in a high-end steakhouse beef program: butchery, best-in-class broiler execution, portioning, and yield management
• Financial literacy: ability to manage food cost, labor cost, and operating expenses; sales-driven mindset with an understanding of how culinary decisions affect the top line
• HACCP certification
• Experience with high-volume sauce, stock, and production programs
• Experience with precision time and temperature cooking and other modern production techniques
• Working knowledge of AI tools applied to kitchen efficiency and operations
• Documented tenure: consistent track record in prior roles is a meaningful factor in our evaluation

Availability and Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
• Ability to stand for extended periods of time in a hot kitchen environment
• Exposure to heat, steam, humidity, and refrigeration down to freezing temperatures
• Schedule reflects business demands; long and unusual hours on occasion