Executive Pastry Chef

Job description:

About the Role

Gitano Capital is looking for an Executive Pastry Chef to lead and standardize the pastry and dessert program across our Houston-area restaurant locations. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who wants to build a program from the ground up — developing recipes, training kitchen teams, and holding every location to the same standard of quality and consistency.

You'll split your time between locations, working closely with each Head Chef and General Manager while reporting directly to ownership on menu direction, food cost, and staffing for the pastry program.

What You'll Do

• Oversee pastry and dessert operations across 2–3 Gitano Capital locations, ensuring consistency in quality, presentation, and execution at every outlet
• Develop and standardize recipes, prep procedures, and plating guides that can be trained and replicated across locations
• Hire, train, and mentor pastry cooks and kitchen staff at each location; build a bench of talent that can execute without your direct supervision
• Manage food cost, ordering, and inventory for the pastry program, partnering with each location's kitchen leadership on vendor relationships and waste reduction
• Create seasonal and rotating dessert menus in collaboration with executive chefs and ownership
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, sanitation, and health department standards across all sites
• Travel regularly between locations; be available to step onto the line at any outlet when needed

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of professional pastry experience, including at least 2 years in a lead or head pastry chef role
• Prior experience overseeing more than one kitchen or location strongly preferred
• Strong foundation in classic pastry technique — laminated doughs, plated desserts, cakes, chocolate work, and viennoiserie
• Proven ability to train and develop a team, and to hold multiple locations to the same standard without being physically present at all times
• Comfortable managing food cost, ordering, and inventory
• ServSafe certification
• Reliable transportation and willingness to travel between Houston-area locations regularly
• A hospitality mindset — someone who takes ownership of the guest experience, not just the dessert menu

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation & Benefits are competitive and based on experience.

How to Apply

Apply directly through this posting with your resume. Please include examples or photos of your work if available.

• Relocation assistance

Work Location: In person