Job Description The Chef de Cuisine is the creative force and operational leader behind our kitchen, setting the tone for exceptional culinary experiences. At LifeWorks, this role brings refined cuisine to life across ou…
Hospitality & Food · San Jose, CA
Chef jobs in San Jose, CA
Chefs design menus, run kitchen lines, manage food costs, and lead cooks through demanding services, balancing creativity with consistency and tight margins.
607
Open roles today
$25–$73/hr
Typical pay range
$83k
Median, full-time
6
Fresh in this list
No email, no resume, no sign-up. Save any listing below and you start anonymously.
You're signed in. Saving a listing drops it straight into your pipeline.
01
Open chef roles
11 shown of 607 · sorted by freshness
$95k - $105k
t merely a job but the start of a career where you can flourish. Job Summary Job Summary: Working as the Executive Chef, you will be responsible for overseeing kitchen operations while maintaining a safe and sanitary wor…
Recognized restaurant - Italian influenced Steakhouse with an award winning wine list and great reputation in the Bay Area seeks a qualified Chef De Cuisine / Sous Chef to round out the back of house team. We run with Ex…
premier culinary and cultural destination located at the entrance to Westfield Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara, California. Founded by Chef George Chen and created by the renowned team behind Asia Live, Asia Live offers…
Baker / Pastry Chef Chateau Cupertino | Full-Time | Monday–Friday | 5:00 AM–1:30 PM Are you passionate about creating exceptional baked goods from scratch while enjoying a consistent daytime schedule? Chateau Cupertino i…
$100k - $115k
marketing of the final, branded product. Learn more by visiting - Link here Home - LifeWorks Restaurant Group The Executive Chef is a management position overseeing chef managers as well as hourly culinary staff, respons…
unforgettable dining experiences through refined technique, exceptional ingredients, and a culture of continuous growth. We're seeking a Chef de Partie who is ready to take ownership of a station while developing alongsi…
$90k - $110k
range for this position is subject to change and may be modified in the future, in compliance with applicable laws. As a Head Sous Chef, you will directly contribute to the overall success of a multi-million-dollar resta…
$25 - $35 per hour
this position is subject to change and may be modified in the future, in compliance with applicable laws. As a Private Events Chef, you are responsible for organizing food preparation, and supervising service for catered…
Our mission at Watermark Retirement Communities is to create extraordinary and innovative communities where people thrive. For Watermark, community includes more than just the wonderful residents we serve on a daily basi…
~ Opportunities for advancement ~ Meals and uniforms ~ Employee Assistance Program Our community is looking for a Sous Chef to join our team. Responsibilities: Provide supervision to dietary/kitchen team and supporting t…
02
What chefs earn in San Jose
Hourly first — that's how the offer arrives
| Experience | Hourly | Annual, full-time |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $25–$33 | $52k–$69k |
| Mid level | $33–$47 | $69k–$97k |
| Senior | $45–$73 | $94k–$152k |
Adjusted for the San Jose market from national ranges.
03
What employers ask for
The skills these listings keep naming
Menu developmentFood cost controlLine and station managementKnife skills and techniqueFood safety (ServSafe)Inventory and orderingStaff training and schedulingCalm under pressure
04
Interview questions worth rehearsing
With the thing the interviewer is actually listening for
How do you build a menu that balances creativity with food cost?
Talk about costing every dish, cross-utilizing ingredients, and hitting a target cost percentage. Numbers alongside taste is what owners want to hear.
Walk me through how you run a Saturday night service.
Describe your pre-service checks, expo communication, and how you keep the line calm when tickets stack. Rhythm and composure, not heroics.
How do you handle a cook who is talented but unreliable?
Show a fair sequence: direct conversation, clear expectations, and consequences that protect the rest of the crew. Leadership is the question underneath.
What food cost and labor cost percentages have you run?
Give real numbers with context for the concept. Knowing your percentages cold separates chefs from cooks who got promoted.
Tell me about a dish that failed on the menu. What did you do?
Pick a real one, explain how you read the sales data and feedback, and what replaced it. Ego-free iteration is the mark of a working chef.
How do you maintain consistency across shifts you are not working?
Mention recipe documentation, plating photos, tasting during prep, and training sous chefs to hold the standard. Systems, not presence.
05
Resume tips that move the needle
For chefs specifically — generic advice costs you here
01
Lead with food cost and labor percentages you achieved, not just kitchens you ran.
02
List your ServSafe Manager certification and any state food handler requirements.
03
Name notable kitchens, chefs, or concepts you trained under; lineage matters in this trade.
04
Quantify volume, such as covers per night or catering headcounts you executed.
05
Include menu development wins, like a dish or menu that lifted sales measurably.
06
Where this role goes
Typical progression
01
Line Cook
02
Sous Chef
03
Chef de Cuisine
04
Executive Chef
Ten quiet minutes a day
Applying for chef jobs in San Jose?
Robbi carries this page into your first day: your role, your city, your shift preference. Then it hands you a few small things each morning and keeps the pipeline honest.
Save what looks right here, then let Robbi hand you a few small things each morning and keep the follow-ups honest.
Start with this search
No email, no resume, no sign-up.
Open your tracker
Everything you saved is already there.