Chef de Cuisine – Italian Restaurant | Luxury Beachfront Resort

Location: St.

Maarten
Compensation: $50,000–$55,000 USD

Benefits: On-site apartment, relocation assistance including flights, company cellphone and laptop, medical insurance, food allowance, friends & family perks, and additional company benefits

We are recruiting on behalf of a luxury beachfront resort in St.

Maarten seeking an experienced Chef de Cuisine to lead the opening of a brand-new Italian restaurant.

This is an exciting pre-opening opportunity to shape the culinary vision of a new dining concept within an established resort renowned for its diverse food and beverage offerings.

The successful candidate will be responsible for launching and leading the restaurant from the ground up, creating authentic Italian menus, building a high-performing kitchen team, and delivering exceptional dining experiences while maintaining the highest culinary and operational standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the pre-opening and day-to-day operations of the new Italian restaurant
• Develop authentic Italian menus, seasonal specials, and innovative culinary offerings
• Recruit, train, and mentor a high-performing culinary team
• Ensure exceptional food quality, consistency, and presentation across every service
• Manage food costs, inventory, purchasing, and kitchen budgets

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Previous Chef de Cuisine or Senior Sous Chef experience within an upscale hotel, resort, or standalone Italian restaurant
• Strong background in authentic Italian cuisine with a passion for quality ingredients and classic techniques
• Proven experience opening new restaurants or leading pre-opening culinary operations is highly desirable
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to recruit, develop, and inspire culinary teams
• Excellent financial acumen with experience managing food costs, labour, and kitchen operations
• Creative, adaptable, and passionate about delivering exceptional guest experiences
• Luxury hospitality or Caribbean experience is considered an advantage
• Candidates must hold Dutch, American, or Italian nationality due to work permit requirements.