Head Chef

About Pilgrim's Inn

Pilgrim's Inn features fifteen guest rooms and cottages in the heart of Deer Isle, Maine. New owners took over the property in 2025, bringing a fresh perspective to a storied place while honoring its roots as a home built in 1793. Just a few months after opening last year, The New York Times recognized Pilgrim's Inn as one of the top 50 restaurants in the country.

Our food and beverage offerings are an integral part of the Inn experience, offering breakfast for overnight guests, dinner to the public, and endless potential for new food-based experiences. Indoor dining includes 80+ seats spread across the Dining Room, Tavern, and bar with additional outdoor seats on the deck and landscaped grounds. This is the only restaurant and bar in the village of Deer Isle, and it plays an important role in the island's culture and identity.

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Head Chef to lead the culinary program at Pilgrim's Inn for the 2026 season and beyond. The ideal candidate will share our dedication to community, sustainability, and creativity, crafting humble and delicious cuisine that celebrates the region's bounty.

You'll have the chance to develop meaningful relationships with local farms and producers, support our sustainability efforts, and enrich the island community while delivering exceptional dining experiences that draw guests from near and far. This is a unique opportunity to shape the culinary identity of a longstanding establishment as we continue to write next chapter of this beloved property.

Menu Development

• Create, execute, and evolve seasonal menus for dinner service in both the Tavern and the Dining Room that highlight local, sustainable ingredients.
  
• Ensure menus are approachable, inventive, flavorful, and reflective of local culture and resources.
  
• Design distinct menus for two unique dining spaces: the Inn s Dining Room and the more casual Tavern.
  
• Design menus for breakfast, served daily to overnight guests. Explore potential brunch or lunch service that is both efficient and noteworthy.
  

Culinary Leadership

• Oversee all aspects of kitchen operations: food preparation, execution, presentation, quality. This includes weekly pop-ups and a chef in residence program.
  
• Recruit, hire, train, and manage a seasonal team, fostering a collaborative and professional environment.
  
• Author and oversee all kitchen systems: opening and closing documents, prep sheets; schedules and shifts; inventory maintenance. Hold team accountable for execution of systems.
  
• Maintain a talent pipeline and respond quickly to turnover with efficient hiring or creative staffing solutions.
  
• Monitor labor costs and prioritize team wellness and guest experience alongside kitchen efficiency.
  
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and uphold a clean, organized kitchen environment.
  

Culture Building

• Foster a back-of-house culture rooted in Pilgrim's Inn's values.
  
• Act as a coach and mentor, teaching while also encouraging input and ownership across all kitchen roles.
  
• Identify and enact opportunities for team bonding and professional development.
  

Chef in Residence Program

• Assist in designing a Chef in Residence program rooted in learnings from the 2025 season. Lead in coordinating and executing the Chef in Residence program.
  
• Provide purveyor lists, sample schedules, prep support orientation, creative direction, kitchen oversight, SOPs, and all logistical guidance visiting chefs need.
  
• Ensure visiting chefs feel welcomed, prepared, and aligned with Pilgrim's Inn culinary ethos and values.
  
• Ensure the kitchen team is prepared and aligned with Chefs in Residence.
  

Guest Experience

• Work closely with innkeepers to align food offerings with overall hospitality goals.
  
• Identify opportunities for, and execute on, food amenities for overnight guests.
  
• Participate in brainstorming sessions and operational testing of new ideas.
  
• Engage with guests during service and special events; gather feedback and strive to elevate the experience.
  

Community Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with local farmers, purveyors, and producers.
  
• Find ways of creating meaningful connections between the Kitchen team and local partners (purveyors, farmers, etc.) and their products. Lead in coordinating weekly speaker series for Kitchen and Front of House teams.
  
• Source ingredients directly and sustainably to support the regional food economy.
  

Inventory & Budget Management

• Take full responsibility for food and labor costs, ensuring efficiency and profitability without compromising quality.
  
• Oversee ordering, receiving, and inventory systems to minimize waste and maximize ingredient value.
  
• Design menus that are seasonal, resourceful, and cost-effective.
  

Qualifications

• 7+ years professional cooking experience in a high-level restaurant operation; hospitality or hotel experience a plus
  
• 3+ years menu development experience in an ingredient-driven restaurant
  
• 3+ years in a kitchen leadership role and proven ability to manage and inspire a team
  
• Strong ability to train, guide, and support kitchen staff across all positions
  
• Demonstrated success in cost control and inventory management as well as experience developing and maintaining strong vendor relationships
  
• Deep familiarity with local, seasonal sourcing preferably in the Northeast
  
• Passion for hospitality and a desire to create memorable guest experiences
  
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
  
• Flexible, solutions-oriented, creative and comfortable in the dynamic environment of a seasonal business and the nuances of a historic building set on a rural island