Executive Japanese Sushi Chef

The Executive Japanese Sushi Chef is responsible for leading the Japanese sushi program across multiple Ace Casinos locations, ensuring consistent standards, execution, training, product quality, food safety, and guest experience across all assigned units.

This position oversees the development, preparation, execution, and presentation of authentic, high-quality Japanese sushi offerings while supporting day-to-day culinary operations, team development, cost control, inventory practices, and overall Food & Beverage standards.

The Executive Japanese Sushi Chef sets the standard for consistency, presentation, speed of service, cleanliness, organization, and professionalism. This role is expected to lead by example, support employees hands-on when required, and ensure the sushi program operates safely, efficiently, and in alignment with Ace Casinos’ service expectations.

Responsibilities and Duties

Consistently offers professional, friendly, and proactive guest service while supporting fellow employees.

Provides direct leadership, coaching, supervision, and performance support to sushi kitchen employees, including sushi cooks, prep cooks, and other culinary team members.

Oversees the Japanese sushi program across multiple assigned units, ensuring each location follows consistent recipes, product standards, preparation methods, food safety practices, and presentation expectations.

Oversees the preparation, execution, and presentation of all Japanese sushi menu items to ensure consistency, quality, authenticity, and alignment with restaurant standards.

Works hands-on during service when required to support the team, maintain standards, and ensure guest expectations are met.

Conducts regular site visits across assigned units to review execution, support employees, identify training needs, inspect product quality, and ensure operational standards are being maintained.

Leads daily shift briefings and communicates business levels, menu changes, specials, prep priorities, service expectations, and operational concerns to the culinary team.

Actively shares ideas, opinions, and suggestions in daily shift briefings while encouraging team input and ensuring final culinary standards are clearly communicated and followed.

Develops, tests, and recommends Japanese sushi menu items, seasonal features, promotions, and special event offerings in collaboration with Food & Beverage leadership.

Develops and maintains standardized sushi program tools, including prep guides, recipe cards, plating standards, ordering guides, product specifications, station checklists, and quality-control expectations for all assigned units.

Maintains full ownership of Japanese sushi recipe standards, plating guides, portion controls, prep lists, product specifications, and execution procedures.

Maintains proper rotation of product in all coolers to minimize waste and spoilage.

Monitors food cost, portion control, product usage, waste, spoilage, and inventory practices to support financial targets and operational efficiency.

Takes and records temperatures of food and food storage areas, such as refrigerators and freezers.

Ensures storeroom requisitions and orders are accurate.

Reviews ordering needs, par levels, product quality, seafood quality, rice, nori, sauces, garnishes, and other specialty Japanese ingredients to ensure appropriate stock levels are maintained without unnecessary waste.

Maintains full knowledge of all sushi menu items, daily features, and promotions.

Ensures culinary employees are properly trained on ingredients, preparation methods, allergens, seafood handling, rice handling, presentation standards, and guest-facing menu information where applicable.

Ensures the cleanliness and maintenance of all work areas, utensils, and equipment.

Inspects sushi stations, prep areas, coolers, freezers, dry storage, smallwares, knives, equipment, and service areas to ensure they are clean, organized, safe, and ready for service.

Follows kitchen policies, procedures, and service standards.

Ensures employees understand and comply with all kitchen policies, service standards, food safety procedures, sanitation expectations, and company standards.

Follows all safety and sanitation policies when handling food and beverage.

Maintains compliance with Alberta food safety requirements, internal health and safety standards, sanitation practices, and all applicable company policies.

Assists the Food & Beverage management team with stock-take, inventory counts, variance review, ordering accuracy, product control, and cost management for the Japanese sushi program.

Works with Food & Beverage leadership at each assigned unit to support menu planning, promotions, staffing needs, training priorities, guest feedback, and operational improvements.

Assists in transporting food, beverage, and other items to and from the kitchen as required.

Assists the kitchen team in replenishing food items, crockery, cutlery, and other operational items during special functions or busy periods as required.

Ensures special functions, high-volume periods, and event requirements are properly planned, staffed, prepped, and executed.

Participates in recruitment, onboarding, training, skill assessment, and ongoing development of sushi kitchen employees in partnership with Food & Beverage leadership.

Provides feedback to employees, identifies performance concerns, supports corrective coaching, and escalates serious issues to Food & Beverage management when required.

Builds a respectful, disciplined, and professional kitchen culture focused on consistency, accountability, teamwork, cleanliness, and pride in execution.

Communicates effectively with front-of-house leaders, servers, bartenders, managers, purchasing, and other departments to support smooth service and guest satisfaction.

Responds professionally to guest feedback, food quality concerns, service issues, and operational challenges, escalating matters when appropriate.

Ensures labour is used effectively by supporting scheduling input, station assignments, break planning, prep planning, and deployment during peak periods.

Maintains awareness of current Japanese sushi trends, ingredients, preparation methods, presentation styles, and guest preferences relevant to the business.

Attends department meetings as requested and provides operational updates, identifies concerns, recommends improvements, and contributes to broader Food & Beverage planning.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

Casino, hotel, restaurant, or resort experience preferred, but not required.

Minimum 5 years of progressive culinary experience required, with significant experience in Japanese sushi preparation strongly preferred.

Minimum 2 years of culinary leadership, sushi chef leadership, sous chef, chef de cuisine, executive chef, or equivalent supervisory experience preferred.

Demonstrated experience leading kitchen employees, maintaining culinary standards, supporting inventory control, and executing high-volume service.

Strong working knowledge of Japanese sushi ingredients, knife skills, seafood handling, rice preparation, rolling techniques, sauces, garnishes, plating standards, and menu execution.

Valid food safety certification required.

Advanced food safety, culinary training, Red Seal certification, sushi-specific training, or equivalent professional culinary education is considered an asset.

Experience with menu costing, ordering, inventory, waste control, staff training, and kitchen systems is considered an asset.

Experience supporting multiple outlets, locations, or business units is considered an asset.

Skills and Abilities

Ability to work cohesively as part of a team.

Strong leadership ability with the confidence to set standards, hold employees accountable, and lead calmly during busy service periods.

Ability to lead a multi-unit culinary program while maintaining consistency, communication, accountability, and standards across more than one location.

Ability to train, coach, motivate, and develop culinary employees with varying skill levels and experience.

Ability to focus attention on guest needs while remaining calm and courteous. Highly responsible and reliable.

Follows all safety and sanitation policies when handling food and beverage. Consistently offers professional, friendly, and engaging service.

Ensures the kitchen team consistently follows outlet policies, procedures, recipes, and service standards.

Professional demeanor and ability to approach situations in a tactful manner.

Ability to work calmly under pressure and treat others with respect regardless of their status or position.

A passion for providing excellent service and full alignment with the organization’s vision.

Advanced culinary knowledge with strong technical ability in Japanese sushi preparation and presentation.

Strong communication skills, including the ability to give clear direction, provide feedback, and work collaboratively with front-of-house and management teams.

Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage prep lists, station readiness, ordering needs, product rotation, and service priorities.

Strong attention to detail in food quality, seafood freshness, rice quality, presentation, portioning, cleanliness, timing, and consistency.

 Ability to identify operational problems and recommend practical solutions.

Ability to balance hands-on culinary responsibilities with leadership, training, administration, and operational oversight.

Ability to maintain professional standards in a fast-paced casino food and beverage environment.

Job Requirements

Ready and willing to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and other shifts based on operational needs.

Must be able to work at and travel between assigned Ace Casinos locations based on operational needs, training requirements, site visits, events, and business priorities.

Maintains a valid food safety certification and complies with all food handling, sanitation, and workplace safety requirements.

Must be able to work in a fast-paced, high-volume kitchen environment while maintaining consistent quality and professionalism.

Must be able to support special events, promotions, peak business periods, and operational changes as required.

Must be able to handle confidential employee, operational, financial, and business information professionally.

Must be able to model company standards and represent the culinary department professionally when interacting with employees, guests, vendors, and management.

Work Conditions and Physical Requirements

Walk/stand – Must be able to walk and stand throughout much of the shift.

Talk/hear – Must be able to detect, determine, identify, observe, inspect, and assess. This position frequently communicates with guests and employees throughout the shift and must be able to exchange accurate information with professionalism.

Ability to handle fresh seafood.

Ability to safely handle raw fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, hot equipment, sharp knives, kitchen tools, and specialty Japanese sushi equipment.

Occasional kneeling, pushing, and pulling.

Occasional ascending or descending ladders, stairs, and ramps. Frequent lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs.

Works in an indoor, fast-paced environment. Advanced attention to detail.

Ability to work under pressure.

Frequent exposure to heat, steam, cold storage areas, wet floors, sharp tools, cleaning products, and high-volume kitchen conditions.

Requires the ability to lead employees while also performing hands-on culinary duties when business levels require support.

Requires the ability to respond quickly and professionally to operational issues, food quality concerns, guest feedback, staffing challenges, and service interruptions.