Fleet Specialty Chef - Bonsai & Teppanyaki

Position Summary -

The Fleet Specialty Chef – Bonsai & Teppanyaki provides fleet-wide leadership for Bonsai Sushi, Teppanyaki, and related specialty dining concepts. This role ensures authentic Japanese cuisine, operational excellence, food safety, consistent quality, menu innovation, and the development of specialty culinary talent across the fleet. The position partners closely with shipboard and shoreside teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences and support new venue launches.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead and support Bonsai Sushi, Teppanyaki, and Bonsai pop-up operations across the fleet.
Standardize menus, recipes, presentation, and operating procedures.
Develop seasonal offerings and innovative Japanese dining experiences.
Train, mentor, and develop specialty chefs while supporting succession planning and performance management.
Conduct operational audits to ensure food quality, brand standards, sanitation, HACCP compliance, and safe handling of raw seafood.
Monitor food cost, inventory, yield, portion control, and waste reduction.
Partner with provisioning and hotel operations on sourcing, equipment maintenance, and operational improvements.
Support new ship openings, specialty venue launches, and fleet-wide culinary initiatives.
Stay current with Japanese culinary trends and introduce innovative concepts that align with operational goals.

Qualifications:

Extensive leadership experience in Japanese cuisine, sushi, and Teppanyaki operations.
Experience in cruise lines, luxury hotels, or high-volume specialty restaurants.
Expertise in sushi production, raw seafood handling, Japanese hot kitchen, knife skills, and Teppanyaki cooking.
Proven success in menu development, culinary training, cost control, and quality assurance.
Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and coaching skills.
Ability to travel extensively throughout the fleet.

Core Competencies:

Fleet culinary leadership
Japanese cuisine expertise
Training and talent development
Food safety and HACCP compliance
Cost control and operational efficiency
Brand consistency and guest experience
Collaboration with shipboard and shoreside teams