Black Briar is a creative American restaurant anchored by an open coal grill, a serious raw bar, and ingredient-first cooking with a Chicago tavern soul. Led by Chef Jimmy Papadopoulos, we are opening in the West Loop and building something permanent — a kitchen with a point of view, a team with standards, and a menu that earns its place in the city we love.

We are looking for a Grill Cook who is comfortable with fire — someone with the timing, instinct, and composure to run the coal grill at the center of this kitchen.

The Role

The Grill Cook owns the heart of the Black Briar kitchen: the coal grill. You cook proteins and vegetables over live fire to exact temperature and standard, manage the fire and the station through service, and put out the dishes that define this menu. You report to the Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine. This is a demanding, high-skill station for a cook who reads fire.

What You Own

• Running the coal grill during service — temperature, timing, char, and consistency on every plate
• Managing the fire — building, maintaining, and reading heat across the shift
• Cooking proteins and vegetables to exact temperature and presentation standard
• Full pre-shift prep and mise en place for the grill station
• Holding food safety, sanitation, and fire-safety standards at all times
• Communicating timing and temps clearly with the pass and the line
• Keeping the grill station clean, organized, and stocked throughout service
• Complete breakdown, ash management, and closing of the grill station

What We’re Looking For

• 1+ year cooking on a professional line, with live-fire, grill, or wood/coal experience strongly preferred
• Real command of temperature, timing, and doneness across proteins
• Composure and consistency at a hot, high-volume station
• Solid fundamentals — knife skills, seasoning, and station discipline
• Valid Illinois Food Handler certification required, or obtained before start date
• Availability for evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Reliable, focused, and team-first

The Kitchen

The Black Briar kitchen is built around a coal grill — live fire is the center of this menu, not a garnish on it. The Grill Cook holds the hottest, most-watched station in the room. It is demanding work for a cook who likes the heat and takes the char personally.

Compensation & Benefits

• Hourly wage $17.05
• Health benefits
• Paid time off, accruing after 90 days
• Paid sick leave per Illinois law
• Employee dining benefit
• Annual performance review with merit increase opportunity

Who You Are

You like the heat. You read a fire the way other cooks read a clock, and you put out a perfect plate of fish or steak in the middle of a rush without losing your head. You take the grill personally because it is the center of the room. You want to cook over fire somewhere the standard matches the ambition. If that is you, we want to hear from you.

Apply

Black Briar is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a team that reflects the city we are proud to call home.

To apply, send your resume and a brief note on why Black Briar to: [email protected]