Chef Jobs in District of Columbia
Chef jobs in District of Columbia are consistently in demand, with openings spread across the city's dense concentration of upscale restaurants, federal event venues, luxury hotels, and private member clubs. Most hiring is concentrated in neighborhoods like Penn Quarter, Capitol Hill, and Georgetown, where established operators including José Andrés's ThinkFoodGroup, Marriott International, and Sodexo Government Services maintain ongoing culinary staffing needs. The most sought-after specialties are fine dining, banquet and catering, and plant-forward cuisine reflecting D.C.'s health-conscious dining culture. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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SALARY RANGE
Our Ned’s Club members expect the most exclusive culinary experiences across our variety of spaces. Our Head Pastry Chef leads the Pastry culinary team in providing meticulously curated desserts and bread from around the world while focusing on exceeding our members expectations. Building rapport with the Pastry culinary team is an instrumental part of this role. Supporting your team and their development will build upon our Ned’s Club culture.
Do you want to join one of the best places to work in hospitality?
WHAT’S THE ROLE?
Head Pastry Chef
ABOUT THE NED:
The Ned and Ned’s Club are a global collection of hotels, clubs, spas, and restaurants for like-minded individuals to meet, work and have a good time.
Seven years after launching The Ned London in 2017, we are proud to be opening a Ned’s Club in the US capital, our fourth and newest location.
THE PROPERTY:
Ned’s Club Washington DC is a members’ club set over three floors of a neoclassical style building situated within President’s Park at 734 15th Street NW.
The Riggs Building sits opposite the US Treasury and was constructed in 1930. The 12-storey building is located around the corner from the White House and sits above the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, formerly the historic Riggs Bank Corcoran branch.
The Club has a Rooftop Terrace and Loft Restaurant with views overlooking the White House, US Treasury and Washington Monument, plus a Founder’s Dining Room, The Library, Drawing Room, Gallery and Conservatory. On level nine, there is a self-contained floor of private event spaces.
REPORTING INTO THE EXECUTIVE CHEF AND AS A KEY PART OF OUR PASTRY CULINARY TEAM YOU WILL:
- Lead the team in the production of our desserts and bread program our Restaurants, Catering and Events, ensuring that all desserts are prepared and presented to our exceptional Ned standards
- Achieve all commercial deliverables for your kitchen- including menu costing and creation, budget and P&L management, weekly and monthly reporting, recruitment and labor spend
- Lead all people leadership tasks - including team recruitment, development and performance chats, onboarding new starters
- Guide and develop your kitchen leadership team, sharing accountability and growing the future talent of The Ned
- Be a guardian of dessert production, quality and presentation, monitoring all pastry productions leaving your kitchen and providing coaching and feedback to the team where needed
- Create and monitor a safe and clean kitchen environment, protecting our guests and team from any possible harm
- Protect our excellent food safety ratings and audit standards by always keeping a close eye on procedures and practices, keeping impeccable records, and implementing action plans where necessary
WHAT YOU CAN BRING TO THE ROLE:
- Previous Pastry kitchen leadership experience with a proven track record of delivering outstanding food and people management
- Our customers and guests expect the best, so high standards are essential
- An organized and detailed manner is necessary, as impeccable record keeping is needed to maintain records for our safety and audit standards
- A commercial mindset is needed in all our leaders, evidence of achieving and exceeding KPI’s will go a long way
- Creative flare is always welcome - our menus change seasonally and our Head Chefs contribute heavily to this
- Our kitchens can be high pressure so a calm demeanor and a genuine passion for providing guests with exceptional food is essential
- Able to work flexible shifts to include weekends, holidays and evenings when needed
- Ability to stand for long periods of time and lift, pull and push up to 35 pounds
WHAT THE NED CAN GIVE YOU:
- Salary of up to $100,000 per year
- Medical, Dental, Vision, Company Paid Life, STD, LTD Insurance
- Complimentary meals in our friendly team restaurant when the Ned’s Club opens
- Exciting learning and development programs to help progress your career
- Exclusive rates with our hotels for stays and dining, exclusive rates for your family and friends for hotel stays.
- Paid time off to include vacation, holidays, sick, etc…
- 401k matching
- Employee assistance program –advice and support
- Reward and recognition initiatives
At The Ned, we don't just celebrate our diversity, we challenge ourselves to do even better. The Ned is committed to being the best place to work, and ensuring that we have a leading diversity, equity and
inclusion program is central to making that vision a reality.
Please let us know of any specific needs you may have during your interview.
All candidates must be able to live and work in the US to be considered for this role.
Apply today and join us as our Head Pastry Chef
OUR DOORS ARE YOURS TO OPEN
Ned's Club is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. We welcome applications from all genders, races, religions, ages, sexual orientations, parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and those who bring diverse viewpoints to our business.
#LOVETHENED
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Find Chef JobsChef Jobs by City in District of Columbia
Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Chef Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Food & Beverage
- Hospitality & Tourism
What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in chef jobs across District of Columbia.
- Possession of a valid D.C. Food Manager Certification or equivalent recognized credential
- Proven experience executing high-volume service in a professional kitchen environment
- Expertise in menu development, food costing, and ordering for a given cuisine or concept
- Culinary degree or completed apprenticeship through an accredited culinary program
- Strong knowledge of food safety, HACCP principles, and local health code compliance
- Ability to lead and train a diverse kitchen team across multiple stations
Chef Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a chef in District of Columbia?
D.C. does not require a state-issued chef's license, but all food handlers working in the District must obtain a D.C. Food Handler Certification, and those supervising food preparation must hold a Food Manager Certification issued through a D.C. Department of Health-approved provider such as ServSafe. Most kitchen leadership roles expect a culinary degree or a completed apprenticeship, and building experience in D.C.'s competitive restaurant scene through progressive kitchen positions is the standard path upward.
Which companies hire chefs in District of Columbia?
Employers hiring chefs in District of Columbia right now include The Ned Hotel, Aramark, and Daily Provisions, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. D.C.'s mix of high-profile restaurant groups, federal catering contractors, and major hotel brands means demand covers everything from line cooks to executive chefs across a range of concepts.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most chef jobs?
The cities with the most chef openings in District of Columbia are Washington. The bulk of demand is driven by the District's core dining and hospitality corridor, where hotel properties, government-adjacent event spaces, and a dense restaurant scene generate year-round kitchen staffing needs, while nearby suburban hubs reflect overflow from large catering and food service contractors with regional operations.
Are there remote chef jobs in District of Columbia?
Yes, but they're rare. About 0% of chef openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, reflecting the fundamentally hands-on nature of professional kitchen work. The small share of remote roles typically involves culinary consulting, menu development, or food content creation that does not require daily on-site cooking.
How can I get hired as a chef in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry point is a prep cook or kitchen assistant role at a large hotel food and beverage operation or a high-volume restaurant group such as those affiliated with major D.C. dining operators, where structured on-the-job training is common. Sodexo and Aramark both run culinary associate programs at their D.C.-area institutional accounts. Earning a D.C. Food Handler Certification before applying signals readiness, and completing a culinary program at a school such as the Art Institute of Washington or a community college culinary track gives candidates a clear edge.
Where can I find and apply to chef jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to chef jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the District. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience level and preferred kitchen environment, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
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