H-1B Visa Chef Instructor Jobs
Chef Instructor jobs with H-1B visa sponsorship sit at an unusual intersection: culinary expertise meets academic program delivery, and employers must structure the role around degree-level duties to meet USCIS specialty occupation standards. Sponsoring employers in culinary schools, hospitality programs, and vocational colleges file a Labor Condition Application with DOL and an I-129 petition with USCIS before you can start.
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INTRODUCTION
With over 58 stores and the largest avocational cooking program in the US, Sur La Table offers an unsurpassed selection of exclusive and premium-quality goods for the kitchen and table – and the culinary expertise and inspiration to go along with it. Whether the job entails interacting with our customers, driving digital growth, or providing vital behind-the-scenes support, we’re all here for the same reason – to roll up our sleeves and create happiness through cooking and sharing good food. New Location! Opening Soon!
Position Overview
As a Chef Instructor at Sur La Table, you are the in-store expert and advocate for the culinary arts, with a specialty in savory cooking, pastry and baking, or both. You deliver #bestincenter service, a company-wide standard for excellence in service, by sharing specialized knowledge in culinary and pastry techniques, cooking and baking fundamentals, and personalized instruction that supports all company initiatives. The Chef Instructor plays a key role in inspiring a love for cooking and baking while driving sales of cookware, cutlery, bakeware, mixers, and kitchen tools through hands-on classes and engaging culinary instruction.
Key Responsibilities
Customer Experience & Brand Representation
- Represent Sur La Table’s brand and culture by creating memorable, educational experiences that inspire repeat visits and customer loyalty.
- Deliver exceptional in-store culinary experiences through savory, pastry, and baking classes that reflect Sur La Table’s passion for food, teaching, and high standards, while following provided recipes and game plans to ensure consistency and quality.
- Communicate technical cooking concepts, savory techniques, and pastry skills in a clear, encouraging, and approachable manner.
- Maintain expertise by staying current on products, actively engaging in available training, and independently seeking out additional resources.
Sales & Business Performance
- Drive sales by upholding kitchen standards, encouraging second class sign-ups through strong customer engagement, and promoting retail items used or featured in class.
- Deliver class revenue goals by ensuring high enrollment, positive reviews, and guest return rates.
- Consistently meet or exceed culinary program goals by delivering exceptional classes that drive customer engagement and sales. Performance is measured by key KPIs such as second-class sign-ups, retail culinary product sales, and guest feedback through Google reviews.
Team Engagement & Store Support
- Assist in setting up and breakdown of classes including organizing mise en place, prepping ingredients, and cleaning workstations.
- Clean and sanitize dishes and equipment promptly to ensure smooth kitchen operations.
- Assist with restocking, organizing, and maintaining kitchen supplies and tools to support overall store readiness.
Operations & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with food safety standards, local health codes, and sanitation regulations.
- Properly handle all tools, ingredients, and kitchen equipment to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
- Maintain accurate inventory levels, minimize shrink, and control supply and culinary expenses.
- May handle liquor, wine, and beer in compliance with state and location alcohol regulations, company policies, including enforcing age restrictions.
- Ensure store safety and cleanliness, addressing any maintenance needs promptly.
- Adhere to applicable wage and hour laws. Accurately record time worked according to SLT Policy.
- Model and ensure consistent adherence to all Sur La Table policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Physical Requirements
- Ability to communicate verbally and work cooperatively with associates and customers.
- Ability to remain standing for up to 4 hours at a time.
- Ability to move about the store directing class participants while selling to customers and retrieving merchandise from stockroom or sales floor.
- The capability to accurately perceive and differentiate variations in intensity or quality of flavors or odors, or to identify specific tastes or scents using the tongue or nose.
- Ability to grab, reach, push, pull, bend, stoop, kneel and crouch to demonstrate, retrieve and/or replenish merchandise and/or cooking equipment.
- Ability to use hands to seize, hold, grasp, turn, or otherwise to chop, whisk, slice, stir, juice and/or demonstrate other techniques.
- Ability to lift and/or move merchandise weighing up to 50 lbs.
- Ability to ascend/descend ladders to retrieve and/or move merchandise.
- Ability to operate a computer, POS system, keyboards, merchandise scanners and mouse to accomplish work.
- Available to work between 12 and 16 hours per week, with a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays. While this is the minimum availability, scheduled hours may differ based on business needs.
- Regular and predictable attendance with the flexibility to adjust class assignments based on demand.
- Ability to work in a variable kitchen environment including but not limited to open flames, hot surfaces, temperature variations, various food allergens both physical and airborne.
Qualifications & Experience
- Must be 21 years of age or older at the time of employment.
- A degree in culinary arts is preferred; however, candidates with extensive culinary experience and demonstrated technical proficiency will be considered in lieu of formal education.
- Demonstrated proficiency in savory cooking, pastry and baking, or both.
- 1-2 years of kitchen operations experience.
- Valid Food Manager Certification.
- Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
- Passion for community engagement and providing exceptional customer experiences.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Associate Perks
Perks Include:
- 401K after 90 days; must be 21 years of age
- Employee Discount
This job description represents a summary of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. Responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder might differ from those outlined in the job description and other duties, as assigned, may be part of the job. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Sur La Table has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.
The CSC family of brands provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial, state or local laws.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
Washington state applicants only: If you believe that this job posting does not comply with applicable Washington state law, please notify us by sending an email to WACandidates@cscshared.com.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie-detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
The CSC family of brands is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact hrbenefits@cscshared.com.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Chef Instructor
Frame your credentials around academic requirements
USCIS evaluates Chef Instructor roles on whether they require a bachelor's degree in a specific field like culinary arts, food science, or hospitality management. Pull together your degree transcripts, curriculum design experience, and any formal pedagogy credentials before approaching employers.
Target culinary programs at accredited institutions
Community colleges, culinary arts colleges, and hospitality management schools are more likely to have HR teams experienced with H-1B filings than independent cooking studios. Search Migrate Mate to find employers in this category with verified H-1B sponsorship history.
Verify prevailing wage before comparing offers
Your employer must certify your salary meets the DOL prevailing wage for your SOC code and work location. Use OFLC Wage Search to look up the wage level for culinary instructor roles in your target city before negotiating, so you're not blindsided after the LCA is filed.
Confirm each campus location has its own LCA
If the role involves teaching at multiple campuses or satellite locations, each distinct worksite requires its own certified LCA from DOL. Clarify this with your employer's HR or immigration counsel before signing an offer that lists multiple teaching sites.
Get a job description that reflects degree-level duties
Curriculum development, program assessment, and industry-standards instruction strengthen the specialty occupation argument far more than hands-on cooking demonstrations alone. Ask to review the USCIS petition's job duties section and confirm it accurately reflects what the role requires.
Understand your 60-day grace period between positions
If your H-1B employment ends, USCIS allows up to 60 days to secure a new sponsored position before your status lapses. Use O*NET to identify SOC codes closely aligned with Chef Instructor duties, which helps new employers file an accurate I-129 petition quickly.
H-1B Visa Chef Instructor: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Chef Instructor role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Not automatically. USCIS requires the position to normally require at least a bachelor's degree in a specific related field, such as culinary arts, food science, or hospitality management. Employers at accredited culinary schools and hospitality programs typically structure Chef Instructor roles around degree-level responsibilities like curriculum design, academic assessment, and industry-standards instruction, which strengthens the specialty occupation argument considerably.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for Chef Instructor positions?
Accredited culinary arts colleges, community college culinary programs, and university hospitality departments are the most common H-1B sponsors for this role because they already operate within academic HR frameworks familiar with immigration filings. Some large hotel and hospitality management companies with internal training academies also sponsor. Browse Migrate Mate to find employers with verified H-1B LCA filing history for culinary and food-service instruction roles.
How long does H-1B status last for a Chef Instructor job?
USCIS grants H-1B status for an initial period of up to three years, with one extension available for a total maximum of six years. Beyond six years, continued stay typically requires an approved immigrant visa petition or other qualifying circumstances. Each renewal requires a new I-129 petition and a fresh certified LCA reflecting your current worksite and wage level.
What documents should I prepare before an employer files my H-1B petition?
You'll need official transcripts showing a degree in culinary arts, food science, hospitality management, or a closely related field, along with any teaching credentials or curriculum development portfolios that demonstrate academic-level duties. If your degree is from outside the U.S., a credential evaluation from a recognized agency is typically required. Your employer's immigration counsel will also need your passport, prior visa documents, and any previous I-94 records.
Can I teach at multiple campus locations under one H-1B?
Each worksite requires its own DOL-certified Labor Condition Application, so multiple campuses means multiple LCAs. Your employer must file a certified LCA for every location where you'll teach before USCIS will approve status covering that site. If a new campus is added after your initial petition, an amended I-129 petition is typically required before you begin working there.