J-1 Visa Chef Jobs
Chef positions in the United States are available to international culinary professionals through the J-1 Trainee and Intern program categories, which require a State Department-designated sponsor to issue your DS-2019 and provide sponsorship. Roles span fine dining kitchens, hotel food and beverage operations, and culinary institutes across the country.
See All Chef JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 5+ Chef jobs


Have you applied for this role?


Have you applied for this role?


Have you applied for this role?


Have you applied for this role?


Have you applied for this role?
See all 5+ Chef jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Chef roles.
Get Access To All Jobs
Company Description
A beloved local landmark for over 150 years, White Barn Inn, Auberge Collection is synonymous with warm New England hospitality, rustic charm, and uncompromising attention to detail. Just a 90-minute drive north of Boston in the charming coastal town of Kennebunk, Maine, the 28-room property is renowned as one of the country’s most distinctive getaways offering supreme levels of quality, luxury, and gracious service. The hotel's four waterfront cottages and one-of-a-kind houseboat boast coastal views and access to White Barn Marina. Amenities include an outdoor infinity pool, coastal views, an award-winning spa, two restaurants, convenient access to fine shopping and art galleries in Kennebunkport, as well as a variety of experiences from bike riding to local apple orchards to traditional Maine lobster bakes. The White Barn Restaurant, a culinary legend, Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond fine dining destination, offers seasonal, contemporary New England cuisine while the new Little Barn is a casual eatery highlighting the local Maine farmstead and fisheries to the table in flavorful, approachable dishes. In summer 2020, White Barn Inn unveiled a property-wide redesign led by New York-based Jenny Wolf Interiors that refreshed guest rooms and public spaces with playful contemporary touches and elements from local Maine purveyors.
Job Description
Step into the realm of culinary excellence as a key player in our kitchen brigade. Whether you're a savant with savory delights or a lover of sweet symphonies, embrace the opportunity to showcase your culinary prowess. As a Culinary Artisan, you play an integral role in curating an unforgettable dining experience, leaving an indelible mark on the palates of our patrons.
- Converts recipes and standard measurements to daily requirements.
- Check function sheets, restaurant requisitions, and special requests and prepare a list of tasks to be accomplished.
- Practices good stock rotation, storage, and handling of goods to minimize waste and spoilage.
- Keeps the working area clean at all times and adheres to all health, safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards.
- Orders supplies as necessary by initiating requisitions and fills out Engineering work orders as necessary to maintain the best possible physical plant.
Qualifications
- Formal training or education in culinary arts, with a focus on pastry and baking techniques.
- One year Cook IV level or previous Cook III experience.
- Proficient in various baking methods, including dough preparation, pastry shaping, and decorating techniques.
- Strong focus on precision and detail to ensure consistency and high-quality presentation of pastries and desserts.
Additional Information
About Auberge Collection
Auberge Collection is a portfolio of extraordinary hotels, resorts, residences and private clubs. While each property is unique, all share a crafted approach to luxury and bring the soul of the locale to life through captivating design, exceptional cuisine, innovative wellbeing, and gracious yet unobtrusive service. With 30 one-of-a-kind hotels, resorts, and residences, Auberge invites guests to create unforgettable stories in some of the world’s most desirable destinations. For more information: auberge.com Connect with Auberge Collection on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn @Auberge and #AlwaysAuberge
About Friedkin
Friedkin is a privately held family of global brands spanning automotive, entertainment, hospitality, investments, and sports. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, the company is led by Chief Executive Dan Friedkin, and united by a mission to build breakthrough brands that redefine the status quo. The Friedkin portfolio includes Gulf States Toyota, 30WEST, Accelerated Solutions Group, AS Roma, Ascent Automotive Group, Auberge Collection, Congaree, Copilot Capital, Diamond Creek, Everton Football Club, GSFSGroup, Imperative Entertainment, Legendary Expeditions, NEON, Northside Lexus, Pursuit Sports, The Friedkin Group International, USAL and Westside Lexus. For more information, please visit www.friedkin.com
US Hotels New England LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, M/F/D/V. US Hotels New England LLC provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all team members and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, US Hotels New England LLC complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
See all 5+ Chef jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Chef roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Chef
Document your culinary training program formally
Your J-1 Trainee application requires a detailed training plan showing what skills you'll gain in each kitchen rotation. Work with your host employer to map specific techniques, cuisines, and supervisory milestones to each phase before submitting to the designated sponsor.
Verify your host qualifies as a J-1 program
Not every restaurant or hotel group has hosted J-1 Trainees before. Confirm that your prospective employer is willing to sign a training plan, complete E-Verify enrollment, and cooperate with the designated sponsor's site-visit and compliance requirements before accepting an offer.
Search Migrate Mate to find J-1-aligned culinary roles
Many kitchens recruit internationally without advertising it publicly. Use Migrate Mate to identify U.S. host employers in food service and hospitality that have a track record of welcoming J-1 exchange visitors into structured culinary training programs.
Distinguish Intern from Trainee eligibility early
The J-1 Intern category is for current culinary students or those who graduated within 12 months. If you've been working professionally for over a year post-graduation, you'll need the Trainee category instead. Applying under the wrong category can delay your DS-2019 issuance.
Check whether your role triggers the home residency requirement
Some J-1 Trainee placements in government-funded programs or fields on the Exchange Visitor Skills List carry a two-year home residency requirement before you can change to certain other U.S. visa categories. Confirm your program's funding source with the designated sponsor before signing.
Time your offer letter to match sponsor processing windows
Designated sponsors like AIPT and Cultural Vistas typically need four to eight weeks to review training plans and issue a DS-2019. Coordinate your start date with your host employer to leave that window before your intended program start, accounting for consular appointment lead times in your home country.
Chef jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Chef JobsChef J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category covers Chef and culinary training roles?
Most Chef and culinary training placements fall under the J-1 Trainee category, which is designed for professionals who have a degree in their field or at least one year of relevant work experience outside the United States. Current culinary students or recent graduates within 12 months of completing their program may qualify for the J-1 Intern category instead. The host kitchen and designated sponsor determine which applies.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa if my employer is a restaurant or hotel?
The restaurant or hotel is your host employer, not your visa sponsor. J-1 sponsorship comes from a U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization, such as AIPT, Cultural Vistas, or InterExchange, which reviews your training plan, issues the DS-2019 form, and monitors your program compliance. Your host employer cannot issue the DS-2019 themselves, regardless of their size or international reach.
What does a J-1 culinary training plan need to include?
The training plan, called a DS-7002, must outline each phase of your placement with specific skills, techniques, and supervision details. For a Chef role, this typically means breaking down rotations by station or cuisine type, naming the supervising chef for each phase, and explaining how the experience builds on your prior culinary background. The designated sponsor reviews this before issuing your DS-2019.
How do I find U.S. host employers open to J-1 Chef placements?
Many fine dining restaurants, hotel food and beverage programs, and culinary institutes hire international culinary professionals through the J-1 program but don't advertise it in standard job postings. Migrate Mate helps you identify U.S. employers in the hospitality and food service sector that are open to hosting J-1 exchange visitors, so you can target your outreach to kitchens already familiar with the program structure.
Does the two-year home residency requirement apply to J-1 Chef Trainees?
It depends on your program's funding source and your home country's Exchange Visitor Skills List status. Most privately funded J-1 Trainee placements in culinary arts are not subject to the two-year requirement, but placements involving U.S. government funding or skills listed as scarce in your home country can trigger it. Confirm this with your designated sponsor before signing your training agreement, since it affects your ability to later change to H-1B or other visa categories.
See which Chef employers are hiring and sponsoring visas right now.
Search Chef Jobs