Head Chef — Italian Trattoria

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen for Mérida's established Italian trattoria
• Execute classic Italian trattoria menu — pizza, pasta, risotto, and Italian secondi
• Source imported Italian pantry ingredients and work with local Yucatán produce where compatible
• Manage small kitchen team of 4–8 staff
• Handle the trattoria's regular expat clientele and international tourist traffic

Requirements

• 5+ years kitchen experience with Italian cuisine
• Authentic Italian cooking knowledge
• English strong asset — Mérida's international tourism market communicates primarily in English
• Comfortable in small team, owner-operated environment

Benefits

• IMSS, Aguinaldo, vacation + premium
• Staff meals, uniform
• Lower cost of living than coastal resorts — salary goes further in Mérida
• Air-conditioned kitchen — essential in Mérida's heat

Work environment

Owner-operated Italian trattoria in Mérida centro. Smaller team than city kitchens — the head chef is also very hands-on. International cultural tourist clientele with a core expat regular base.

About the role

Intimate Italian in a Yucatecan colonial city. When a Canadian expat family who winters in Mérida chooses your trattoria for their Friday ritual dinner, you've done what Italian hospitality demands: made someone feel at home.