Confessions Of A Hiring Chef
Guest column: Agis Counter's Jeremy Salamon on the restaurant job market
Jeremy Salamon is the Beard-nominated chef/owner of Brooklyn’s Agi’s Counter. And he’s hiring. In a recent Instagram post, Salamon shared some straight talk on the current recruiting season. He doesn’t hold back, and it’s a breath of fresh air. With his permission, we’re republishing it. Drop your take in the comments.
I gotta be honest, and I can really only speak for the restaurant industry, or at least my small corner of Brooklyn, but this hiring cycle has been eye-opening.
A few candid thoughts for cooks applying to leadership roles (but not limited to):
Three months at a pop-up or casual spot without prior experience does not automatically equal professional kitchen or leadership experience. There’s nothing wrong with being newer to the industry, but honesty matters. Don’t lie on your résumé. People figure it out quickly.
Consistency matters. Personally, I’d rather see someone grow and stay in one place for a few years than bounce between impressive names every six months. Reliability, humility, and growth say more to me than prestige.
Please don’t put trails on your résumé as work experience. A trail is exposure, not employment. It’s like listing the places you interviewed at. Clarifying that internships (paid or unpaid) and volunteer opportunities are great to list!
A chef once told me, “I’d rather hire the grill cook from Five Guys who worked there for five years than the one-year cook from Eleven Madison Park.” That still rings true to me.
Dress for the job you want. Maybe that sounds old school, but presentation matters. You don’t need a suit, but showing up to an interview in an oversized, torn sweatshirt tells me something immediately.
If you’re coming in for a trial, show up prepared. Bring a notebook. Bring your knives if you have them. Be ready to listen, learn, take notes, and work cleanly.
Don’t spend your interview talking badly about your previous chef, restaurant, or coworkers. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth immediately. Every kitchen has challenges, but professionalism matters.
And for anyone reading this: the NYC restaurant industry is very small. It may seem huge, but everybody knows each other one way or another. Reputations travel fast. Be mindful of how you carry yourself.
Small independent restaurants are doing the best they can. Most of us cannot afford $40/hour line cooks. But you should absolutely and always advocate for yourself professionally.
If the compensation or schedule doesn’t work for you, say so. Communicate. No chef or owner is a mind reader. Clear communication is one of the biggest things that sets people apart.
If you already work another full-time job, try to disclose that upfront. There’s zero judgment. This industry is hard, and people do what they need to do. That being said, burnout is real. Some people can do it, some can’t. What matters is honesty, self-awareness, and consistently showing up ready to work.
And for the cooks applying right now: don’t lose heart. You’ll have bad trails, awkward interviews, services that humble you, and jobs that aren’t the right fit. That’s part of it. The cooks who last are rarely the loudest or flashiest. They’re the ones who keep showing up. The ones who stay curious, move with humility, ask questions, communicate honestly, and quietly get better over time. There is a kitchen for you out there, one where your rhythm, your personality, your cooking make sense. Keep showing up. Keep cooking. The right opportunities will come.
At the end of the day, every chef and owner I know is looking for the same thing: someone reliable, communicative, hardworking. Skills can be taught. Attitude, consistency, and professionalism are a lot harder to teach.
With all that being said… Agi’s is hiring, and I really would love to meet you! This is not to scare anyone off; I am tired of seeing the same thing over and over again. I know I’m not only speaking for myself here.
 | A guest post by
|