Line Cook

Line Cook — Bad Idea | East Nashville, TN

Bad Idea is a wine bar and restaurant set inside a converted church at 1021 Russell Street in East Nashville. Named one of the 50 Best Restaurants in America by the New York Times, a James Beard semifinalist, and home to the 2025 Michelin American South Sommelier Award, we are a small, focused team committed to doing things at a high level — in the kitchen and at the bar. Our menu is contemporary American: seasonal, ingredient-driven, and technique-forward, built to move alongside one of the most thoughtfully curated wine programs in the region.

We're looking for a line cook who takes the work seriously and brings good energy to the people around them.

What You'll Do

• Execute food to standard across assigned stations throughout service
• Prep, stock, and maintain your station with consistency and care
• Follow standardized recipes while demonstrating strong fundamental technique
• Uphold food safety, sanitation, and FIFO standards at all times
• Complete opening, mid-shift, and closing duties as assigned
• Communicate clearly with kitchen leadership and front-of-house team

Who You Are

• Experienced in a high-volume or detail-oriented kitchen environment
• Organized, reliable, and comfortable working nights and weekends
• A team player who takes pride in the product and the people they work with
• Someone who wants to grow and is curious about food and wine

Requirements

• Minimum 1 year of line cook experience
• Solid knife skills and knowledge of cooking fundamentals
• Food handler's certification or ability to obtain
• A genuine interest in being part of something worth doing

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for the duration of a shift, including movement through areas that may include stairs, uneven, or slick surfaces
• Frequently lift and carry up to 25 pounds; occasionally lift up to 50 pounds
• Safely operate kitchen equipment, tools, and cleaning chemicals
• Ability to work in hot and cold environments for extended periods

Bad Idea is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.