Company description

The highly esteemed national rag, the NYTimes, called Sammy's Deluxe one of the 50 best restaurants in America (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/dining/best-restaurants-america.html). Here's how we would describe ourselves: Sammy's Deluxe in Rockland, Maine is a rare-breed of a gem, fueled by the hunger, enthusiasm, and eccentricities of chef/owner Sam Richman. While once commonplace, independent restaurants run by chef/owners who put their energy into a singular honest restaurant are sadly becoming hard to find. At Sammy’s Deluxe, we cook simple, fresh, not-fussy, very straightforward, extremely high value, exceptionally delicious food in the style of what your grandmother might have cooked if she were a very good cook who used lots of seasonal ingredients and had a soft spot for Americana.

We are fortunate to have at our fingertips one of the most exciting and enviable baskets of ingredients in the world: the absurdity of riches of Midcoast Maine. We are not without a few tricks up our sleeves picked up at the "highly rigorous" fancy pants restaurants of Sam's youth (the Fat Duck, WD-50, 71 Clinton Fresh Food, Jean Georges, Gramercy Tavern, etc.), However, Sammy's has the benefit of using the smart and worthwhile techniques from these kitchens, while cooking with Maine's far superior ingredients and scrapping the fancy pretention. Most often though, we cook simple and straightforward dishes with our pristine ingredients and do our best not to get in the way of their inherent quality, flavor and beauty.

Sam has an extensive experience foraging for Maine's mushrooms and other plants, as well as fishing for unique, seasonal and underutilized species, and he supplies the restaurant with some of these most exciting seasonal ingredients. Additionally, we are fortunate to be surrounded by a great wealth of produce and animal farms and very rich farmland. Our daily produce pickups and deliveries are absolutely stunning--city produce just can't compare.

In the world at large, what we are trying to accomplish is pretty normal--eating well made, delicious, culturally relevant and thoughtful food at a not fancy restaurant while pulling from tradition and using the best, local and seasonal ingredients of the moment. It is the experience of eating Mexican food in Mexico, Greek food in Greece or Sicilian food in Sicily. We bring that same mentality to serving Americana/New England/Maine food in Rockland with pride, technique (old and new), humility and a good dose of humor. And with a few nice things to drink too.

That's a fairly good overview of our goals, focus and philosophy. For those looking for a few more specifics, allow me to rattle off a handful of what comes into season locally throughout the year--halibut, razor clams, steamer clams, all the hard shell clams, lobster, jonah crab, alewives, mackerel, smelt, john dory, black bass, hake, whelks, periwinkles, haddock, skate, scallops, squid, all of the oysters, sea urchin, mussels, chanterelle, black trumpets, matsutake, hen of the woods, chicken of the woods, porcini, chaga, rare and underutilized mushrooms, beach roses, black locust blossoms, kelps, potatoes, maple syrup, birch syrup, apples, cranberries, blueberries, rhubarb, Maine grains, best grass fed beef and dairy, as well as some really incredibly fertile land for very high quality agriculture, grains, produce and meat, etc etc.

Job description

Bring your talents and pick up a few new ones. Help us cook and serve up some carefully made, honest, soulful, real food with the very exceptional and special midcoast ingredients and get paid very well while you’re doing it. Seeking all kind, thoughtful, hardworking food and drink-oriented persons who might be interested in joining the small but mighty Sammy’s Deluxe team. Some experience, no experience, lots of experience— all are welcome to apply.

For a cooking position--we are looking for a full-time, 4 days a week, roughly 40 hours per week with a three day weekend. Competitive base hourly pay plus tips. This obviously varies night by night but comes out to somewhere in the mid to high $20s - mid $30s per hour, depending on experience and busy-ness.

For a Sous Chef-like the cooking description above, but looking for someone with some good experience under their belt, some enviable kitchen chops and a great deal of leadership, interpersonal skills, organization, initiative and management. Earnings potential is much higher, hourly or salary depending on experience and size of leadership role assumed.

While we are a hard working kitchen and restaurant who cares about what we do--we are also down to earth and sane. Work-life balance is a priority (3 day weekends!!) and the kitchen and restaurant is supportive, jovial, friendly and professional.

This is a unique opportunity to further your cooking or serving craft, making real food and drinks with exceptional ingredients under very excellent direction and collaboration.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $23.00 - $55.00

Application instructions

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Deadline

February 14, 2026