The Lineup creates opportunities for chefs to cook, be seen, and connect beyond their own kitchens.

Chef preparing dishes in a kitchen, wearing a white shirt and black apron, arranging food on plates, with candles and decor in the background.

How This Works

The Lineup is a platform for cooks who want room to explore their ideas and share their point of view.

We work with chefs in a variety of ways, from events and media features to private collaborations and brand partnerships.

Whether you are a cook reaching out yourself or a friend or mentor nominating someone you believe in, an application request helps us understand how we might work together.

We are always interested in meeting cooks at different stages of their careers. At any given time, we may be casting for upcoming event series, media or editorial features, or private event opportunities. For information about our qualification requirements, see the section below.

Request an Application

Qualification Requirements

We work closely with every chef we feature, and we want to make sure The Lineup is a good fit for where you are right now.

Before submitting, here are a few things we look for to ensure the experience is supportive, productive, and aligned for everyone involved.

  • We are looking for people who have worked in the industry for a minimum of two years, and have worked at their current restaurant for at least 6 months.

  • We require that the restaurant where you currently work is on board with your participation in the project. See our FAQ below if you have questions regarding this point!

  • We want our participating cooks to have a vision they want to express. While our team can help you to hone your dishes and bring ideas to life, the underlying theme and thought behind them must come from the applicant.

  • The restaurant currently employing any applicant must be notable in the restaurant scene in New York. This can be positive press, a sizable social media following, hard won reservations, or features on best-of lists.

For Those Wishing to Nominate

Nominating a cook is one of the most meaningful ways to support someone you believe in.

For chefs and restaurant owners, it’s a way to invest in your team beyond the day-to-day. We give cooks space to step into a leadership role, build confidence, and let their creativity loose.

For peers, mentors, or friends, a nomination can be the nudge someone needs. Submitting their name is a way to recognize their work and help open doors they may not yet be pushing on their own.

You don’t need to know what the right opportunity is. A nomination simply starts the conversation.

Nominate a Cook

Frequently Asked Questions

  • There are several reasons for this.

    1. As a participant, there might be some times where we will request an alteration to your schedule, which we want your chef to be ok with.

    2. Depending on the program you participate in, we may need to interview your chef for social content, and we want to make sure they are on board to do that.

    3. We will be using the name of the restaurant to promote the series, and we want to be sure chefs / owners who have worked hard to establish it feel ok with it being used in this way.

    4. At the end of the day, we want to make sure our participants are supported by their restaurants.

  • The Lineup is open to any position in a kitchen beneath the head chef.

  • We consider this a vetting tool. Notable restaurants are generally high volume, and demand a certain standard when it comes to skill. If someone is employed in a restaurant we consider notable, this is a way for us to have a good sense of whether they would be able to take on the demands of our programming.

  • Let’s get this out of the way - our programming will be a tax on what little free time you have as a chef. Depending on which program you participate in, we may ask not only that you are spending time concepting and testing, but that you are able to attend meetings, on camera interviews, photo shoots, testing and prep days, and the event itself.

  • We are planning to expand our programming into other cities, but for the time being you must be a New York resident to apply to The Lineup.

  • We do not! If you have made your way to working in a notable restaurant, and you have the support of your chef to participate, we do not require that you have gone to culinary school to participate.