About PopStroke

PopStroke is a founder-led brand built by people who believe energy creates results and culture creates momentum. We aren’t here to simply run venues — we’re here to build something special together.

At PopStroke, every team member has limitless potential to become who they want to be. We encourage bold ideas, celebrate growth, and believe that when you’re supported, challenged, and trusted, you rise.

We solve problems together, jump in, and move the needle every day because we care. We lead with ownership, back each other up, and never lose sight of the fun along the way.

This mindset; the drive, the heart, the teamwork is what we call The PopStroke Way. 

Our Core Values

Make It Fun

If it’s not fun, rethink how we’re doing it.
We bring creativity, positivity, and joy into everything we do, from guest interactions, doing hard things, and how we support one another.

Bring the Energy

Your vibe sets the tone.
Every leader and team member influences the experience. Show up with enthusiasm, optimism, and presence.

Roll Up Your Sleeves

See it. Fix it. Jump in.

We are hands-on, problem solvers that jump in and become part of the solution.   We leave things better than we found them.

Own It

Live your role with an owner’s mindset.
We take pride in our work, hold ourselves accountable, and treat the business like it’s our own.

Get Off the Hamster Wheel

Don’t repeat yesterday — rethink, improve, grow.
We challenge “the way it’s always been done” and are always looking for better ways to serve our guests and each other.

Director of Sushi Experience

About the Role

This is a unique opportunity to shape and scale a signature culinary experience within one of the fastest-growing entertainment and hospitality brands in the country.

PopStroke is seeking a Director of Sushi Experience to lead the vision, standards, execution, and growth of our sushi program. This senior culinary leadership role is designed for an accomplished sushi professional who can pair exceptional culinary expertise with operational discipline, team development, and the energy of the PopStroke brand.

The Director of Sushi Experience will serve as the strategic owner of the sushi experience across PopStroke, providing leadership and direction to the Head of Sushi. This individual will establish the culinary vision, develop and elevate talent, create scalable systems and standards, and ensure every sushi experience delivers exceptional quality, consistency, speed, presentation, safety, and hospitality.

The ideal candidate is equal parts culinary expert, operator, teacher, and brand builder. They understand how to create an elevated product and, just as importantly, how to build a team and operating model capable of executing it consistently as PopStroke continues to grow.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: To be determined
• Direct report: Head of Sushi

What Success Looks Like

• PopStroke develops a distinctive, elevated sushi experience that feels uniquely ours and enhances the overall guest experience.
• The Head of Sushi and broader sushi team operate with clear standards, strong leadership, accountability, and a relentless focus on quality.
• Sushi quality, presentation, freshness, speed, food safety, and consistency remain exceptional every day—not only when senior culinary leadership is present.
• Menus and offerings evolve thoughtfully based on guest feedback, culinary trends, operational feasibility, cost, and revenue opportunities.
• Food cost, labor, waste, inventory, and purchasing are managed with the same level of discipline as culinary execution.
• A strong bench of sushi talent is developed, creating a sustainable leadership pipeline as the program and PopStroke footprint expand.
• The sushi program works seamlessly with venue operations, culinary leadership, Sales, Events, and hospitality teams to create memorable guest experiences.

What You’ll Do

• Own the overall strategy, culinary direction, standards, execution, and continued development of PopStroke’s sushi program.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Head of Sushi, establishing clear expectations and accountability for daily execution, team performance, training, and results.
• Establish and continuously elevate standards for sushi preparation, fish fabrication, knife work, rice preparation, sashimi, nigiri, rolls, garnishing, presentation, freshness, portioning, and the overall guest experience.
• Develop scalable recipes, product specifications, preparation standards, training materials, opening and closing procedures, quality-control measures, and operating routines.
• Partner closely with venue and culinary leaders to ensure the sushi program operates as an integrated part of the PopStroke experience.
• Spend meaningful time in the operation, working alongside teams during peak periods, observing execution firsthand, providing in-the-moment coaching, and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Lead menu development and culinary innovation while balancing creativity with execution speed, guest appeal, ingredient availability, cost, and scalability.
• Oversee sushi-related food cost, inventory controls, waste reduction, portion standards, purchasing discipline, and overall financial performance in partnership with operational leadership.
• Develop staffing models and talent standards for sushi positions, participate in the selection of key sushi leaders, and build a strong pipeline of culinary talent.
• Create a culture of continuous learning through hands-on training, certification, coaching, tastings, and ongoing skill development.
• Partner with Sales and Events to develop elevated sushi offerings for private events, VIP experiences, special activations, and other revenue-generating opportunities.
• Stay informed about emerging sushi, Japanese culinary, and hospitality trends, selectively incorporating ideas that align with the PopStroke brand and operating model.
• Support new venue openings, special activations, and the future expansion of the sushi program.
• Model PopStroke leadership by working directly with the team, moving with urgency, taking ownership of outcomes, and creating wow moments for guests and team members.

Food Safety and Seafood-Specific Standards

• Establish and maintain rigorous standards for the receiving, storage, thawing, preparation, handling, labeling, temperature control, shelf life, and traceability of seafood.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable requirements governing raw and ready-to-eat seafood, including parasite-destruction documentation, shellfish records where applicable, and HACCP requirements.
• Maintain strict procedures designed to prevent cross-contamination and allergen exposure throughout preparation, storage, and service.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, sanitation, temperature-control, storage, allergen, and health department requirements.
• Regularly audit sushi-specific food safety practices, operating procedures, and required documentation.
• Partner with venue and culinary leadership to promptly address compliance concerns and implement corrective actions when necessary.

What We’re Looking For

• Significant progressive sushi leadership experience, including responsibility for high-volume or elevated sushi operations.
• Previous experience leading sushi chefs or other culinary leaders; multi-unit, regional, concept-level, or executive culinary leadership experience is strongly preferred.
• Deep technical expertise in sushi preparation, fish fabrication, knife skills, rice preparation, nigiri, sashimi, rolls, garnishing, and presentation.
• A demonstrated record of building standards, systems, training programs, and high-performing teams—not simply executing at the station level.
• Strong operational and financial acumen, including experience managing food cost, labor, purchasing, inventory, waste, and productivity.
• The ability to translate an elevated culinary vision into an experience that can be consistently executed in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, coaching, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• High standards, exceptional attention to detail, creativity, and a continuous-improvement mindset.
• ServSafe Manager certification required.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, peak business periods, and scheduled guest events based on business needs.
• Ability and willingness to travel as needed to support program execution, team development, new openings, and future growth.

PopStroke is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

PopStroke participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.