Restaurant, cook and chef businesses

Seeking a couple or pair with culinary and business experience, ready to commit to a 12-month lease (option to lease-to-own) and live on a remote, car-free island. They must be comfortable with island life, nature, and working closely with retreat guests. We’re looking for serious, long-term partners, not short-term or casual applicants.

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Time for a New Chapter?
Bring Your Culinary Vision to a Caribbean Island!

Opportunity: Escape the Winter Permanently – Lease a Turnkey Restaurant on Little Corn Island
Retreat: The Lighthouse Retreat on Little Corn Island
Location: Corn Islands, Nicaragua / Caribbean

If you’ve been searching for a Caribbean adventure where you can live, work, and create together, this is your chance. The Lighthouse Retreat on Little Corn Island is a serene, car-free paradise—remote, peaceful, and full of potential. We welcome retreat groups and wellness travelers from around the world, offering them an unforgettable island experience, and now we’re looking for the right pair or couple to bring our restaurant to life.

The Opportunity:

• Turnkey and Fully operational retreat kitchen + open-air dining area for up to 40 people

• Access to retreat guests, groups, expats and local community and conscious travelers from around the world
• Optional 3-bedroom house next door, ready for you to live and work in paradise, with lease-to-own option for the right partner
• Collaborate with us to serve retreat leaders and groups, offering Caribbean cuisine using fresh, seasonal ingredients and fresh seafood
• Embrace sustainability, zero-waste practices, and creative island cooking
• Wooden Caribbean-style restaurant with access to a rooftop yoga deck
• Lease term: 12 months minimum, open to long-term renewal
• Cleanliness is top priority: knowledge of proper food storage, safe handling, and packaging with minimal to zero plastic
• Ability to create and price a menu effectively and manage the kitchen as a business
• We provide full support: supplier contacts, deliveries, and startup guidance—but we are seeking a couple who will take full responsibility, make it their own, and run it independently with an entrepreneurial mindset

Who We’re Looking For:

• The right pair or couple with kitchen management experience, business mindset, and financial stability
• Passion for healthy, seasonal Caribbean cuisine, seafood, wellness and island flavors
• Independent, proactive, and comfortable living closely with nature and island life
• Committed to a long-term partnership, ready and excited about building a brand and reputation from the ground up
• Creative, conscious, and flexible—forget modern Canadian restaurant expectations and embrace island simplicity

Why Little Corn Island?

This is diver’s and snorkeler’s heaven: turquoise waters, vibrant coral reefs, and abundant marine life. Guests come here for scuba diving, snorkeling, pristine beaches, paddleboarding, and yoga retreats. The island attracts wellness travelers, expats, and adventure-seekers looking for a peaceful, off-the-grid Caribbean experience. Restaurants are extremely limited, making this a rare opportunity to grow a name and business while contributing to a wellness community. The restaurant has only been operating privately this year for retreat guests—this is your chance to take it to the next level.

Who This Island is Perfect For:

• Couples or partners who thrive in quiet, car-free, intentional communities
• Nature lovers, beach bums, and adventure seekers
• Anyone who loves tropical life, caribbean island vibes, fresh seafood, and picking mangoes straight from the trees

How to Reach Little Corn Island:
Flights from Managua (MGA) to Big Corn Island, followed by a 30-minute boat ride to Little Corn Island.

About Us:

We are two sisters from Toronto who escaped the winter permanently and found paradise. We created a peaceful, sustainable island retreat, focused on wellness, retreats, and island tours and authentic local adventure. We want a talented couple who shares our vision, passion for healthy eating, community, sustainability, and love for intentional, island living.

Application Process:
Email us at book@thelighthouselci.com with:

• Your resume and references
• Sample menus, photos of your dishes, or any social media links or reviews
• Your vision for the restaurant and guest dining experience
• Why you’re drawn to Little Corn Island and this opportunity

We’ll review submissions and schedule a call; your chance to create, grow, and thrive in paradise together is here.

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.