Team Leader

Confidential New Burger Restaurant – Queens, NY Full-Time | Leadership Position PLEASE APPLY ONLY IF YOU HAVE REAL, HANDS-ON BURGER SHOP COOKING EXPERIENCE. We are hiring an experienced Lead Burger Chef / Kitchen Lead for an upcoming burger restaurant in Queens, NY. We are specifically looking for someone with at least 3+ years of professional, hands‑on experience working in a burger restaurant, smash burger shop, fast‑casual burger concept, or high-volume burger kitchen. Burger‑shop cooking experience is required for this position. General restaurant, deli, pizza, catering, or unrelated cooking experience by itself does not qualify for this lead position. We strongly encourage experienced burger cooks who have spent several years working directly with flat‑top griddles, smash burgers, fryers, chicken breading, sauces, seasoning, prep, and high‑volume burger assembly to apply. The person selected will become a leader of our cooking team and will be responsible for helping train cooks, maintain recipes and procedures, control food quality, and ensure consistent execution.

REQUIRED BURGER EXPERIENCE

You should already have professional experience with: Smash burgers on a commercial flat‑top griddle. Proper smashing technique. Burger patty seasoning. Griddle temperature management. Developing a strong beef crust without overcooking. Single and double burger timing. Onion smash burgers. Cheese melting and finishing. Bun toasting. Burger assembly and presentation. Portion control. High‑volume burger production. Managing multiple orders during rush periods.

CHICKEN, BREADING & FRYER EXPERIENCE

Professional experience should also include: Crispy chicken sandwiches. Chicken tenders. Chicken seasoning and marination. Breading and dredging systems. Seasoned flour / breading mixtures. Fryer temperature control. Fried chicken timing. Maintaining crispy texture and product quality. French fries and fried sides. Proper food holding procedures.

SAUCE & SEASONING KNOWLEDGE

We are especially interested in someone who understands flavor development , not simply someone who follows instructions. Experience with some or all of the following is highly desirable: Mayonnaise‑based sauces. Burger / house sauces. Spicy mayo. Aioli‑style sauces. Garlic and chipotle sauces. Seasoning blends. Chicken marinades. Burger seasoning. Breading seasoning. Sauce consistency, batching and portioning. You are NOT expected to bring or disclose proprietary recipes from a previous employer. However, you should understand how professional restaurant sauces, seasonings, marinades and breading systems are developed, prepared, scaled and kept consistent.

THIS IS A LEADERSHIP POSITION

We are not simply hiring another line cook. You will be expected to: Lead cooks during service. Train new kitchen employees. Teach proper burger cooking techniques. Teach breading, frying and preparation procedures. Ensure recipes and procedures are followed consistently. Maintain consistent taste, appearance and portion size. Organize daily prep. Check station readiness before service. Manage burger, fryer and prep stations. Monitor food quality throughout service. Identify and correct cooking mistakes. Maintain kitchen cleanliness and sanitation. Control unnecessary food waste. Follow proper food storage, labeling and rotation procedures. Help management improve kitchen workflow. Maintain organization during high‑volume rush periods. Set a professional standard for the rest of the cooking team.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

3+ years of professional burger‑shop cooking experience REQUIRED. Previous experience as any of the following is highly relevant: Burger Chef | Lead Burger Cook | Grill Cook | Lead Cook | Kitchen Lead | Kitchen Supervisor | Senior Line Cook | Head Cook Applicants who have worked for established burger restaurants, smash‑burger concepts, fast‑casual burger restaurants, or high‑volume quick‑service burger operations are strongly encouraged to apply.

PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS LEAD POSITION IF:

You have never professionally cooked burgers in a restaurant. Your experience is primarily home cooking. You have only limited restaurant cooking experience. You have never operated a commercial flat‑top griddle. You have never worked a high‑volume burger station. You are not comfortable training and directing other cooks. You are looking for an entry‑level cooking position. We respect all types of kitchen experience, but this particular position requires an experienced burger‑shop professional.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We want someone who can walk into a professional burger kitchen and already understand: Seasoning → Prep → Griddle → Fryer → Breading → Sauce → Assembly → Timing → Consistency → Cleanliness → Leadership You should be able to look at a burger or fried chicken product and recognize whether it has been seasoned, cooked, assembled and presented correctly. Most importantly, you should understand consistency — every customer should receive the same high‑quality product regardless of which cook is working the station.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

You are: Highly experienced in burger restaurants. Dependable and punctual. Fast during high-volume service. Clean and organized. Quality-focused. Food‑safety conscious. Comfortable leading other cooks. Comfortable training employees. A clear communicator. Calm under pressure. Serious about consistency. Interested in growing with a new restaurant concept.

LOCATION

Queens, New York . The exact restaurant location and business details will be shared with qualified candidates during the interview process. Applicants must be able to reliably commute to Queens. About Queens: We are a new fast‑casual restaurant opening in Queens, NY, focused on premium burgers, crispy chicken and quality food. We’re building a strong, professional team with opportunities to grow with us from day one. Experience: Not required Employment: Full‑time #J-18808-Ljbffr Queens