Kitchen Lead

Job Overview

Responsibilities  

• Coordinate and oversee kitchen staff and food production.
• Promote positive staff/customer relations by enforcing kitchen standards, policies, and culture.
• Direct meal preparation for consistency, quality, and presentation.
• Schedule kitchen staff and ensure correct purchasing, receiving, and product specifications.
• Conduct weekly inventory and ensure adherence to standard recipes.
• Enforce sanitation and safety guidelines in the kitchen.
• Oversee training and development of kitchen staff.
• Coordinate with marketing/ownership for special events, donations, and food preparations.
• Manage cost control, including back-of-house labor costs.
• Implement a weekly cleaning schedule for major kitchen equipment and operational areas.
• Communicate receiving, inventory, and operational information to other managers.

Skills  

Cooking & Prep

• Knows all stations and can jump in anywhere
• Follows recipes and portion sizes consistently
• Keeps plating consistent
  Food Safety
• Food handler certification (ServSafe or local equivalent)
• Proper food storage and labeling (FIFO)
• Keeps stations clean and up to code
  Running the Shift
• Preps stations before rush, keeps them stocked during service
• Manages ticket times so food comes out on schedule
• Checks food quality before it goes out
  Leading the Team
• Assigns tasks and keeps everyone moving during rush
• Trains new cooks on the line
• Handles small conflicts between coworkers calmly
  Communication
• Talks with servers/expo about order issues or delays
• Passes along info from manager to the kitchen team
• Speaks up if something's running low or broken
  Basic Ops
• Tracks inventory and flags what needs ordering
• Reduces waste (proper portioning, storage)
• Reports equipment issues or incidents to the manager

Benefits  

• PTO
• Access to health benefits
• Culinary discounts