Culinary Supervisor

Join Ithaka Hospitality Partners on an Exciting Journey! Are you ready to be part of something extraordinary? Join Ithaka Hospitality Partners in shaping the future of our industry through innovative leadership and excellence in service. We are seeking a passionate and driven Culinary Supervisor to support kitchen operations at Elevation Convening Center & Hotel, specifically within AYA Soulful Dining, our signature full-service restaurant. This role is essential to delivering exceptional culinary experiences and maintaining high standards of food quality and service. Position Summary The AYA Kitchen Supervisor plans, organizes, and oversees culinary production for breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, approved specials, special events, and other assigned meal periods. The position maintains the flow of production, supervises employees assigned to the shift, completes inventory checks to support proper ordering, and ensures all food is prepared according to approved menus, recipes, portions, plating standards, and food-safety requirements. The Kitchen Supervisor must be capable of working and supervising all AYA kitchen stations. When the Kitchen Manager is not present, the Kitchen Supervisor is responsible for maintaining control of the kitchen and ensuring successful completion of the assigned shift. Supervisory Responsibilities Direct and monitor kitchen employees assigned to the shift. Assign employees to stations and production duties according to business needs and skill level. Provide clear direction, training, coaching, follow-up, and correction when standards are not met. Monitor attendance, punctuality, productivity, conduct, uniform standards, and compliance with kitchen policies. Document and promptly report call-offs, tardiness, early departures, policy violations, performance concerns, and employee incidents. Ensure temporary, agency, and Croux employees follow the same standards as AYA employees. Maintain a professional, respectful, safe, and productive work environment; elevate serious or repeated concerns to management. Essential Duties and Responsibilities - Culinary Production Plan, prepare, set up, and provide quality service during all AYA meal periods. Oversee the flow of production for breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, approved specials, and special events. Review projected covers, reservations, large parties, approved menus, events, and business levels before assigning production. Prepare and distribute daily prep lists based on business needs and established par levels. Monitor all mise en place to ensure preparation is accurate, labeled, dated, rotated, and ready before service. Ensure employees follow approved recipes and plating guides to exact specifications. Confirm each kitchen station is fully stocked, organized, and ready before service. Work any kitchen station when needed and support employees when production falls behind. Taste and inspect food for flavor, freshness, temperature, portion, appearance, and consistency. Prevent unauthorized recipe changes, substitutions, menu changes, or specials. Ensure food that does not meet AYA quality or safety standards is corrected or remade before service. Assist with other hotel culinary production or plate-ups when directed by culinary leadership. Approved Menu Execution Oversee preparation and execution of menus and specials approved by the Kitchen Manager or Executive Chef. Confirm the kitchen has the ingredients, recipes, plating guides, equipment, prep, and staffing needed for approved items. Immediately report shortages or operational concerns that may affect an approved menu item. Ensure employees do not create, change, substitute, or offer menu items without management approval. Communicate approved specials, unavailable items, and authorized changes to appropriate Heart of House and Front of House leaders. Inventory Checks and Ordering Support Conduct accurate physical inventory checks during every assigned shift. Inspect all storage and production areas, including the walk-in cooler, freezer, dry storage, prep coolers, line stations, chemical storage, and additional storage locations. Compare quantities on hand with approved par levels and anticipated business needs. Consider reservations, scheduled events, projected covers, approved menus, pending orders, and expected deliveries when identifying ordering needs. Record all low-stock and needed products on the designated order board, inventory sheet, or approved tracking system before products are depleted. Never estimate inventory or mark an item complete without physically verifying the quantity on hand. Check product condition, labels, preparation dates, expiration dates, and FIFO rotation. Account for expired, damaged, spoiled, missing, or otherwise unusable products and record waste or product loss. Review pending orders and expected deliveries to help prevent duplicate or unnecessary purchases. Immediately notify the Kitchen Manager of critical shortages, unusual usage, missing inventory, delivery issues, or products needed for the next shift. Receive and inspect deliveries when assigned, confirming quantities, temperatures, quality, condition, and invoice accuracy; store products promptly and correctly. Sign required inventory documentation only after all required areas and products have been physically inspected. Service and Ticket Management Conduct a pre-shift meeting covering assignments, approved menu items, reservations, events, projected covers, unavailable items, dietary restrictions, and service expectations. Monitor the kitchen display system, ticket flow, and ticket times throughout service. Provide immediate assistance when a station is overwhelmed or production is delayed. Ensure all components of each order are prepared accurately and completed together. Communicate delays, special requests, allergies, dietary restrictions, and unavailable items to expo and management. Inspect plates before they leave the kitchen for correct portion, temperature, presentation, garnish, and cleanliness. Respond promptly and professionally to returned food and quality concerns, and report major delays, guest complaints, equipment failures, or safety concerns. Food Safety and Sanitation Enforce AYA policies, health department requirements, and food-safety procedures. Verify and document refrigeration, freezer, cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding temperatures. Confirm proteins reach required internal temperatures before service. Ensure sanitizer buckets are properly prepared and appropriate test strips are available. Monitor handwashing, glove use, hair restraints, uniforms, personal hygiene, and illness-reporting requirements. Prevent cross-contamination and ensure raw products are separated from ready-to-eat foods. Ensure food is covered, labeled, dated, rotated, and stored at least six inches off the floor. Ensure chemicals are labeled and stored away from food. Maintain clean and organized worktables, cutting boards, floors, drains, equipment, coolers, storage areas, and dish areas. Correct sanitation concerns immediately and report refrigeration, plumbing, pest, equipment, or safety hazards. Food, Labor, Waste, and Loss Control Assist management in controlling food and labor costs. Monitor preparation quantities, recipes, and portions to reduce overproduction and waste. Record spoilage, overproduction, returned food, incorrectly prepared items, and discarded products on the waste log. Monitor productivity and adjust station coverage based on business volume. Prevent unauthorized overtime and immediately communicate when additional labor may be required. Prevent unauthorized cooking, eating, removal, or distribution of AYA food and supplies. Report unusual usage, missing products, suspected theft, or repeated waste to management. Opening, Mid-Shift, Closing, and Handoff Complete all required opening, mid-shift, and closing checklists and physically verify each duty before signing. Inspect kitchen equipment and immediately report damage or operating problems. Ensure all food is safely cooled, covered, labeled, dated, rotated, and stored at closing. Confirm equipment is cleaned and safely turned off where required and fryers are filtered according to schedule. Ensure trash, cardboard, grease, and other waste are removed properly. Confirm the kitchen, storage areas, coolers, freezer, and dish area are clean, organized, and secured. Provide a complete written handoff covering attendance and performance concerns; ordering needs; low or unavailable items; incomplete prep; waste, spoilage, or missing inventory; equipment and maintenance concerns; food-safety concerns; guest complaints or delays; employee incidents; deliveries; and priorities for the next shift. Required Skills and Abilities Ability to supervise culinary production across multiple meal periods and work all kitchen stations with minimal errors. Ability to direct kitchen employees, manage multiple assignments, and follow up with corrections. Excellent written and verbal communication, organization, leadership, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills. Ability to read and follow recipes, prep lists, plating guides, invoices, inventory sheets, temperature logs, and checklists. Ability to perform basic calculations involving inventory, ordering, yields, portions, and food cost. Working knowledge of food preparation, cooking methods, sanitation, inventory control, ordering, cost control, and commercial kitchen equipment. Ability to remain calm, professional, and decisive during high-volume service. Education and Experience High school diploma, GED, or equivalent vocational training certificate required. Culinary degree or recognized culinary training preferred. Five years of professional culinary experience preferred. Previous kitchen leadership or supervisory experience required. High-volume restaurant, hotel, banquet, or catering experience preferred. Current ServSafe certification required; additional certifications may be required by the company. Sc heduling and Physical Requirements Available according to business needs, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, special events, and extended hours. Dependable and able to report for all scheduled shifts. Able to stand and walk for prolonged periods; bend, reach, push, pull, and perform repetitive kitchen tasks. Able to safely lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50 pounds. Able to work around heat, steam, sharp equipment, wet floors, and cold storage areas and safely operate commercial kitchen equipment. Additional Responsibilities and Accountability Attend required meetings, training sessions, and operational briefings; protect confidential employee and company information; follow all AYA, hotel, and company policies; and perform other related duties as assigned. Signing an inventory sheet, temperature log, prep list, checklist, or shift report confirms that the Kitchen Supervisor personally verified the information. Documents must never be completed, initialed, or checked off without physical inspection. Failure to properly supervise the shift, conduct inventory checks, communicate ordering needs, enforce approved recipes, complete required documentation, or maintain food-safety standards may result in corrective action. An Equal Opportunity Employer We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is our intention that all qualified applicants are given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ithaka Hospitality Partners, LLC