Production Manager

Lead The Kitchen. Deliver The Food We're Known For.

At Chuck-A-Rama, fresh, made-from-scratch food is at the heart of what we do. Our Production Managers lead the team behind it making sure our kitchens run smoothly and our guests can count on fresh, delicious food every time they visit. As a Production Manager, you'll lead our Back of House team and oversee the daily preparation and production of the food served throughout the restaurant. You'll coach and develop team members, plan production, maintain quality and food safety standards, manage food costs and inventory, and work side-by-side with your team when things get busy.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who understands that great food doesn't happen by accident. It takes planning, consistency, attention to detail, and a kitchen team that knows how to work together. We're especially proud of the longevity of our management team. We believe great leaders are key to our success, and we want them to build their careers with us.

What You'll Do

As a Production Manager, you'll help lead all aspects of Back of House operations, including:

• Leading, coaching, and developing our Back of House team
• Overseeing daily food preparation and production throughout the restaurant
• Planning production to keep the buffet stocked with fresh food throughout service
• Ensuring Chuck-A-Rama recipes and preparation standards are followed consistently
• Monitoring food for quality, freshness, taste, temperature, portioning, and presentation
• Being visible and hands-on in the kitchen, especially during busy meal periods
• Training team members on recipes, preparation techniques, equipment, food safety, and kitchen procedures
• Creating a clean, organized, efficient, and team-oriented kitchen environment
• Managing inventory, ordering, product rotation, and proper storage
• Monitoring food costs, waste, labor, and kitchen efficiency
• Using production levels and restaurant volume to minimize waste while keeping plenty of fresh food available for guests
• Maintaining high standards for cleanliness, sanitation, and food safety throughout all kitchen and prep areas
• Ensuring kitchen equipment is properly used, cleaned, and maintained
• Identifying equipment or maintenance needs and communicating them appropriately
• Coordinating with the Service Manager and General Manager to keep Front and Back of House operations running smoothly
• Identifying opportunities to improve food quality, consistency, efficiency, and overall kitchen performance
• Stepping into key production positions and working alongside the team when needed

What We're Looking For

Great Production Managers know how to balance quality, people, production, and cost. You should be just as comfortable coaching a team member through a recipe as you are planning production for a busy dinner rush or reviewing food costs. We're looking for a leader who:

• Has a high school diploma or GED
• Has restaurant management, kitchen leadership, food production, or comparable supervisory experience
• Genuinely cares about food quality and consistency
• Leads by example and is comfortable working side-by-side with the team
• Can train, coach, motivate, and develop Back of House team members
• Can plan ahead and adjust production based on restaurant volume
• Thrives in a high-volume, fast-paced kitchen environment
• Understands inventory, ordering, product rotation, and waste management
• Understands food and labor cost management
• Can read and follow recipes, production guides, and operating procedures
• Has strong food safety and sanitation knowledge
• Communicates clearly and works well with both Front and Back of House teams
• Has strong organizational and problem-solving skills
• Is comfortable using basic computer and restaurant management systems
• Holds themselves and their team accountable to high standards
• ServSafe certification is preferred. Front of House experience is a plus, but strong kitchen leadership and food production experience are most important.

Why You'll Love Leading At Chuck-A-Rama

Great food starts with great people, and we believe in rewarding the leaders who help our restaurants and teams succeed.

Benefits and perks include:

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Monthly performance-based bonus opportunity
• PTO beginning immediately
• Low-cost health insurance for you and eligible dependent family members
• Dining allowance for meals outside of working hours
• 401(k) with company match for eligible employees
• Opportunities for professional growth and development
• A supportive, team-oriented work environment
• No super-late restaurant nights
• Ask about our referral bonus!

What Success Looks Like

• A successful Chuck-A-Rama Production Manager runs a kitchen that's prepared, organized, and always thinking ahead.
• Your team understands what needs to be produced and when. Recipes are prepared consistently. Food is fresh, plentiful, and presented well. The kitchen is clean and safe, waste is controlled, and food and labor costs are managed responsibly.
• Just as importantly, you've built a team that takes pride in what they're making.
• When guests walk up to a full buffet of fresh, great-tasting food even during the busiest part of the day. That's your team's work on display.

Come Lead With Us

For over 60 years, Chuck-A-Rama has been bringing families together around fresh, made-from-scratch food. Our Production Managers help protect that tradition by leading the teams responsible for making it happen every day. If you're a hands-on kitchen leader who cares about great food, enjoys developing people, and knows how to keep a busy operation moving, we'd love to talk with you.

Apply today and build your career with Chuck-A-Rama.