KITCHEN MANAGER

Job Overview

Responsibilities  

• Lead and manage all daily kitchen operations to ensure food is prepared accurately, consistently, and efficiently.
• Own kitchen ticket times. Monitor ticket times during service and take immediate action when the kitchen begins falling behind.
• Establish and maintain an efficient line setup, station organization, and service flow designed to keep ticket times under 30 minutes.
• Properly staff, position, and direct the kitchen team based on expected business volume.
• Conduct pre-shift meetings to communicate specials, 86’d items, reservations, large parties, staffing needs, and expectations.
• Ensure all employees understand their station responsibilities and priorities during service.
• Train, coach, and hold kitchen employees accountable for performance, attendance, cleanliness, food quality, and teamwork.
• Develop and maintain prep lists and pars so the kitchen is properly prepared before service.
• Monitor inventory and communicate ordering/prep needs to management before products become a problem.
• Ensure recipes, portion sizes, plating standards, and cooking procedures are followed consistently.
• Maintain food quality and presentation standards on every ticket, every shift.
• Identify bottlenecks in the kitchen and implement solutions to improve efficiency.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen throughout the entire shift—not just at closing.
• Ensure proper food handling, sanitation, temperature control, storage, labeling, and FIFO procedures.
• Ensure closing duties and cleaning responsibilities are completed correctly every night.
• Inspect the kitchen before leaving to ensure it is properly prepared for the following shift.
• Minimize food waste through proper preparation, portion control, storage, and inventory management.
• Communicate effectively with the GM and front-of-house leadership regarding kitchen performance, staffing, food shortages, equipment problems, and employee issues.
• Help develop and improve kitchen systems, checklists, recipes, prep procedures, and training materials.
• Lead by example by maintaining a positive, professional attitude even during high-volume or stressful services.
• Be willing to jump onto any station when necessary and help the team get through a rush.
• Help create a kitchen culture based on urgency, teamwork, accountability, and pride in the product.

Skills  

• 2+ years of professional kitchen experience , preferably with previous leadership or supervisory experience.
• Strong understanding of restaurant line operations and high-volume service.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a kitchen during busy periods without losing organization or composure.
• Strong knowledge of prep, par levels, inventory, food safety, and sanitation.
• Excellent time-management and organizational skills.
• Ability to identify what needs to happen before it becomes a problem.
• Strong communication skills with both BOH and FOH employees.
• Ability to train employees clearly and hold them accountable when expectations aren't met.
• Ability to prioritize tasks quickly during stressful situations.
• Strong attention to detail without losing sight of the bigger picture.
• Ability to maintain consistent food quality and portion control.
• Ability to read and understand prep/inventory needs and anticipate business volume.
• Willingness to work nights, weekends, some holidays (ex. Valentine's Day), and high-volume shifts as needed.
• ServSafe certification or willingness to obtain it.
• Ability to work on their feet for extended periods and perform the physical requirements of a kitchen environment.

Non-negotiable

• Urgency: Understands that every minute matters during service. Always stays productive, anticipates what needs to happen next, and keeps the team moving during busy periods.
• Organization: Maintains organized stations, prep areas, tickets, inventory, and kitchen systems. Creates structure and efficiency rather than allowing chaos to become the norm.
• Accountability: Takes responsibility when something goes wrong. Rather than placing blame on servers, customers, equipment, or being busy, identifies the problem, determines why it happened, and works to prevent it from happening again.
• Leadership: Leads by example and is comfortable setting clear expectations and holding team members accountable. Can address performance issues directly, professionally, and respectfully.
• Teaching Ability: Understands that good leadership means developing people. Can clearly explain expectations, demonstrate proper procedures, and train team members to consistently meet Boomtown’s standards.
• Composure: Remains calm, focused, and organized when the kitchen gets busy. When the tickets start piling up, you become more focused—not more frantic.
• Ownership: Most importantly, you take ownership of the kitchen. You treat its performance as your responsibility and actively look for ways to make the team faster, more organized, and more successful. You don't wait for someone else to fix a problem—you see it, address it, and find a solution.