Kitchen Manager

The Opportunity

Aubergine Kitchen is a fast-growing, health-forward fast-casual brand operating across Utah, Arizona, Idaho, and Nevada — with several new locations opening in the next 18 months. Our mission is changing lives with real food, and we take pride in offering food that is both delicious and genuinely good for you.

As we grow, we need Kitchen Managers who own the back of house — leaders who set the pace in the kitchen, uphold food quality and safety on every shift, and develop the cooks and prep team around them. This role is not about watching things happen from a distance. The best Kitchen Managers at Aubergine are on the line, in the prep area, and in the moments that define whether a shift goes well or falls short.

The Kitchen Manager reports directly to the General Manager and is the primary operations leader for the back of house during their assigned shift (AM or PM). This is a float role — you move around to ensure all kitchen processes and details are happening to our standard and you help where the kitchen needs you most at any given time.

What You Will Own

Back of House Operations

The Kitchen Manager is the operational backbone of the back of house during their shift. You own what comes out of the kitchen — its quality, its speed, and its consistency.

• Run the full back of house during your assigned shift — line, prep, and expediting — with the authority and presence to set the pace and hold the standard

• Ensure every item leaving the kitchen meets Aubergine’s food quality and presentation standards, every time, not just when it’s easy

• Manage prep readiness at the start of every shift: verify par levels, identify gaps, and direct the team to resolve them before service begins

• Monitor line execution in real time — watching for speed bottlenecks, quality drops, and waste patterns, and correcting them in the moment

• Float across the kitchen as needed — stepping onto the line, into prep, or onto expediting based on where your team needs support most

• Maintain a clean, organized kitchen at all times: stations set up correctly, surfaces clean, and nothing out of place before, during, or after service

Food Safety & Compliance

Food safety is non-negotiable. The Kitchen Manager is the last line of defense against practices that put guests at risk.

• Enforce all food safety standards, temperature protocols, and health regulations on every shift — no exceptions, no shortcuts

• Ensure proper food storage, FIFO rotation, and labeling across all back of house inventory

• Conduct and document shift-opening and shift-closing food safety checks

• Identify and correct unsafe practices immediately — and escalate to the GM when a pattern requires systemic attention

• Maintain a kitchen that would pass a health inspection on any given day, not just on scheduled audit days

Inventory & Waste Control

• Assist the GM with inventory management: verify deliveries for accuracy and quality, flag discrepancies, and update counts

• Monitor ingredient usage and waste throughout the shift — identifying patterns that affect food cost and flagging them to the GM

• Maintain accurate prep logs and communicate upcoming shortages before they affect service

• Ensure equipment is used properly to reduce waste and prevent damage

Team Development

The most important thing a Kitchen Manager does is make the cooks and prep team around them better.

• Onboard new back of house team members and actively coach them during training — not just show them the steps, but explain the why behind Aubergine’s standards

• Provide direct, in-the-moment feedback that makes people improve, not shut down

• Know where each person on your shift stands — what they can handle, what they’re working on, and how to get them to the next level

• Build a back of house culture built on consistency, excellence, accountability, mutual respect, and joyful teamwork

Equipment & Facility

• Perform shift-level equipment checks and report any issues to the GM before they become disruptions

• Ensure all kitchen equipment is operated correctly and cleaned according to Aubergine standards

• Flag maintenance needs proactively — the GM should never discover a broken piece of equipment from a guest complaint

Communication & Partnership with the GM

• Provide the GM with an honest, complete shift recap after every shift — what went well, what did not, and what needs follow-up

• Communicate prep needs, staffing gaps, and operational issues before they become problems

• Execute new menu launches and operational changes with precision — ensuring the kitchen team is trained and ready before the change goes live

• Identify what is not working in the kitchen and bring solutions to the GM, not just observations

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation is competitive with kitchen leadership roles at comparable brands and reflects the full scope of this position. Full compensation details are shared during the interview process. Additional benefits include meal benefits, PTO, and access to Aubergine’s leadership development path.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for a kitchen leader who takes genuine ownership of what comes out of their line. Someone who is precise, consistent, and energized by the challenge of running a high-volume kitchen at a high standard. Someone who develops the people around them and holds the kitchen to a standard of excellence even when no one is watching.

You Bring:

• Prior experience in a back of house kitchen role — line cook, prep lead, or kitchen supervisor experience preferred

• A genuine commitment to food quality and food safety — you understand why the standard matters, not just what it is

• The ability to stay calm and execute under pressure during high-volume service

• Strong communication skills within a kitchen environment — giving clear direction to a team that may be moving fast

• Organizational discipline — you manage prep, pars, and station setup with intentionality, not guesswork

• A development mindset — you are interested in making the people around you better, not just getting through the shift

You Lead Like This:

• You are in the kitchen — on the line or in prep, not in the back watching from a distance

• You develop first, evaluate second — you coach before you correct, and build trust before you demand performance

• You own your outcomes — when quality slips, you find the cause and fix it, not just move on

• You are honest with your team and your GM about what is actually happening in the kitchen

• You are energized by a growing brand, not slowed down by one that doesn’t have every answer yet

Requirements:

• Spanish or Portuguese fluency required — this is a firm requirement given Aubergine’s kitchen team composition. English fluency is helpful and encouraged but not required for this role.

• Food Handler Certificate required within 14 days of hire — company support provided

• Food Manager Certification required within 60 days of hire — company support provided

• Must be at least 25 years of age — prior relevant experience is required. Exceptional candidates under 25 may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• Availability to work full-time Monday through Saturday, including most holidays — Aubergine is closed on Sundays in most locations and on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the 4th of July

• Ability to stand, walk, and remain active on the floor for extended periods; ability to lift up to 50 lbs

• Must successfully complete Aubergine’s training program and Kitchen Manager certification