Overview In this role you lead the culinary team on the production floor, ensuring meals are prepared per approved recipes with consistent quality and safety. You partner with Production Leadership to drive throughput, QA, and SOP compliance while maintaining a positive, supportive environment. You help optimize workflow, line readiness, and cross-functional communication. This position offers a hands-on opportunity to shape a health-focused, sustainable kitchen culture and process improvements.
Responsibilities- Supervise Culinary Associates and dishwashers; ensure cooking, cooling, and staging follow recipes
- Maintain workflow continuity on the kitchen floor across prep, hotline, staging, cooling QC, and dish room
- Support production execution, QA/QC, and time tracking; enforce GMPs and policy adherence
- Assist in training and supporting kitchen equipment; implement SOPs and policies
- Drive efficiency and accuracy to meet shift goals; organize staging components via requisitions
- Manage allergy information, meal SKUs, labeling, and proper documentation; ensure timely updates
- Utilize digital tools (OKRA, Galley, Culinary Production Schedule) for real-time data; submit daily QC docs
- Identify shortages, weights, components, and shorts; communicate issues across departments
- Report broken equipment and maintenance needs; ensure proper storage and allergen separation
- Maintain safety and sanitation practices; participate in OSHA compliance and QA audits
- Provide clear, empathetic leadership and maintain a positive work environment
Key requirements- Mastery in executing food prep production tasks with minimal supervision
- Fluency in reading and executing recipes
- Proficient in four culinary competencies: Prep, Hotline, Blixer, Staging
- Strong operation skills with commercial/manufacturing cooking equipment
- Ability to update and interpret Culinary Dashboards; pull/print Kitchen Printouts
- Accurate labeling and verification of materials; effective communication with stakeholders
- Leadership skills to manage floor associates toward throughput targets
- High allergen knowledge and knife skills; basic math ability
- Ability to follow SOPs and implement initiatives; cross-functional collaboration
- Empathy balanced with direct feedback and performance standards
- Escalation of staff concerns with documentation
- Strong leadership
- Clear communication
- Empathy and approachability
- GMPs and SOP compliance
- QA/QC processes
- Kitchen dashboards and digital production tools (OKRA, Galley)
