Culinary Commander in Chief

Are you the Deputy Secretary of Sizzle, rallying the line to turn rush-hour chaos into flawless feasts? Or the Director of Delicious who motivates cooks to deliver the best dining experience a local brewery has to offer? We're Presidential Brewing, brewing bold beers and serving ballot-box hits in Portage, MI. In a world where restaurants and breweries are closing seemingly every month, we continue to break sales records. If you're the frontline commander who leads shifts with unbreakable collaboration and delivers hospitality that leaves guests happier than they arrived, step up as our Kitchen Lead. This is a full-time role with competitive pay, growth opportunities, and perks that fuel long-term careers.

We Live By CHARGE
Collaboration – We win together.
Hospitality – Guests leave happier than they arrived.
Appreciation – Gratitude fuels our fire.
Respect – Every voice, every role matters.
Growth – Evolve daily or get left in the prep cooler.
Excellence – Good enough? Never heard of it.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Frontline collaboration captain: Proven motivator who directs line cooks, dishwashers, and expo with appreciation, forges shift cohesion through respect, and turns the crew into a synchronized force that owns every ticket.
• Goal Smasher: Must be ready to work towards goals set by the management, including food cost margin, ticket times, and labor margin.
• Hospitality-driven executor: Obsessed with excellence in every plate, ensuring orders fly out accurate, on-time, and with wow-factor service that elevates the guest experience.
• More than just a great cook: This role requires being a great leader. You will be charged with staff management, including hiring/firing, scheduling, training, and performance improvement.
• Growth-minded communicator: Eager to evolve skills daily, mastering clear talk with FOH and BOH while taking direction from leadership and providing collaborative feedback to the Kitchen Manager.
• Commander of Cleanliness: Clean and maintain all kitchen dishware and equipment to a high standard at all times
• Pressure-proof professional: Thrives in high-volume heat with respectful calm, flipping chaos into efficient workflows without sacrificing quality or consistency.
• Detail-oriented dynamo: Laser-focused on opening and closing procedures, ticket times, and station standards, all upheld with a team-first respect for every task.
• Creative contributor: Buzzing to bring fresh ideas for weekly specials, infused with appreciation for the process and a drive for incremental growth that honors our brand.
• Reliable all-rounder: Minimum 2 years working experience (1 year in a commercial kitchen required), open availability for days, nights, and weekends, ServSafe Food Manager Certification preferred, able to lift 50 lbs, and backed by professional references.Roles and Responsibilities

Team Motivation

• Direct and motivate the team throughout the shift with collaboration and respect, ensuring efficiency, quality, and accuracy in every order.
• Lead by example on the line, prepping and cooking while fostering appreciation for hard work and growth in every role.
• Hold regular check-ins and communication with the leadership team, co-solving issues with collaborative solutions.

Front of House Coordination

• Communicate effectively with FOH all shift long, relaying updates with respect and clarity to deliver seamless hospitality.
• Monitor ticket times relentlessly, jumping in to keep flows smooth and guests delighted.

Opening and Closing Procedures

• Oversee flawless opens and closes, building team accountability through appreciation and excellence in execution.
• Ensure the kitchen starts and ends spotless, safe, and prepped for the next crew.

Quality and Consistency Enforcement

• Champion food handling, sanitation, and presentation standards with a growth mindset, training the team to bake excellence into everything.
• Address any order issues on the spot, turning potential dings into opportunities for respectful improvement.

Creative Input and Menu Support

• Contribute to weekly specials with collaborative creativity, entering ideas into systems and snapping pics for social to drive guest excitement.
• Support menu refreshes and events, evolving flavor combinations while staying true to our fun, comfort-food roots.

Daily Hands-On Duties

• Cook, prep, and expo as needed, no task too small in our collaborative team-focused environment.
• Maintain inventory awareness during shifts, flagging lows proactively so that we can create a hospitable environment for our guests.

Compensation and Benefits

• Hourly Rate: Competitive, based on experience
• Performance Incentives: Quarterly opportunities tied to shift metrics and team success
• Annual Profit Sharing Bonus: When we hit our goals with you, we share the benefits with you!
• Paid Time Off: Accrued vacation for full-time
• Professional Development: Training support to fuel your growth
• Employee Perks: 30% off food and beer
• Employee Cash Card: Grows with hours worked for purchases on food, beer, and merch
• Overall package loaded with long-term investment and advancement potential.

Come and join a winning team. Make your mark at one of Portage's favorite spots. Apply today to see how Presidential Brewing can be the right fit for you!

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $18.00 - $24.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Referral program

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person