Kitchen Manager

The role

The Kitchen Manager runs the back of house. You own the numbers, the schedule, and the standards: food cost, labor cost, inventory, sanitation, and the day-to-day performance of the kitchen team. You're on the line during peak service and in the office handling orders and scheduling when you're not. Success looks like a kitchen that runs consistently whether or not you're standing in it.

What you'll do

Operations

• Run BOH during service — expedite, jump on stations, and keep ticket times within target
• Maintain recipe and plating specs across every station; correct drift before it becomes normal
• Open and close the kitchen, including line checks, temp logs, and end-of-night walkthroughs
• Partner with FOH management on service flow, 86s, large parties, and events

Cost and inventory

• Hit food cost targets through portion control, waste tracking, and yield management
• Place orders with approved vendors; receive deliveries and verify quality, quantity, and pricing against invoices
• Run weekly and period-end inventory and reconcile against usage
• Build and manage the BOH schedule to labor targets while keeping the line properly staffed
• Flag cost variances and equipment issues to [Executive Chef / Director of Operations] with a proposed fix

People

• Recruit, interview, onboard, and train BOH staff
• Coach in the moment and hold regular check-ins; document performance issues and handle discipline with HR
• Build a bench — cross-train cooks and develop leads who can run a shift
• Set the tone: professional kitchen, no yelling, no cutting corners

Compliance and safety

• Maintain health department standards at all times and lead the venue through inspections
• Enforce HACCP practices, cooling and holding procedures, allergen protocols, and labeling
• Keep sanitation, cleaning, and equipment maintenance schedules current
• Ensure all BOH staff hold required food safety certifications

Menu

• Contribute to menu development, specials, and seasonal changes with the [Executive Chef]
• Cost out new items and build recipe cards before they hit the line
• Train the team on new items and verify execution

What we're looking for

• [3]+ years in a professional kitchen with at least [1–2] years in a supervisory or management role
• Track record managing food and labor cost to target — you can speak to specific numbers you moved
• Comfortable running a high-volume service and stepping onto any station when the line gets buried
• ServSafe Manager certification [required / or ability to obtain within 60 days]
• Working knowledge of [POS system], inventory software, and scheduling tools; solid with spreadsheets
• Strong communicator who can lead a diverse team and hold standards without burning people out
• Organized enough to handle ordering, scheduling, and admin without letting it slip
• [Conversational Spanish a plus]

Physical requirements

• Stand and walk for shifts of up to [10–12] hours
• Lift and carry up to [50] lbs
• Work in a kitchen environment with heat, steam, noise, and slippery floors
• Frequent bending, reaching, lifting, and repetitive hand motion