Kitchen Lead Job Duties
We are looking for a motivated Kitchen Lead to oversee operations in our scratch kitchen. The Kitchen Lead will be responsible for managing daily production and service, organizing and delegating tasks, maintaining cleanliness, placing orders, scheduling, hiring, training, enforcing rules and policies and issuing disciplinary action as necessary. The Kitchen Lead reports directly to the owner or operator of the location.
To be successful as a Kitchen Lead, a candidate should be able to manage a team of people and ensure that all duties are performed accurately. Ultimately, a top Kitchen Lead should be able to ensure smooth and efficient workflows. The Kitchen Lead should be able to perform all line cooks duties and basic front of house duties to ensure a flawless service.
Kitchen Lead Responsibilities:
- Supervising employees, assigning duties, and creating a daily shift schedule while keeping labor cost on track.
- Monitoring team performance and ensuring duties are performed efficiently.
- Reporting any issues that arise during the shift to owner/operators.
- Managing employee requests and transgressions.
- Ordering of food and dry good products to keep the restaurant stocked while keeping food and paper goods costs on track.
- Ensuring compliance with company policies, health, and safety standards.
- Coaching team members and training new staff.
- Handling customer issues and employee disputes.
- Ensuring clean and organized working spaces. This includes following cleaning lists, procedures and holding the staff as well as themselves accountable.
Kitchen Lead Requirements:
- High school diploma/GED. 2 or 4 year culinary degree is a plus.
- Valid drivers' license and willingness to help with catering delivery as needed.
- ServeSafe Food Handler’s Management Certificate with a score of 85% or higher.
- Previous 1+ years experience as a Shift Leader & ordering in a high volume restaurant.
- Experience creating daily shift schedules.
- Computer skills, including email, word processing, and spreadsheet software. Experience with Google Drive is a plus.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Genuine love of hospitality and desire to please guests.
- Strong leadership and organizational skills.
- A successful KL must be a good listener, a team player and proactive problem solver!
Experience
The Kitchen Lead job requires 3+ years of experience in the food and beverage industry. It requires 1+ years of experience managing employee, vendor, and customer relationships. Family-dining experience is preferred, as is experience in a high-volume restaurant.
Interpersonal Skills
The Kitchen Lead will be friendly, approachable, and open to ideas from staff and customers. They will prioritize customer service and quality while using leadership skills to motivate and support both existing and new employees. Excellent listening skills are a must, as is attention to detail, smart decision-making skills, and organizational abilities.
Minimum Required Skills & Abilities
Our restaurant is busy, fast-paced, and may require long hours. The minimum required skills include:
- The ability to read and speak English to interact with employees, vendors, and clients.
- The strength to stand and walk for up to 12 hours a day to assist customers and employees with all restaurant duties -- from helping to unload the delivery truck to serving customers during rush hour.
- The ability to lift boxes up to 50-lbs, including cases of frozen foods wine and other heavy items – like chairs and tables.
- The ability to tolerate temperature extremes and fluctuations -- both hot (kitchen, outdoor area) and cold (walk-in cooler) throughout each day.
What Are the Qualities of a Good Kitchen Lead?
Good Kitchen Leads are assertive and decisive. They will use strong leadership and communication skills to manage employee personalities and ensure that work is completed correctly and efficiently. Successful Kitchen Leads are highly strategic and analytical, able to assess the most effective way of achieving their goals and organizing the kitchen. They know how to motivate their staff and encourage a team spirit when working through busy and stressful meal services. They are mindful of money and enjoy shopping around or negotiating to get the best price on inventory from restaurant suppliers. Kitchen managers are organized and clean. They promote good cleaning and sanitation habits throughout their kitchen and with their staff.
What Are the Daily Duties of a Kitchen Lead?
The Kitchen Lead "drives the bus," so to speak. This individual checks inventory levels and makes note of what food needs to be prepared for the upcoming shift. They communicate with the owner/operators about their budgetary restrictions and any upcoming events or changes in operations. During meal service, Kitchen Leads may help expedite, coordinating cooks at various stations to finish their dishes at the same time. They may fill in as cooks during busy times. At the end of the day, the Kitchen Lead helps their staff clean the cooking stations and organize product as well as cooking tools for the next shift.
About Swine & Sons
We serve Southern inspired takes on simple, classic dishes. Using tried and true culinary techniques, we build complex flavors that take comfort food to a whole new level, and the results are Dang Delicious. We are committed to providing warm, welcoming hospitality to every guest. We believe that food brings people together and the work we do is important, and we want to share that with you!
At Swine & Sons, we believe our work benefits from the diverse perspectives of our team members. Swine & Sons celebrates inclusion and is committed to equal opportunity employment.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $22.00 - $28.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid training
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have open availability?
- Do you have a valid drivers license, and are you willing to assist with catering delivery if needed?
License/Certification:
- ServSafe Manager Certificate (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
