Kitchen Manager

Location: 5454 N. Harlem Ave, Chicago IL 60656
Position: Full-Time
Experience Required: Minimum 4 years of kitchen management experience

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Kitchen Manager to lead our fast-paced breakfast and lunch kitchen. The ideal candidate is a strong leader who thrives in a high-volume environment, leads by example, and is passionate about food quality, consistency, cleanliness, and developing a successful team.

This position is responsible for overseeing all back-of-house operations, including staffing, food quality, inventory, food and labor costs, kitchen safety, and maintaining company standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4 years of kitchen management experience in a high-volume breakfast, brunch, or casual dining restaurant.
• Strong leadership and team-building skills.
• Experience with scheduling and labor management.
• Knowledge of food costing, inventory, and purchasing.
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and early mornings.
• ServSafe Food Manager Certification (or ability to obtain).
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage all daily kitchen operations.
• Lead, coach, train, and develop kitchen staff.
• Ensure food is prepared consistently according to recipes and presentation standards.
• Maintain ticket times while delivering exceptional quality.
• Create and manage prep lists and production schedules.
• Control food cost through proper ordering, portioning, waste reduction, and inventory management.
• Build weekly schedules that meet labor goals.
• Maintain sanitation and cleanliness that exceeds health department standards.
• Ensure all opening and closing checklists are completed daily.
• Hire, onboard, and discipline team members when necessary.
• Foster a positive, respectful, and accountable workplace culture.
• Work alongside the team during peak business periods.

Performance Expectations

• Consistent execution of recipes and portion standards.
• Clean, organized, and inspection-ready kitchen every day.
• Positive leadership with low employee turnover.
• Efficient ticket times during peak breakfast service.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand for extended periods.
• Lift up to 50 pounds.
• Bend, reach, push, pull, and work in hot kitchen environments.
• Ability to work early mornings, weekends, and holidays as business demands.

If you are a motivated leader who enjoys building teams, driving results, and creating an exceptional guest experience, we encourage you to apply.