Senior Kitchen Operations Manager

The Culinary Station Lead is a hands-on team leader who ensures station readiness, service execution, and prep meet high standards every shift. This position sets the pace, coaches cooks, troubleshoots in real-time, and partners with culinary leadership on quality control, food safety, and efficiency.

• Set the pace on the line; run a core station and support neighboring stations during peak periods.
• Coordinate with expo to manage ticket order, coursing, and window times; protect hot-food integrity.
• Lead "fix-now" recovery on remakes; communicate low pars to leadership promptly.

• Own line readiness: conduct line checks, verify station pars, and ensure mise en place is to spec at open.
• Translate covers/forecast into prep lists; adjust pars throughout the shift and for the next day.
• Label/date, practice FIFO, and monitor hold times and batch yields.

• Uphold standardized recipes, seasoning, texture, temperature, and presentation standards.
• Conduct quick tastings and spot-training on techniques (knife work, fire management, plating).
• Support menu changes/specials with mise en place walk-throughs and teach-backs.

• Enforce DOH/HACCP: cooling logs, hot/cold holding, allergen/cross-contact protocols, and hygiene standards.
• "Clean as you go"; complete opening/closing side work and scheduled deep cleans.

• Assist with receiving: check quality/temperatures and storage by zone.
• Track yields and waste; reinforce portion control and recipe adherence to meet cost targets.
• Flag variances, spoilage, and equipment issues; propose solutions.

• Operate grills, fryers, ovens, slicers, immersion blenders, and smallware safely.
• Perform basic maintenance (filter fryers, descale/clean) and tag out unsafe equipment; submit work orders.

This role requires 2–3+ years professional kitchen experience with strong line proficiency (grill, sauté, fry, garde manger), demonstrated ability to lead a station, knowledge of HACCP/food safety, Food Handler certification, strong organization, urgency, and calm under pressure, clear communicator, and teammate. Schedule flexibility is required.