Culinary Experience Manager

impactkitchen; Toronto; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Impact Kitchen in Toronto is seeking a Culinary Experience Manager to lead our kitchen team across breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. You will oversee food production, uphold safety standards, manage costs, and mentor staff to deliver consistent, high‑quality dishes and guest experiences.

Reporting to the Restaurant General Manager, you will drive menu execution, team development, and operational excellence while maintaining our fast‑paced, customer‑focused culture.

Qualifications

• Culinary degree or equivalent mix of education and experience; Red Seal preferred.
• Minimum 3 years progressive culinary/kitchen management experience.
• Strong knowledge of food production, sanitation, cost controls and presentation.
• Knowledge of federal, provincial and municipal health and safety requirements.
• Excellent communication, organization and leadership skills.
• Ability to lift over 20 lbs.
• Legal to work in Canada.
• Willing to work weekends and holidays.
• Experience in training and development of new employees.
• Multiple outlet or commissary experience considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Assist in set up, organization and cleanliness of the kitchen.
• Manage kitchen compliance including health and safety regulation.
• Manage the production schedule and logistics within a multi-location operation.
• Oversee the work of a large kitchen staff, working together with them as a team.
• Scheduling of kitchen personnel in conjunction with business forecasts and predetermined budget.
• Model the company’s standards and operating practice ensuring that the team follows SOPs through production.
• Recruit and train top talent through progressive training and set evaluations aligned to career planning.
• When necessary, execute disciplinary action via HR process for all kitchen personnel.
• Interpret and report cost of goods and labour actuals versus budget.
• Work alongside senior management and stakeholders responsible for menu development on innovative new menu items and recipe creation.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Organization

Flexibility

Team Training

Physical stamina

Food safety knowledge

Education

Culinary Degree

Red Seal certification

Job description

MAKE YOUR IMPACT

Impact Kitchen is on a mission to empower our community to eat healthy, nutritionally‑dense foods with a focus on quality and sustainability. We know that what you eat matters, and we seek to make an impact by choosing local, ethically‑sourced ingredients that will nourish you and help you thrive everyday. Founded in 2015, Impact Kitchen is the brainchild of former personal trainer and nutrition expert, Josh Broun, and Frank Toskan (co‑founder of M·A·C Cosmetics).

In addition to our 7 restaurants located within Toronto’s core, Impact Kitchen fuels many of the city’s major sports teams and top athletes through our catering and culinary programs and partnerships.

Impact Kitchen is always looking for enthusiastic, passionate, service oriented team members to join our diverse team. If health and wellness is your passion, if providing wholesome food and empowering others to make healthy choices drives you, and if you are looking for opportunities to grow alongside a dynamic team, then working with Impact might be a great fit for you!

CULINARY EXPERIENCE MANAGER

As a Culinary Experience Manager (CEM) at Impact Kitchen you set the culinary standard high and are passionate to ensure guests enjoy their experience through incredible food. You lead your team to create delectable and consistent dishes for dine‑in and take‑out guests, support back of house operations and partner with your Guest Experience counterparts on the team. You are an integral team member as you lead all aspects of culinary operations in the restaurant.

Culinary Experience Managers are highly flexible individuals responsible for dishwashing, preparing and working both Hot and Cold line kitchen stations supporting Impact Kitchen’s breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner menu. As proper food handling, food safety, and consistent recipe preparation are all vital to this position, a primary role of the CEM position is to lead business success through an engaged team while monitoring sanitation, food quality, and food freshness. This position is highly physical; therefore, individuals must possess a strong level of physical stamina. Ideal candidates are efficient, flexible, possess superior time management skills, are team players, and thrive in a fast‑paced environment.

As an Impact Kitchen Culinary Experience Manager you are an expert in your niche and are the team’s go‑to resource when it comes to all things culinary experience. You are a trainer and facilitate coaching and knowledge transfer instinctually. You aim to see your team succeed and support management with the successful operation of the business. This role has keys to our restaurant and leads by example with every action. The natural progression from this role is to Restaurant General Manager.

COMPENSATION

Culinary Experience Managers earn a competitive annual salary with opportunity for a yearly bonus. They participate in a tip‑pooling program, benefit from a meal stipend, receive a substantial discount on Impact Kitchen products and have flexible scheduling to accommodate a healthy balanced lifestyle.

TEAM & DEPARTMENT

The role of the Culinary Experience Manager is to lead all aspects of the kitchen and the Culinary Experience Team with the goal of delivering great food, minimizing waste and running a profitable business. As Impact’s Culinary Experience Manager you must be an advocate for our food and lifestyle philosophies, participate in and support our ethos, and live and breathe our values. You and your team will strive to deliver the best‑in‑class culinary and guest experience through a motivated and engaged staff aligned to an exciting workplace culture. This role is fully accountable for cost of goods, people, equipment, cleanliness and excellent food execution.

Culinary Experience Managers make an impact everyday through our back‑of‑house operations and lead a large portion of our total team population. In this role you will have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from multiple levels of the organization while leading the main point of food production for our guests. The Culinary Experience Manager reports to the Restaurant General Manager. The natural progression from this role is to Restaurant General Manager.

The CEM reports to: Restaurant General Manager

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist in set up, organization and cleanliness of the kitchen
• Manage kitchen compliance including health and safety regulation
• Manage the production schedule and logistics within a multi‑location operation
• Oversee the work of a large kitchen staff, working together with them as a team.
• Scheduling of kitchen personnel in conjunction with business forecasts and predetermined budget
• Model the company’s standards and operating practice ensuring that the team follows SOP’s through production
• Recruit and train top talent through progressive training and set evaluations aligned to career planning.
• When necessary, execute disciplinary action via HR process for all kitchen personnel
• Interpret and report cost of goods and labour actuals versus budget
• Work alongside senior management and stakeholders responsible for menu development on innovative new menu items and recipe creation

SKILLS

• Culinary Degree from a recognized Institute of Culinary Arts or equivalent combination of education and experience, Red Seal preferred
• Minimum 3 years progressive culinary/kitchen management experience
• Proven understanding and success managing food and labour costs
• Comprehensive knowledge of food production, sanitation, food cost controls and presentation
• Knowledge of federal, provincial and municipal health and safety requirements
• Exceptional communication, organization and leadership skills
• Experience in training, orientating and development of new employees
• Proven ability to ensure and train on consistency, quality and plate presentation
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and holidays
• Willing to periodically work long hours depending on the needs of the business
• Willingness to perform other duties as assigned
• Multiple outlet or commissary experience considered an asset
• Ability to lift over 20lbs is required
• Applicants who do not already have legal permission to work in Canada will not be considered

This job posting is for an existing vacancy within Impact Kitchen. We are looking to fill this position with a qualified candidate as soon as possible.

INCLUSIVITY AT IMPACT

Impact Kitchen feeds a diverse community and is made stronger by our diverse team. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of which groups you may or may not identify with – together we can make an incredible impact together.