Airline Food Production Director

Flying Food Group; Inglewood (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Accident insurance

Critical illness coverage

Hospital indemnity

Flexible spending accounts

Employee assistance program

Commuter benefit

401(k) retirement plan

Tuition reimbursement

Pet insurance

Job summary

Flying Food Group in LAI is seeking a Food Production Director to oversee hot and cold kitchen operations, lead a diverse team, and ensure safety and quality across airline meal production.

You will collaborate with the Executive Chef and Production Manager to optimize labor and food costs, drive lean processes, and ensure compliance with HACCP, FDA, and airline standards, reporting to the General Manager.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Operations Management, or related field.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in food production management, preferably in airline catering or large-scale food service.
• Strong knowledge of food safety standard (HACCP, FDA, ETC.) culinary operations, and cost control techniques.
• Proven leadership experience, with a track record of successfully managing large teams and complex operations.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills, especially in unionized environments.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment while maintaining high standard of safety, quality and efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations in hot and cold kitchen areas to deliver meals for multiple international airlines.
• Collaborate with the Executive Chef and Production Manager to align production and assembly processes.
• Ensure production meets airline-specific requirements for Western, Japanese, and Chinese cuisines, maintaining high quality.
• Maintain strict adherence to food safety protocols (HACCP, local health regulations, airline standards) and conduct audits.
• Develop and implement strategies to control food costs, including portion control, ingredient management, and inventory control.
• Lead and develop the Executive Chef and Production Manager, fostering accountability and teamwork; train staff in safety and efficiency.
• Analyze workflows to identify bottlenecks; implement lean production techniques and automation for productivity.
• Proactively manage labor relations; ensure compliance with CBA and maintain a respectful working environment.
• Lead customer food audits and host chef table events; act as primary contact during visits and inspections.
• Work with corporate culinary team on menu development ensuring feasibility in high-volume production.
• Provide regular reports on production metrics, food and labor costs, waste reduction; forecast needs using data analytics.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Conflict resolution

Union relations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Operations Management, or related field

Job description

Flying Food Group in LAI is seeking a Food Production Director to oversee hot and cold kitchen operations, lead a diverse team, and ensure safety and quality across airline meal production.

You will collaborate with the Executive Chef and Production Manager to optimize labor and food costs, drive lean processes, and ensure compliance with HACCP, FDA, and airline standards, reporting to the General Manager.