Assistant General Manager - Kitchen Operations & Guest Experience

Taste Buds Kitchen - Bellevue; Bellevue (WA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 41,000; Part time

Job summary

Taste Buds Kitchen Bellevue is seeking a dynamic, hands-on leader to help manage our growing culinary studio. This role combines kitchen operations oversight with hospitality excellence to deliver memorable classes and events.

You'll oversee safety, inventory, purchasing, vendor management, and scheduling while mentoring culinary assistants and hosts. The position starts part-time with growth potential to full-time as our studio expands.

Qualifications

• Have at least 2–3 years of food service, catering, hospitality, or kitchen operations experience, including leadership responsibilities.
• Understand food safety, sanitation standards, and commercial kitchen operations.
• Have experience managing inventory, purchasing, and food costs.
• Are exceptionally friendly, outgoing, organized, and dependable.
• Enjoy training and motivating others.
• Have strong business judgment and take initiative without needing constant direction.
• Are comfortable working with both children and adults.
• Can work evenings and weekends.
• Have a current food worker card and preferably a Certified Food Protection Manager credential, or are willing to obtain required credentials.

Responsibilities

• Run a safe, organized kitchen: Oversee food safety, sanitation, inventory, purchasing, equipment maintenance, and health inspection readiness.
• Manage purchasing and costs: Plan grocery shopping, track ingredient usage, minimize waste, manage vendors, and maintain food budgets.
• Lead and develop our team: Train culinary assistants and hosts, coordinate schedules, provide feedback, and ensure consistent performance.
• Deliver exceptional guest experiences: Welcome guests, oversee classes and events, resolve concerns, and create a warm, fun atmosphere.
• Keep events running smoothly: Coordinate preparation, staffing, setup, and cleanup so events run efficiently and on schedule.
• Think like a business owner: Monitor labor costs, improve processes, identify sales opportunities, and help grow a profitable business.
• Jump in wherever needed: Assist with culinary preparation, support classes, host events when trained, and help the team succeed.

Skills

Leadership

Food Safety

Inventory Management

Customer Service

Job description

Taste Buds Kitchen | Bellevue, WA

Compensation: $25–$30/hour, depending on experience
Schedule: Part-time to start (20-25 hours/week), with potential for full-time growth

Taste Buds Kitchen Bellevue is looking for a dynamic, hands-on leader to help manage our growing culinary studio.

We offer cooking classes, birthday parties, school break camps, corporate team-building events, and private celebrations. We're seeking someone who combines strong kitchen operations experience with outstanding hospitality skills and a business-minded approach.

What You'll Do

• Run a safe, organized kitchen: Oversee food safety, sanitation, inventory, purchasing, equipment maintenance, and health inspection readiness.


• Manage purchasing and costs: Plan grocery shopping, track ingredient usage, minimize waste, manage vendors, and maintain food budgets.


• Lead and develop our team: Train culinary assistants and hosts, coordinate schedules, provide feedback, and ensure consistent performance.


• Deliver exceptional guest experiences: Welcome guests, oversee classes and events, resolve concerns, and create a warm, fun atmosphere.


• Keep events running smoothly: Coordinate preparation, staffing, setup, and cleanup so events run efficiently and on schedule.


• Think like a business owner: Monitor labor costs, improve processes, identify sales opportunities, and help grow a profitable business.


• Jump in wherever needed: Assist with culinary preparation, support classes, host events when trained, and help the team succeed.

Who You Are

• Have at least 2–3 years of food service, catering, hospitality, or kitchen operations experience, including leadership responsibilities.


• Understand food safety, sanitation standards, and commercial kitchen operations.


• Have experience managing inventory, purchasing, and food costs.


• Are exceptionally friendly, outgoing, organized, and dependable.


• Enjoy training and motivating others.


• Have strong business judgment and take initiative without needing constant direction.


• Are comfortable working with both children and adults.


• Can work evenings and weekends.


• Have a current food worker card and preferably a Certified Food Protection Manager credential, or are willing to obtain required credentials.

Why Join Us?

We're a new, growing business with an opportunity to help shape how our kitchen operates. This position offers meaningful responsibility, a collaborative environment, and the potential to grow into a full-time General Manager role.