Associate Chef

sweetgreen; Northbrook (IL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tips

Competitive wages

Medical/Dental/Vision

Paid time off

Free meals

401(k)

Merch shop

Job summary

Sweetgreen, a national restaurant brand, seeks a Culinary Lead to own food quality, prep, and presentation across shifts in a fast-paced kitchen. You will set standards, train peers, and ensure consistent execution with smart systems and no grills or fryers.

This role emphasizes leadership without direct people-management, rapid feedback, and partnership with Shift Leaders to uphold safety and excellence in a fast casual environment. Growth paths to shift lead and manager are clear.

Qualifications

• Food safety knowledge (Food Handler or ServSafe certification)
• Must be available to work a minimum of 30 hours per week
• Must be 18 years of age or older; authorized to work in the United States

Responsibilities

• Own food quality by ensuring every item meets standards for flavor, safety, and presentation
• Prep and cook hot food to standard using knives, tools, and ovens
• Provide real-time feedback to teammates to improve food execution
• Manage prep timing and par levels to handle volume
• Advocate for food quality on shift and fix issues quickly
• Partner with Shift Leaders and Managers to uphold safety, cleanliness, and operational excellence

Skills

Food quality

Kitchen leadership

Peer training

High-volume kitchens

Tools

Knives

Ovens

Kitchen tools

Job description

A Healthier Future Starts With You!

As a Culinary Lead (what we call a Kitchen Lead at Sweetgreen), you are the food quality expert in the kitchen. You own how our food is prepped, cooked, and presented—and you lead by example through craft, coaching, and consistency.

This is not a people manager role. You won’t write schedules or run performance reviews. You will set the standard for how food gets made every single shift. You are not running the shift alone; you are the go‑to person for food quality and kitchen execution.

And unlike traditional restaurant kitchens: No grills. No fryers. Just kitchens, smart systems, and real food done right.

Join our movement to rewrite the future of fast food and grow your own future too! Top-performing Kitchen Leads have a clear path to General Manager within 2-3 years.

What You’ll Actually Do:

• Own food quality by ensuring every item meets sweetgreen’s standards for flavor, food safety, and presentation
• Prep and cook hot food to standard using knives, kitchen tools, and ovens (no flames, no fryer oil)
• Help teammates improve food execution through real-time feedback
• Stay ahead of volume by managing prep timing and par levels to keep the kitchen running smoothly
• Be the advocate for food quality on shift, spotting issues early and fixing them fast
• Partner with Shift Leaders and Managers to uphold food safety, cleanliness, and operational excellence

This Role is a Great Fit If You:

• Love being in the kitchen and take pride in food quality, consistency, and clean execution
• Want leadership responsibility without full people management
• Enjoy training peers and getting them excited about new menu launches
• Have experience in high-volume kitchens (fast casual, QSR, full service, or corporate dining all welcome)

The Perks:

• Tips* (subject to location and role)
• Competitive wages
• This role is a key step toward Shift leader and Manager opportunities
• Medical, dental, and vision options for part-time and full-time team members*
• Paid vacation, wellness time, and parental leave*
• Free meal every shift
• 401(k)*
• Team Member Merch Shop - earn and buy custom Sweetgreen gear

*Depending on eligibility

Minimum Requirements

• Meet all physical requirements for all roles within the Kitchen Lead career path, including Team Member.
• Comfortable working on your feet
• Maintain attention to detail and environmental awareness during operations
• Use touch to assess quality and complete detail-oriented tasks
• Routinely handling items up to 5-25 lbs, and occasionally handling items 40-50 lbs
• Food safety knowledge (Food Handler or ServSafe certification)
• Able to follow food safety, cleanliness, and quality standards
• Must be available to work a minimum of 30 hours per week
• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Must be authorized to work in the United States

Who We Are

Sweetgreen is a national restaurant brand dedicated to building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. Since 2007, Sweetgreen has reimagined fast food to be fresh, flavorful, and rooted in relationships with farmers and communities. As we grow, we are committed to developing our people across our restaurants and support center so everyone can be part of the movement. When you join Sweetgreen, you not only invest in your own future but also help create spaces where food, people, and purpose come together.

Sweetgreen provides equal opportunities for everyone who works for us and everyone who applies to join our team, without regard to sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, any service, past, present, or future, in the uniformed services of the United States (military or veteran status), or any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law.

California residents: Review our applicant privacy notice HERE.

Sweetgreen participates in the federal government's E-Verify program to determine employment eligibility. To learn more about the E-Verify program, please click HERE.

To request an accommodation as permitted by law, click here.