Culinary Lead: Elevate Food Quality & Fast-Casual Craft

Sweetgreen; California; On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tips

Competitive wages

Shift leader path

Medical/dental/vision

Paid vacation

Free meal

401(k)

Merch Shop

Job summary

Sweetgreen is seeking a Culinary Lead (Kitchen Lead) to own food quality, prep, cooking, and presentation in a fast-paced, high-volume kitchen. You’ll set the standard for each item and coach teammates to execute with consistency across shifts.

In this non-manager role, you lead by example, partner with Shift Leaders and Managers on safety and operations, train peers on new menus, and help uphold Sweetgreen’s real-food standards while advancing toward future leadership opportunities.

Qualifications

• Meet all physical requirements for all roles within the Kitchen Lead career path, including Team Member.
• Comfortable working on your feet and maintaining attention to detail during operations.
• Routinely handling items up to 5-25 lbs, and occasionally 40-50 lbs.
• Food safety knowledge and adherence to food safety standards (ServSafe/food handler).
• Must be available to work a minimum of 30 hours per week; must be 18+ and authorized to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Food quality

Coaching teammates

Attention to detail

High-volume kitchens

Education

Food safety certification (ServSafe/food handler)

Tools

Knives

Ovens

Job description

Sweetgreen is seeking a Culinary Lead (Kitchen Lead) to own food quality, prep, cooking, and presentation in a fast-paced, high-volume kitchen. You’ll set the standard for each item and coach teammates to execute with consistency across shifts.

In this non-manager role, you lead by example, partner with Shift Leaders and Managers on safety and operations, train peers on new menus, and help uphold Sweetgreen’s real-food standards while advancing toward future leadership opportunities.