Culinary Lead: Elevate Food Quality in High-Volume Kitchen

Sweetgreen; Ardmore (PA); On-site; USD 19,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tips

Competitive wages

Shift leader and manager opportunity

Medical, dental, and vision options

Paid vacation, wellness time, and Par*

Free meal every shift

401(k)

Team Member Merch Shop

Job summary

Sweetgreen in Ardmore, PA is seeking a Culinary Lead (Kitchen Lead) to own how our food is prepped, cooked, and presented. You’ll set the standard for food quality each shift and coach teammates through craft and consistency.

This role is not a people manager position, but you will lead by example, ensuring flavor, safety, and presentation meet Sweetgreen standards. The path to general manager within 2–3 years is available for top performers.

Qualifications

• Food safety knowledge with certification such as ServSafe or equivalent.
• Available to work at least 30 hours per week.
• Must be 18+ years old.
• Authorized to work in the United States.
• Comfortable standing for long shifts.
• Occasionally able to lift 40–50 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Own food quality by ensuring items meet Sweetgreen standards for flavor, 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

Kitchen leadership

Training peers

High-volume kitchens

Job description

Sweetgreen in Ardmore, PA is seeking a Culinary Lead (Kitchen Lead) to own how our food is prepped, cooked, and presented. You’ll set the standard for food quality each shift and coach teammates through craft and consistency.

This role is not a people manager position, but you will lead by example, ensuring flavor, safety, and presentation meet Sweetgreen standards. The path to general manager within 2–3 years is available for top performers.