Culinary Lead — Precision Kitchen Quality

sweetgreen; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tips

Competitive wages

Paid vacation

Medical/dental/vision benefits

401(k)

Free meal every shift

Team member merch shop

Job summary

Sweetgreen in Naperville, IL is seeking a Kitchen Lead who will be the food quality expert in the kitchen. You will own how our food is prepped, cooked, and presented, and lead by example through craft, coaching, and consistency.

You will ensure flavor, safety, and presentation, while coaching teammates to improve execution and maintain smooth operations across high-volume shifts. This role offers growth toward supervisory opportunities and a path to General Manager within a few years.

Qualifications

• Must have passion for food quality and presentation.
• Comfortable coaching peers without formal people-management duties.
• Experience in high-volume kitchens (fast casual, QSR, or corporate dining).
• Able to work flexible shifts and stand for long periods.

Responsibilities

• Own food quality and ensure items meet standards for flavor, safety, and presentation.
• Prep and cook hot foods to standard using knives and ovens (no grills/oil fryers).
• Provide real-time feedback to improve food execution.
• Manage prep timing and par levels to keep the kitchen running smoothly.
• Advocate for food quality on shift and address issues quickly.
• Collaborate with Shift Leaders and Managers to uphold safety, cleanliness, and operations.

Skills

Food quality

Leadership

Training peers

High-volume kitchen

Job description

Sweetgreen in Naperville, IL is seeking a Kitchen Lead who will be the food quality expert in the kitchen. You will own how our food is prepped, cooked, and presented, and lead by example through craft, coaching, and consistency.

You will ensure flavor, safety, and presentation, while coaching teammates to improve execution and maintain smooth operations across high-volume shifts. This role offers growth toward supervisory opportunities and a path to General Manager within a few years.