Head Chef / Kitchen Manager

SSP Group; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

401(k)

Paid Time Off

Benefits

Job summary

SSP America in New York’s LaGuardia airport is hiring a Kitchen Manager to lead the line across multiple brands. This full-time role requires hands-on leadership, strong food quality standards, and the ability to drive results in a fast-paced environment.

You will oversee hiring, training, scheduling, and HACCP compliance, partner with brand chefs on menu development, and manage food and labor costs while delivering guest-focused service.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in food and beverage leadership.
• Minimum 2 years of experience as a kitchen manager leading culinary operations.
• Culinary diploma or equivalent experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of cost controls, safety, and kitchen operations.
• A proactive, collaborative leadership style and a sharp eye for detail.

Responsibilities

• Control food and labor costs to meet or exceed targets
• Supervise BOH operations with a sharp eye for quality and efficiency
• Oversee hiring, training, scheduling, and team development
• Monitor HACCP and state safety standards
• Partner with brand chefs on menu development and execution
• Prepare for catering events and special functions
• Lead by example in a fast-paced, guest-forward airport environment

Skills

Food & beverage leadership

Kitchen management

Cost controls

Safety knowledge

Leadership

Education

Culinary diploma or equivalent

Job description

Lead the Line at New Heights – Kitchen Manager, LGA Airport

Full-Time | $70,000 - $75,000 / year + bonus | Benefits + 401(k) + Paid Time Off

Bring your culinary leadership to the heart of LaGuardia’s airport dining scene. If you're a hands-on, results-driven kitchen leader with a passion for food quality, team development, and fast-paced environments - this is your runway to take off.

What Makes This Role Sizzle:

• Lead a Team: From Beecher’s to Hunt & Fish to Mulberry Street, LGA is home to iconic brands - and you'll be at the center of kitchen operations.
• Ownership & Impact:You won’t just manage the kitchen - you’ll shape its standards, people, and success.
• Growth on the Menu:With multiple brands and concepts under one roof, this role is a stepping stone for culinary leaders ready for more.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Control food and labor costs to meet or exceed targets
• Supervise BOH operations with a sharp eye for quality and efficiency
• Oversee hiring, training, scheduling, and team development
• Monitor HACCP and state safety standards
• Partner with brand chefs on menu development and execution
• Prepare for catering events and special functions
• Lead by example in a fast-paced, guest-forward airport environment

What You Bring to the Table:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in food and beverage leadership
• Minimum 2 years of experience as a kitchen manager leading culinary operations required
• Culinary diploma or equivalent experience preferred
• Strong understanding of cost controls, safety, and kitchen operations
• A proactive, collaborative leadership style and a sharp eye for detail

We run multiple concepts under one roof - this role calls for someone who’s ready to lead at scale and grow fast. It’s a rewarding challenge in a one-of-a-kind environment.

SSP America is an equal opportunity employer. All decisions concerning the employment relationship will be made without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. SSP America will provide reasonable accommodations during the application and interview process upon request as required to comply with applicable laws.

We use Traitify as part of our hiring process for jobs in NYC and certain features may qualify it as an AEDT under NYC Law 144. As part of the hiring process, Traitify provides us with a candidate assessment which is one of the many factors that we review in making interview decisions; there are no cutoffs, and all applications are visible to the hiring team. The Traitify tool has been reviewed by an independent auditor and results of the audit may be viewed here:https://tinyurl.com/yc3dwnhp