Head Production Chef

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority; California, Northern (MO, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority seeks a Head Production Chef to lead high-volume aviation catering operations, driving production planning, labor rostering, budget alignment, and HACCP compliance across hot and cold kitchens to meet airline schedules.

You will lead senior culinary teams, ensure safety and quality, and partner with QA, operations, and procurement to optimize menus, throughput, and cost discipline at airport facilities.

Qualifications

• High-volume food production experience required.
• 3+ years in kitchen leadership or management.
• Experience in regulated environments (HACCP, USDA/FDA, airline catering, healthcare, or commissary kitchens).

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production operations across hot and cold kitchens to meet airline schedules and menu specifications.
• Translate flight forecasts and production plans into daily and weekly execution strategies.
• Develop and manage staff rosters aligned to production forecasts and labor budgets.
• Own HACCP execution and CCP compliance across all production areas.
• Directly manage Sous Chefs and Production Supervisors; provide leadership to Specialty Cooks and Production Leads.
• Oversee ingredient usage, FIFO rotation, and production yields.
• Collaborate with Regional Executive Chef and Head of Culinary to ensure adherence to enterprise standards.

Skills

Leadership

HACCP

Budgeting

Production Planning

Labor Management

Regulatory Compliance

Strategic Thinking

Communication

Education

Culinary Degree

High School Diploma

Job description

The Head Production Chef is accountable for leading all kitchen production operations in a high-volume aviation catering environment, ensuring meals are produced safely, efficiently, and on schedule while meeting airline, regulatory, and financial targets. This role oversees Sous Chefs, Production Supervisors, and Specialty Cooks and is responsible for production planning, labor rostering, budget alignment, food safety compliance, and continuous performance improvement. Reporting directly to the Unit General Manager, with an indirect reporting line to the Regional Executive Chef and Head of Culinary, this role ensures strong alignment between site-level operational execution and enterprise culinary standards. The Head Production Chef is expected to build high-performing teams, plan ahead against forecasted volumes, control costs, and drive a culture of accountability, ownership, and winning mentality across the production operation.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Production, Planning & Execution

• Lead daily production operations across Hot and Cold Kitchens to meet airline schedules and menu specifications
• Translate flight forecasts and production plans into daily and weekly execution strategies
• Anticipate operational risks and adjust staffing, prep, and production flow proactively
• Ensure standardized recipes, portion control, and quality standards are consistently met
• Resolve production bottlenecks and ensure on-time completion of all production phases

Conduct the daily Culinary briefings to assure the kitchens are being managed as per Dnata standards.

Labor Planning, Rosters & Budget Accountability

• Develop and manage staff rosters aligned to production forecasts and labor budgets
• Balance productivity, service levels, and cost efficiency when scheduling teams
• Monitor labor hours, overtime, and staffing mix to remain within budget targets
• Partner with Operations and HR on workforce planning and staffing strategies
• Take ownership of labor productivity and continuous efficiency improvement

People Leadership, Appraisals & Development

• Directly manage Sous Chefs and Production Supervisors; provide leadership to Specialty Cooks and Production Leads
• Conduct regular performance evaluations, coaching sessions, and development planning
• Identify high-potential team members and build leadership pipeline within production
• Address performance issues promptly and fairly, in partnership with HR and Operations
• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and professional growth

Food Safety, HACCP & Regulatory Compliance

• Own HACCP execution and CCP compliance across all production areas
• Ensure CCP logs (CCP2-CCP5) are completed accurately and reviewed daily
• Enforce cooking, cooling, holding, labeling, allergen control, and traceability standards
• Partner with Quality Assurance during audits, inspections, and corrective actions
• Ensure sanitation programs and equipment safety procedures are fully implemented

Cost Control, Inventory & Waste Reduction

• Oversee ingredient usage, FIFO rotation, and production yields
• Partner with Purchasing and Inventory on forecasting and supply availability
• Drive waste reduction initiatives and investigate cost variances
• Implement corrective actions to improve margins and operational efficiency

Assure the kitchens follow the correct figures for production

Manage the Kitro waste management program

Cross-Functional & Culinary Governance Alignment

• Collaborate with Regional Executive Chef and Head of Culinary to ensure adherence to enterprise culinary standards
• Support new menu rollouts, recipe updates, and airline program launches
• Provide feedback on menu feasibility, labor impact, and production scalability
• Ensure site-level execution aligns with brand, presentation, and quality expectations

Assure daily Chefs Tables and NEA are conducted daily

Continuous Improvement & Winning Culture

• Drive continuous improvement in production processes, layout, and workflow
• Promote problem-solving, ownership, and proactive communication across teams
• Lead by example with a high-performance, solution-oriented mindset
• Champion safety, quality, service excellence, and cost discipline as non-negotiable standards

NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Other duties as assigned by management

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• High School Diploma or GED required; Culinary degree strongly preferred
• 7+ years of high-volume food production experience, with 3+ years in kitchen leadership or management
• Proven experience managing supervisors and lead-level culinary staff
• Experience in regulated food environments (HACCP, USDA/FDA, airline catering, healthcare, or commissary kitchens) required

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong leadership presence with the ability to motivate and hold teams accountable
• Advanced knowledge of HACCP, CCP monitoring, and regulatory compliance
• Proven experience managing labor, budgets, and productivity targets
• Excellent planning, organization, and decision‑making skills
• Ability to think strategically while executing tactically on the floor
• Strong communication skills across culinary, QA, operations, and leadership teams
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, high-pressure environments
• Flexibility to work rotating shifts, nights, weekends, and holidays