Kitchen Lead

Equator Coffees LLC; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 26,174 - 34,440; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Commuter Benefits

EAP

Free coffee

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Equator Coffees LLC is seeking a Kitchen Lead to uphold high standards of food quality, safety, and prep at the café level. This role is a working lead with no direct management, but sets the tone through example and training.

The Kitchen Lead will oversee service prep, maintain cleanliness, and partner with the GM on schedules and vendor relations, while guiding the team to deliver exceptional coffee shop experiences.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of BOH experience; lead or supervisory experience strongly preferred.
• Strong food safety knowledge and current Food Handler Card required.
• Knowledge of kitchen equipment, prep techniques, and cooking procedures.
• Ability to maintain a clean, efficient, and organized kitchen under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Oversee kitchen prep and execution during service, ensuring consistent quality and presentation.
• Maintain back-of-house standards for cleanliness, sanitation, and organization.
• Collaborate with the GM on kitchen schedules by providing input on team availability and operational needs.
• Place vendor orders and manage vendor relationships to ensure quality, timeliness, and competitive pricing.
• Perform inventory counts and manage product rotation to minimize waste.
• Lead the team in food safety and sanitation practices, modeling correct procedures.
• Support the training and onboarding of new BOH staff; demonstrate prep methods and kitchen systems in alignment with standards.
• Collaborate with GM and retail team on seasonal menus, specials, and café events.
• Support recipe development and documentation in collaboration with retail operations.
• Communicate proactively with GM regarding team performance, scheduling needs, or kitchen‑related concerns.
• Act as a key contributor to a positive and supportive kitchen culture.

Skills

BOH experience

Leadership

Food safety

Communication

Kitchen equipment

Food prep

Time management

Education

High School or GED

Tools

POS systems

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

POSITION: Kitchen Lead

CLASSIFICATION: Non-exempt

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

• Reports to the General Manager

COMPENSATION

Starting $22/hour

About Equator

In 1995, Equator Founders Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell began their values‑driven path, roasting coffee in a Marin County, CA garage. Possessing an obsessive commitment to green coffee sourcing and unparalleled roasting expertise, Equator has committed over 30 years to sustainable and fair trade coffee practices all in the name of creating a remarkable coffee experience for consumers. Today, Equator Coffees is a retail and wholesale coffee roaster and coffee farm owner with twelve retail cafes throughout California—from Marin County to San Francisco to Oakland to Los Angeles and beyond. Throughout the years, Equator Coffees has spearheaded industry‑leading sourcing and roasting practices, and has forged progressive partnerships with Michelin‑starred chefs, specialty grocers, tech campuses, and more. Women‑owned, LGBTQ‑founded, and an early adopter of Fair Trade and Regenerative Organic certifications, Equator Coffees is the first California coffee roaster to achieve B Corp Certification.

Position Summary

The Kitchen Lead plays a key role in maintaining smooth daily kitchen operations at the café level. This position is responsible for high standards of food quality, safety, organization, and prep, while leading and supporting a strong team culture. The Kitchen Lead is a working lead position with no direct people management responsibilities, but one that sets the tone for excellence through example and training.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee kitchen prep and execution during service, ensuring consistent quality and presentation
• Maintain back‑of‑house standards for cleanliness, sanitation, and organization
• Collaborate with the GM on kitchen schedules by providing input on team availability and operational needs
• Place vendor orders and manage vendor relationships to ensure quality, timeliness, and competitive pricing
• Perform inventory counts and manage product rotation to minimize waste
• Lead the team in food safety and sanitation practices, modeling correct procedures
• Support the training and onboarding of new BOH staff; demonstrate prep methods and kitchen systems in alignment with standards
• Collaborate with GM and retail team on seasonal menus, specials, and café events
• Support recipe development and documentation in collaboration with retail operations
• Communicate proactively with GM regarding team performance, scheduling needs, or kitchen‑related concerns
• Act as a key contributor to a positive and supportive kitchen culture

Qualifications and Requirements

• 2+ years of BOH experience; lead or supervisory experience strongly preferred
• Strong food safety knowledge and current Food Handler Card required
• Knowledge of kitchen equipment, prep techniques, and cooking procedures
• Ability to maintain a clean, efficient, and organized kitchen under pressure
• Excellent communication and follow‑through
• Works well independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrates leadership, maturity, and professionalism
• Experience reviewing financial reports and meeting budgets
• Able to work full time (the work regularly demands more than 45 hours per week) including variable hours such as early morning, evenings, weekends, and/or holidays
• Ability to lead change, deal with ambiguity, and prioritize in a fast‑paced environment
• Experience with POS touch screen, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and other computer skills
• Minimum High School or GED
• Must be 16 years of age or older

Benefits

• Available to all employees:
  • Commuter Benefits - pre‑tax parking and transit
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Physical and mental health, financial and legal coaching available at no cost to the employee
  • Free mental health app subscription
  • Employee discount on merchandise, coffee gear, and at Equator cafes
  • Continuing coffee education classes
  • Free coffee
  • Paid Time Off for voting on Election Day
• After 60 days as an employee at Equator:
  • Healthcare Benefits (for full‑time employees working over 30 hours per week):
    • 100% employer‑covered premium medical insurance
    • Voluntary Insurance Plans - dental, vision, long‑term disability, pet, and supplementary life insurance
    • Employer covered life insurance premium
    • Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - healthcare and daily dependent care
• After 90 days as an employee at Equator:
  • Holiday Pay after 90 days of employment. Eight Equator‑observed holidays per year
  • Paid Time Off with tenured increases for full‑time employees
  • 1 paid volunteer day per year
• After six months as an employee at Equator:
  • 401K with up to a 4% company match on employee contributions

Compensation will be commensurate with experience.

Equator Coffees is an equal‑opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, and discharge will be based on competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability or any other applicable legally protected characteristics.