Kitchen Manager

Katella Deli; Los Alamitos (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Katella Deli is seeking a proactive Kitchen Manager to lead daily kitchen operations and ensure every plate meets recipe standards. You will supervise 20–30 BOH staff, train team members, and partner with FOH to deliver a guest-focused experience.

You will spend most of your time on the line, maintaining quality, safety, and presentation while controlling inventory and labor costs. Fluency in English; Spanish preferred.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a high-volume upscale kitchen.
• Strong attention to detail with weights, measures, volume and cooking procedures.
• Ability to manage a team of 20-30 staff; schedule, hire, train, coach and counsel.

Responsibilities

• Ensure all dishes are prepared and served per recipes and standards.
• Oversee purchasing, receiving, and inventory control.
• Maintain equipment cleanliness and preventive maintenance.
• Schedule labor to meet business activity and labor-cost goals.
• Train and monitor staff to follow protocol and sanitation.
• Monitor staff performance and ensure procedures meet standards.
• Use standard recipe cards; do not rely on memory.
• Ensure food safety and sanitation standards.
• Foster teamwork and employee satisfaction; liaison FOH/BOH.

Skills

Team leadership

Food safety

Quality control

Line supervision

Bilingual English/Spanish

Tools

CTUIT

Job description

Description

The Kitchen Manager ensures the highest quality food is prepared per the exact recipe specification at all times. A highly motivated Kitchen Manager will be responsible for, but not limited to, all operations of the kitchen on a daily basis. Our leaders coach, train, and inspire each other to deliver a genuine guest experience.

The Kitchen Manager is responsible for managing all functions of the kitchen during opening, mid and closing shifts. Key responsibilities include managing, supervising, training and coaching all BOH team members. Must ensure an excellent guest experience, ensuring the safety, quality and presentation of all dishes. The Kitchen Manager will be responsible for all plates passing thru to our guests and must ensure that all recipes are being executed properly and plates are presented as desired by management. He/she will be expected to spend 70% of their time on the line monitoring all plates, cooking techniques and team member sanitation. The remaining 30% of their time, he/she will be expected to monitor, taste and prepare all necessary recipes, execute schedules, coach staff etc. This role will be the liaison for FOH & BOH communication

Responsibilities:

• Ensure that all food and products are consistently prepared and served according to the restaurant's recipes, portioning, cooking and serving standards
• Maintain operational control of purchasing, receiving, and inventory of all kitchen items
• Ensure that all equipment is kept clean and kept in excellent working condition through personal inspection and by following the restaurant's preventative maintenance programs
• Schedule labor as required by anticipating business activity while ensuring that all positions are staffed as needed and labor cost goals are met
• Provide employees and staff with proper training and monitoring to follow company protocol, maintain cleanliness, sanitation and organization along with the safety of all work areas
• Monitor performance of staff and ensure all procedures are completed to restaurant standards
• Using standard recipe card for preparing all products. Do not rely on the memory of yourself or of other employees.
• Ensuring proper food safety and sanitation standards to ensure guest safety
• Create a work environment that promotes teamwork, performance feedback, recognition, mutual respect and employee satisfaction

Hours: 40+ per week with the ability to work a flexible schedule including days, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Requirements

Skills & Qualifications:

• A minimum of 2 years’ experience a high volume upscale kitchen
• Dedication to excellent food quality and ensuring compliance with all health, safety, and safe food handling practices
• Strong attention to detail with knowledge of weights, measurements, volume and cooking procedures.
• Passion for food; desire to learn, excel and continuously improve
• Ability to work effectively within a collaborative team environment
• Ability to manage a team of 20-30 staff members. Schedule, hire, train, coach and counsel all BOH staff members.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with coworkers.
• Experience in P&L review, budgetary controls, strict inventory and labor controls, familiarity with CTUIT a plus
• Fluent in English and Spanish is preferred.