Kitchen Team Lead — Flexible Schedule & Quality Wins

Balls Food Stores; Olathe (KS); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Hen House, part of Balls Food Stores, seeks a Kitchen Team Lead to oversee daily back-of-house deli operations, ensuring high-quality, ready-to-eat items and strong team performance. You’ll drive food quality, safety, and efficient workflow in a fast-paced kitchen environment, while training staff and maintaining a clean, compliant facility.

This role emphasizes hands-on leadership, inventory and cost control, collaboration with store leadership, and ensuring guest satisfaction through

Qualifications

• 2+ years of kitchen, deli, or prepared foods experience with leadership responsibilities
• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent work experience
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and health department regulations

Responsibilities

• Provide friendly, helpful, and respectful guest service while ensuring a positive food service experience
• Oversee daily kitchen operations, including food preparation, cooking, and product presentation
• Ensure timely production of deli items such as sandwiches, salads, hot foods, grab-and-go meals, and catering orders
• Maintain efficient kitchen workflow during peak service hours and support overall department execution
• Monitor portion control, product consistency, and minimize food waste
• Supervise and direct team members, ensuring accountability, productivity, and consistent execution
• Train team members on recipes, prep procedures, food safety, and sanitation standards
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment at all times
• Enforce all food safety, sanitation, labeling, and rotation standards to ensure compliance
• Prepare for and support health inspections and ensure adherence to all local regulations
• Manage inventory levels, order supplies, and track product usage to support availability and reduce shrink
• Support food and labor cost control efforts in partnership with department leadership
• Ensure consistency in recipes, food quality, and presentation standards
• Assist with menu execution, seasonal items, and continuous improvement of offerings
• Support scheduling, task delegation, and shift execution to meet operational needs
• Communicate clearly with store leadership and collaborate across departments to support store goals
• Adhere to all company policies and procedures, including attendance, conduct, and safety standards
• Support loss prevention efforts and maintain awareness of cost controls
• Remain hands-on and productive during all shifts, stepping in as needed to support the team
• Other job duties as assigned

Skills

Leadership experience

Deli/food prep experience

Food safety knowledge

Flexible schedule

Inventory management

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Hen House, part of Balls Food Stores, seeks a Kitchen Team Lead to oversee daily back-of-house deli operations, ensuring high-quality, ready-to-eat items and strong team performance. You’ll drive food quality, safety, and efficient workflow in a fast-paced kitchen environment, while training staff and maintaining a clean, compliant facility.

This role emphasizes hands-on leadership, inventory and cost control, collaboration with store leadership, and ensuring guest satisfaction through