Lead Airline Kitchen Head Chef – Seattle (Onsite)

JCSI; Washington; On-site; USD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

JCSI in Seattle, WA is seeking an experienced Head Chef to serve as the second-in-command to the Executive Chef at a high-volume airline catering facility. This role leads daily production, ensures meals meet recipes and safety standards, and manages staff, costs, and schedules.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in commercial cooking in similar settings, a culinary degree or apprenticeship, and strong HACCP knowledge, with a focus on quality and customer specifications.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of commercial cooking in high-volume kitchens such as airline catering, hotels, or large production facilities.
• 3–5 years of leadership experience supervising kitchen operations and culinary teams.
• Culinary degree or completion of an accredited culinary apprenticeship.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, food safety, sanitation, and quality standards.
• Experience managing food production, inventory, labor, and costs.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and basic computer applications.
• Customer-focused with ability to thrive in a fast-paced production environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production across hot and cold kitchen operations.
• Ensure meals are prepared according to recipes, customer specifications, and quality standards.
• Oversee food production planning, inventory management, food quality, and production schedules.
• Monitor food costs, labor costs, and kitchen efficiency while maintaining operational excellence.
• Ensure proper product rotation, storage, sanitation, and food safety procedures are followed.
• Support menu development, recipe execution, and continuous culinary improvement.
• Address customer concerns and implement corrective actions when needed.
• Serve as the Executive Chef's primary partner and assume full kitchen leadership in their absence.
• Coach, develop, and mentor kitchen employees while promoting a positive, high-performing culture.
• Train staff on recipes, food quality, safety procedures, and operational standards.
• Ensure the kitchen is properly staffed, organized, and operating efficiently.
• Maintain compliance with HACCP and all food safety, sanitation, and hygiene regulations.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organizational skills

Food Safety

Inventory management

Cost control

Education

Culinary degree

Culinary apprenticeship

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

JCSI in Seattle, WA is seeking an experienced Head Chef to serve as the second-in-command to the Executive Chef at a high-volume airline catering facility. This role leads daily production, ensures meals meet recipes and safety standards, and manages staff, costs, and schedules.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in commercial cooking in similar settings, a culinary degree or apprenticeship, and strong HACCP knowledge, with a focus on quality and customer specifications.