Sales Associate

The Chefs' Warehouse; Saco (ME); On-site; USD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary + uncapped com

Travel reimbursement

401k Employer Matching

Paid holidays & vacations

Great place to work

Job summary

The Chefs' Warehouse is seeking a driven Sales Associate to represent our company to restaurants, caterers, hotels, and retailers. You will build relationships, grow revenue, and present our premium ingredients to meet customer needs.

The role requires 1–2 years in restaurant or food sales, a collaborative mindset, strong communication, and willingness to travel within your territory. A college degree is preferred but not required.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of experience in restaurant sales, food sales, professional catering sales, or as a chef.
• High energy, team player with a proactive attitude.
• Excellent organization and communication skills for a fast-paced food-service environment.
• Own reliable transportation and ability to travel within assigned territory.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office or similar software.

Responsibilities

• Grow revenue by developing new business and expanding existing accounts.
• Build customer portfolios using networking, directories, events, and online sources.
• Travel to visit customers, secure orders, and manage contracts.
• Present products with samples and catalogs to fit customer needs.
• Maintain records, update systems, and manage accounts receivable.
• Collaborate with inside sales to keep literature and activities up to date.
• Monitor stock levels to align availability with demand.
• Develop relationships with purchasing contracts for long-term collaboration.

Skills

Restaurant sales

Food sales

Catering sales

Chef

Education

College degree

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

About Sid Wainer

For over 100 years, Sid Wainer has been a trusted partner to chefs—delivering exceptional ingredients that inspire menus and elevate kitchens. Family-founded in 1914, Sid Wainer has grown from a regional produce supplier into a leading curator of specialty foods. From peak-season produce to artisan cheeses, premium olive oils, fine chocolates, and center-of-the-plate offerings like meats and seafood, Sid Wainer sources the best of the best from around the world. Our relationships with farmers, producers, and food artisans—combined with a deep understanding of culinary trends—allow us to bring chefs exactly what they need to create standout dining experiences. Rooted in tradition and driven by innovation, Sid Wainer continues to serve New England’s finest chefs with integrity, passion, and a chef-first mindset.

The Chef’s Warehouse is the preferred choice for foodservice professionals who demand the best, offering a curated selection of specialty ingredients, center-of-plate proteins, and produce sourced globally and locally. Our team of specialty, protein, and produce experts works closely with chefs to meet the highest standards and elevate the guest experience. Our trusted sales representatives are among the best in the industry, helping customers discover new possibilities and craft exceptional culinary experiences. We’re seeking a driven, customer-focused professional who thrives on building relationships and delivering innovative food service solutions.

If you’re passionate about food, sales, and growing business through personalized service, this is the role for you!

Position Summary

As a Sales Associate at The Chef’s Warehouse, you ultimately act as the face of our company by delivering outstanding customer service and building and maintaining strong relationships. You will be responsible for selling our fine products to restaurants, caterers, hotels, and retail establishments by performing the following duties:

• Growing Revenue: Generate sales through the development of new business opportunities and by expanding relationships with existing accounts
• Building Customer Portfolio: Compile lists of prospective customers for use as sale leads that are based on information from networking, newspapers, business directories, industry ads, trade shows, websites, and other sources
• Staying On The Move: Travel throughout your assigned territory and call on existing and prospective customers to secure orders
• Showcasing Our Value: Present our products using samples or catalogs that highlight key features and benefits that fit customer needs
• Sealing The Deal: Quote prices and credit terms to prepare contracts for orders obtained
• Maintaining Timelines: Provide estimated date of delivery to customers that is based on knowledge of our production and delivery schedules as well as collect payments from customers in a timely manner
• Staying Organized: Maintain detailed records of business transactions, update expense reports, keep internal systems current with customer and sales data, and manage account receivables
• Connecting & Teaming Up: Collaborate with inside sales representatives to keep account activities and literature up to date
• Managing Inventory Awareness: Track stock levels to align product availability with customer demand
• Building Lasting Relationships: Develop and maintain relationships with purchasing contracts that are rooted in trust and built for long-term collaboration

How To Thrive In This Role

• Relevant Experience: 1-2 years of experience in restaurant sales, food sales, professional catering sales, and/or working as a Chef is highly desired and preferred
• Positive Attitude: High energy, enthusiastic, a strong team player, and motivated to take responsibility and ensure successful outcomes despite obstacles
• Relevant Skills: Excellent organizational skills, outstanding verbal and written communication skills used to develop a culture of participation and involvement, and ability to handle and prioritize multiple projects and initiatives
• Self-Starter: Eager to ask questions and learn new skills quickly on the job
• Education: College degree desired but not required
• Leader: Able to foster a positive and innovative atmosphere that motivates others to take initiative and go above and beyond to achieve key objectives
• Data-Driven: Comfortable with gathering facts and figures to monitor individual and team progress in a timely and accurate manner
• Determined: Brings a sense of urgency to our fast-paced environment so that tight deadlines are met with short turnarounds

Minimum Qualifications

• Must live within a commutable distance to the assigned geographic sales area
• Must have a reliable form of transportation
• Must have basic computer skills and understanding
• Must have some proficiency in Microsoft Suite

Why Join The Chef’s Warehouse

• Competitive base salary with uncapped commission plan
• Travel reimbursement
• 401K Employer Matching
• Paid holidays & vacations
• Certified as a great place to work by the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors (Great Place To Work)

The above job description is not an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties as assigned by their supervisor.

Perks & Benefits

• Paid Vacations, Paid Holidays
• Health, Dental and Medical Benefits
• Weekly pay
• Life Insurance
• 5% above cost for our high-quality food products
• Employee discounts for travel and events
• 401k
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The Chefs' Warehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment. We are dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce.