Savory Senior Lead

Haymarket; United States; On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Haymarket is seeking a skilled Savory Senior Lead to drive daily prep, uphold food safety, and lead the kitchen when the Savory Chef is away. You will ensure consistent execution of recipes, maintain production schedules, and coach cooks in a fast-paced setting.

In this role you’ll manage inventory, source ingredients, and optimize prep volumes to reduce waste and control costs while maintaining top quality for guests.

Qualifications

• Education: College or culinary degree preferred; high school diploma or equivalent required.
• Experience: Minimum of 2 years in similar leadership roles (Sous Chef, Kitchen Manager, Lead Cook).
• Bonus: High-volume production or commissary kitchen is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Master Recipe Execution: Prepare and cook savory items with technique for identical high-quality results.
• Direct Daily Operations: Co-manage kitchen operations with the Savory Chef; lead when Chef is off-site.
• Train & Coach Cooks: Train team on recipe steps, standards, and consistent presentation.
• Food Safety & HACCP Logs: Complete daily HACCP logs; monitor coolers and temps; ensure sanitation.
• Keep Kitchens Clean & Organized: Maintain a spotless, organized, safe workspace.
• Manage Inventory & Sourcing: Track stock levels; assist sourcing; adjust prep volumes to reduce waste.

Skills

Culinary Technique

Directive Leadership

Food Safety Knowledge

Inventory Control

Task-Focused Communication

Education

College or culinary degree preferred; high school diploma or equivalent required

Job description

Passionate about high culinary standards, recipe precision, and kitchen excellence? Lead our savory kitchen team!

About Us

The legacy of Ashbourne Farms is built on deep agricultural tradition, from breeding Shorthorn cattle to serving original farm-to-table cuisine. Today, that means responsibly raised animals, sustainably grown produce, and true care for our land. Through Haymarket, we celebrate the finest local and global artisans—bringing freshly harvested produce, artisan bread, pasture-raised meats, drive-thru coffee, and prepared foods straight from our soil to our shelves.

We are looking for a skilled, driven, and disciplined Savory Senior Lead to support our Savory Chef and serve as the boots-on-the-ground leader in our kitchen! In this role, you will run daily prep, uphold strict food safety practices, manage production schedules, and ensure every recipe is executed to perfection. When the Chef is away, you take the helm to keep the kitchen clean, organized, and moving with purpose.

If you love a fast-paced environment where your technical culinary expertise shines and you can lead others through precision and consistency, this is the position for you!

What You Will Do

Master Recipe Execution: Prepare and cook savory menu items with skilled culinary technique, ensuring identical, high-quality results every time.

Direct Daily Operations: Co-manage kitchen operations alongside the Savory Chef and step up as the person in charge when the Chef is off-site.

Train & Coach Cooks: Train team members on recipe steps, quality standards, and consistent presentation so the team hits production goals smoothly.

Food Safety & HACCP Logs: Complete daily HACCP logs, monitor walk-in coolers and storage temps, and ensure sanitation standards exceed health codes.

Keep Kitchens Clean & Organized: Maintain a spotless, organized, and safe workspace for our team and ensure high product safety for our guests.

Manage Inventory & Sourcing: Help track stock levels, assist in sourcing product, and adjust prep volumes based on daily business needs to reduce food waste and labor costs.

How We Measure Success

Health and Safety Compliance: Flawless execution of sanitation guidelines, daily HACCP logging, and safety standards to protect our guests and team.

Product Consistency: Executing recipes accurately and repeatedly so our guests receive the exact same outstanding flavor and presentation every single visit.

Kitchen Efficiency: Streamlined prep workflows, accurate inventory controls, and smart time management that eliminate waste and keep labor on target.

Skills & Abilities You Need

Culinary Technique: Strong foundation in both classic and modern culinary techniques.

Directive Leadership: Confident decision-making within standard kitchen guidelines, with the ability to give clear instructions and follow up closely to guarantee quality.

Food Safety Knowledge: Full understanding of commercial kitchen sanitation practices (Certified Food Manager credential preferred).

Inventory Control: Experience managing and rotating large volumes of ingredients to match production schedules.

Task-Focused Communication: Clear, concise communication centered on daily prep lists, efficiency, and solving real-time kitchen bottlenecks.

Education & Experience Requirements

Education: College or culinary degree preferred; high school diploma or equivalent required.

Experience: Minimum of 2 years of experience as a Sous Chef, Kitchen Manager, Lead Cook, or equivalent culinary leadership role.

Bonus Points: Hands-on experience in a high-volume production or commissary kitchen environment is a major plus!

Physical & Workplace Requirements

This is an active, demanding culinary role in a fast-paced production kitchen. You must be able to:

Stand and walk for 8 to 10 hours per shift.

Lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds regularly.

Frequently bend, squat, twist, reach, and perform repetitive fine motor tasks (cutting, slicing, grasping).

Safely operate kitchen tools and equipment, including commercial knives, ladders, and pallet jacks.

Work around extreme heat (ovens reaching 200°F–500°F) and freezing temps (walk-in coolers and freezers below 32°F).

Work in wet and dry conditions with exposure to FDA-approved sanitizers, degreasers, and detergents.

Travel and make product drop-offs to local markets or stores as needed.

Work a flexible schedule including early mornings, nights, weekends, and holidays based on operational needs.

Haymarket is committed to creating an inclusive workplace and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.