Scratch Kitchen Manager

Goodwin Recruiting; Portland (ME); On-site; USD 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Dining discounts

Meaningful creative input into menus

Mentor culinary team

Hands-on role connected to cooking

Chef-driven environment

Influence kitchen systems and workflow

Job summary

Goodwin Recruiting in Wells, ME is seeking a Kitchen Manager / Sous Chef to lead a creative, high-energy kitchen while staying hands-on and cooking.

You'll develop cooks, improve execution, and influence seasonal menus, specials, and the culinary direction in a chef-driven, entrepreneurial environment.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of kitchen management, chef, or culinary leadership experience.
• Current ServSafe Certification.
• Strong cooking fundamentals and scratch-cooking experience.
• Experience training and developing kitchen staff.
• Working knowledge of food cost, purchasing, inventory, scheduling, and labor management.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily execution across an integrated kitchen including on-site food truck and prep areas.
• Develop seasonal specials, menu features, and creative food offerings.
• Coach cooks to improve technique, consistency, speed, and ownership.
• Coordinate production and prep between multiple kitchen work areas.
• Maintain consistent standards for flavor, presentation, quality, and execution.
• Identify opportunities to improve kitchen organization, systems, workflow, and efficiency.
• Balance creativity with food cost and operational execution.

Skills

Kitchen management

ServSafe Certification

Scratch-cooking

Staff training

Food cost & scheduling

Job description

Kitchen Manager / Sous Chef

Wells, Maine | $75,000-$80,000 | Full-Time

Looking for a culinary leadership role where you can still actually cook? This is an opportunity for a hands-on chef to lead a creative, high-energy kitchen while having real input into seasonal specials, artisan pizza, and the overall culinary direction.

This is not a desk-based management role. You'll work alongside the team during prep and service while developing cooks, improving execution, and keeping the kitchen running at a high level.

Benefits and Compensation

• $75,000-$80,000 annual salary
• Paid time off
• Dining discounts
• Meaningful creative input into menus and specials
• Opportunity to develop and mentor a culinary team
• Hands-on role that keeps you connected to cooking and service
• Creative, chef-driven environment
• Opportunity to influence kitchen systems, workflow, and culinary direction

Requirements & Qualifications

• 3+ years of kitchen management, chef, or culinary leadership experience
• Current ServSafe Certification
• Strong cooking fundamentals and scratch-cooking experience
• Experience training and developing kitchen staff
• Working knowledge of food cost, purchasing, inventory, scheduling, and labor management
• Willingness to actively cook, prep, and work service alongside the team

Must Haves

• Lead daily execution across an integrated kitchen that includes a permanently on-site food truck, indoor prep kitchen, and kitchen extension
• Develop seasonal specials, menu features, and creative food offerings
• Coach cooks to improve technique, consistency, speed, and ownership
• Coordinate production and prep between multiple kitchen work areas
• Maintain consistent standards for flavor, presentation, quality, and execution
• Identify opportunities to improve kitchen organization, systems, workflow, and efficiency
• Balance creativity with food cost and operational execution

Preferred Background & Skills

• Artisan or wood-fired pizza experience
• Chef-driven or elevated casual dining background
• Scratch-kitchen experience
• Experience working with local or seasonal ingredients
• Food truck experience
• Menu development and recipe creation
• Experience building or developing culinary teams
• Comfortable working in an entrepreneurial, creative environment

JOB ID: 182549#post