Supervisor Operations - Cold Food

LSG Lufthansa Service Holding AG; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

SkyChefs in Des Plaines, IL is seeking a Supervisor Operations to lead the Cold Food Department, ensuring safe, efficient, and timely preparation of high‑quality cold meals for airline catering.

You will supervise a team of 20+ hourly employees, manage inventory, enforce HACCP, FDA, USDA and OSHA standards, and partner with other departments to maintain production goals and food safety.

Qualifications

• Associates/Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 1–3 years of supervisory experience in food production or catering.
• Strong leadership and communication skills with ability to manage 20+ hourly staff.
• Familiarity with OSHA, GMP, FDA, USDA and EPA regulations.

Responsibilities

• Supervise the Cold Food Department and coordinate with other department leaders.
• Ensure staffing and delivery times meet production requirements.
• Monitor material, productivity, overtime and labor costs against goals.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, OSHA, HACCP, EPA standards.
• Lead staff development and conduct performance evaluations.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Staff management

Education

Associates/Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Job Title:Supervisor Operations - Cold Food
Job Location:Des Plaines-USA-60016
Work Location Type:On-Site
Salary Range:$59,796.82 - 74,746.03

About us

Since 1942, SkyChefs has taken culinary excellence to new heights. As a trusted partner to the nation’s leading airlines and retailers, we proudly deliver millions of meals and exceptional service experiences every year across 43 sites throughout the United States. Built on a legacy of operational excellence, culinary expertise, and continuous innovation, we are committed to setting the industry standard in aviation culinary, airline services, last-mile logistics, and retail commerce. From the kitchen to the runway, our teams work together to deliver quality, reliability, and service at every altitude. Our people are the heart of everything we do. At SkyChefs, a career is more than a job – it’s an opportunity to grow, lead, and make an impact in a fast-paced, team-driven environment. Join America’s first, foremost, and finest and take your career to new heights.

Role Purpose Statement

At SkyChefs, the Supervisor Operations for the Cold Food Department plays a critical role in leading daily production activities to ensure the safe, efficient, and timely preparation of high-quality cold food items for airline catering.This position is responsible for supervising a team of kitchen staff, ensuring that all cold food items are prepared efficiently and meet quality standards. The supervisor will also manage inventory, monitor the adherence to food safety protocols, and work collaboratively with other departments to ensure seamless operations. The ideal candidate will have strong leadership skills, a deep understanding of food production processes, and a commitment to maintaining high standards of cleanliness and safety.

Main Accountabilities

• Responsible for supervising the Cold Food Department and working closely with other department leaders
• Ensure that the area of responsibility is properly organized, staffed and directed and that all delivery times are being met timely
• Maintains all financial goals related to material, productivity, overtime, and labor goals
• Ensure compliance with all government regulatory agencies standards (example: Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), etc.)
• Document and follow up on all department processes in order to implement improvements
• Other duties as deemed necessary

Leadership

• Guide, motivate and develop staff
• Responsible for performance evaluation, coaching, counseling and preparing corrective action for employees and liaises appropriately with HR and other support functions
• Manage productivity hours and costs in the area of responsibility; initiate and steer corrective actions
• Participate and support company sponsored initiatives such as Quality, HACCP, Lean Manufacturing, Employee Safety and Production systems

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Associates/Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• In addition, one to three years of supervisory experience in a food production and restaurant or catering environment or equivalent experience
• Food handling and food safety knowledge experience
• Must have strong and effective leadership and communication skills and the ability to successfully manage a staff of 20+ hourly employees
• Candidate must be comfortable with all levels of employees and have the ability to drive positive program change.
• Ability to give negative and positive feedback to employees on a daily basis
• Working knowledge of OSHA, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), FDA, USDA and EPA regulations
• Excellent verbal, written and organizational skills required along with the ability to multi-task
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office and Windows-based computer applications

SkyChefs is an EEO and ... Women/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.

SkyChefs is an EEO and ... Women/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.