Wellness Kitchen Lead - Founding Team

Yora Nordic Spa; Portland (CT); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

Wellness privileges

Discounted experiences

Bistro discounts

Learning & development

Job summary

Yora Nordic Spa in Portland, CT is looking for a Kitchen Manager to join our founding leadership team as we prepare to open in November 2026. You will recruit, lead and develop the Kitchen team and ensure food is fresh, beautifully presented and produced to spec.

You will partner with the Food & Beverage Manager, manage costs and schedules, maintain safety standards and help deliver a wellness-focused guest experience in a fast-paced kitchen environment.

Qualifications

• Three to five years of progressive culinary leadership in hospitality or wellness-focused dining.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing high-performing kitchen teams.
• Strong knowledge of food production, kitchen systems and food safety standards.
• Experience managing labor, scheduling, inventory, purchasing and budgets.
• Strong financial awareness and operational planning skills.
• Excellent communication, coaching, organization and problem-solving.
• Proficiency with inventory management, scheduling software, Microsoft Office and restaurant tech.
• Hands-on, calm leadership style for a fast-paced kitchen.
• A genuine interest in creating fresh, nourishing food contributing to guest wellbeing.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, onboard, coach and develop a high-performing Kitchen team.
• Lead daily kitchen operations with organization and efficiency.
• Ensure menu items are fresh, well-presented and prepared to specs.
• Manage production planning, scheduling, labor, inventory, equipment and budgets.
• Ensure health-department compliance and food-safety standards.
• Conduct regular kitchen inspections and safety audits.
• Maintain proper food storage, labeling, rotation and temperature control.
• Provide a safe working environment and train on equipment and emergencies.
• Collaborate with Front of House and Maintenance for a seamless guest experience.
• Respond to guest feedback and service recovery opportunities.
• Manage food cost, waste and operating expenses without compromising quality.
• Manage purchasing and vendor relationships for quality and value.
• Execute culinary programs and provide operational feedback for improvement.
• Use feedback and data to improve kitchen operations.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Team leadership

Food production

Labor budgeting

Financial awareness

Communication

Inventory systems

Scheduling software

Hands-on leadership

Wellbeing food focus

Tools

Microsoft Office

Restaurant technology systems

Scheduling software

Job description

Yora Nordic Spa in Portland, CT is looking for a Kitchen Manager to join our founding leadership team as we prepare to open in November 2026. You will recruit, lead and develop the Kitchen team and ensure food is fresh, beautifully presented and produced to spec.

You will partner with the Food & Beverage Manager, manage costs and schedules, maintain safety standards and help deliver a wellness-focused guest experience in a fast-paced kitchen environment.