Culinary Operations Manager

Sally’s Apizza•Stamford, CT

About The Position

As a key management team member, the Sr. Culinary Operations Manager collaborates with Leadership, Management, and Store-Level Employees to ensure culinary excellence and operational consistency. This role oversees all aspects of culinary operations, including menu development, recipe execution, cost management, quality control, and staff training. Additionally, this position plays a critical role in new restaurant openings. The Culinary Operations Manager oversees all culinary operations across Sally’s Apizza, ensuring operational consistency, culinary excellence, and brand standards are maintained at every location. This hands-on leadership role involves kitchen systems management and innovation, culinary training development, new location openings, event preparation, and team development both locally and at off-site events across the country. The ideal candidate thrives in dynamic environments, is detail-oriented, and passionate about Italian American cuisine and hospitality.

Requirements

Strong Computer Skills (Microsoft Office, Brink POS preferred)
Ability to calculate theoretical food costs.
Ability to forecast revenue, purchasing, and labor.
English
A minimum of 3 years as a successful leader in a full-service restaurant.
Extensive experience in recipe development, build sheet creation, and BOH operational documentation.
Experience planning and executing food festivals and marketing events of all guest counts.
ServeSafe Certified
Basic Allergy and Choke Training Certified
This is a highly mobile role. You are expected to be circulating throughout all open restaurants outside of your home base a minimum of 80% of your scheduled work week.
You must have a reliable form of transportation.
Must be able to work on your feet for up to 10 hours at a time and can lift up to 50lbs.
Must be able to travel to all locations, based on the needs of the company.
Detail Oriented
Working attentively, thoroughly, and responsibly.
Functional Expertise and Usage
All corporate appropriate systems, finance, and HR management.
Organizational awareness
Possessing and utilizing knowledge about the organization's systems, culture, and procedures to spot potential issues and opportunities.
Oral communication
Effectively formulating and communicating ideas and information.
Ability to eloquently communicate to groups of all sizes.
Financial Awareness
Strong financial acumen for food cost control, inventory management, and labor efficiency
Actively optimizing costs and investments when making financial decisions
Integrity
Upholding generally accepted social and ethical standards in job-related activities and behaviors.

Nice To Haves

Basic Spanish, Portuguese, French-Creole (preferred but not required)

Responsibilities

Embody Sally Apizza core values, culture and brand.
Be an Expert on Sallys Apizza historical evolution.
Oversee culinary operations across multiple restaurant locations.
Ensure consistent execution of recipes, plating, and presentation.
Create, test, and implement new recipes for core menus, seasonal features, and special events.
Develop, maintain, and update build sheets, prep lists, and kitchen systems to standardize operations.
Conduct regular kitchen visits and audits to maintain food quality, cleanliness, and safety standards.
Create and maintain comprehensive build sheets for every menu item, detailing portion sizes, plating instructions and allergen information
Develop and oversee prep lists, production schedules, batch recipes and par level guides for all Back of House operations.
Lead regular documentation audits to ensure systems are properly followed and up to date.
Monitor and manage prep lists, cleaning lists, food cost, labor, inventory, and operational efficiencies.
Partner with purchasing to source and manage ingredients, equipment, and vendor relationships.
Travel as needed to support off-site events and ensure operational execution aligns with company standards.
Partner with the Front of House Leadership to ensure seamless food service and guest satisfaction.
Uphold and enhance the Sally’s Apizza reputation for outstanding Italian American cuisine and service.
Oversee food production systems, inventory management and BOH labor scheduling across all units
Travel as needed to support new store openings, special events and culinary activations.
Participate in new store openings with a focus on training Sally’s culture, core values, history, and brand language.
Conduct Back of House orientation for Sally’s culinary employees..
Provide strategic support to restaurant management by offering shift coverage when needed.
Plan and organize kitchen operations for on-site and off-site events, including festivals, pop-ups, brand activations, and private events both locally and nationally, including placing and receiving orders, coordinating staff for prep and production.