CULINARY PROGRAM MANAGER - CENTRAL KITCHEN
About The Position
The Culinary Program Manager plays a pivotal role in the menu and product programming in the Prepared Foods and Bakery Departments at Uwajimaya. This position bridges culinary creation with retail store execution. They will design authentic recipes for both central kitchen and stores and ensure teams cook and merchandise them perfectly. This role owns the financial performance of owned categories and programs: advising on assortment, creating product development strategy, launch strategy, execution and ultimate profitability. With two new stores planned to open in 2027, this role will be a crucial part of creating new programs and supporting the successful execution from scratch. The job will require at least 50% time in facilities and stores in Washington and Oregon.
Requirements
- Bachelors degree as well as Culinary degree or training or equivalent experience.
- 2 years minimum in a management role of a professional kitchen, preferably in large batch production.
- Experience in multiunit retail merchandising also required.
- Deep knowledge of Asian flavor profiles, traditional ingredients, and modern grocery food trends.
- Experience in the commercialization of retail food products and familiarity with labeling and regulatory requirements.
- Proven track record of training diverse, cross-functional kitchen teams and creating easy-to-follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Bilingual capability (e.g., Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Japanese, or Spanish) is highly valued for staff training.
- High attention to detail, obsessively organized, and demonstrated track record of independent project management and successful delivery.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel; experience with data systems and financial reporting.
- Strong communication and the ability to align key partners: retail teams, cross functional partners and senior leadership.
- Ability to take and implement feedback quickly and clearly.
- Ability to confidently make independent decisions and back up decisions with data and evidence.
Nice To Haves
- At least 50% time in facilities and stores in Washington and Oregon.
Responsibilities
- Create, test, and standardize authentic Asian recipes optimized for large-scale central kitchen production or for store production and finishing.
- Launch new items directly into retail stores by designing clear assembly guides plating, planograms and merchandising standards. Advise employees and senior management on creating implementation plan.
- Conduct hands-on training with kitchen staff to ensure consistency in cooking techniques, portion control, and presentation.
- Advise cross-team partners and senior leadership on financial strategy and KPIs, including sales and margin targets for their owned programs and impact on company-wide sales goals.
- Audit store operations to fix bottleneck issues, reduce food waste, and improve kitchen efficiency. Advise and create plans
- Work with Buyer and stores to select and align raw ingredients purchases. components from the central kitchen to retail departments.
- Partner with Food Safety Manager to create and maintain strict food safety, allergen labeling, and temperature controls at both the central kitchen and retail levels.
- Other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Paid holidays from day one
- Excellent medical, dental, and vision benefits
- A generous retirement plan
- Paid time off, long-term disability, and life insurance
- Employee discounts on food and gift items
- Supplemental insurance options
- Opportunities for growth and advancement
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
