Princeton - Kitchen Lead

sweetgreen•Princeton, NJ

5d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Culinary Lead (what we call a Kitchen Lead at Sweetgreen), you are the food quality expert in the kitchen. You own how our food is prepped, cooked, and presented—and you lead by example through craft, coaching, and consistency. This is not a people manager role. You won’t write schedules or run performance reviews. You will set the standard for how food gets made every single shift. You are not running the shift alone; you are the go-to person for food quality and kitchen execution. And unlike traditional restaurant kitchens: No grills. No fryers. Just kitchens, smart systems, and real food done right. Join our movement to rewrite the future of fast food and grow your own future too! Top-performing Kitchen Leads have a clear path to General Manager within 2-3 years.

Requirements

Love being in the kitchen and take pride in food quality, consistency, and clean execution
Want leadership responsibility without full people management
Enjoy training peers and getting them excited about new menu launches
Have experience in high-volume kitchens (fast casual, QSR, full service, or corporate dining all welcome)
Meet all physical requirements for all roles within the Kitchen Lead career path, including Team Member.
Comfortable working on your feet
Maintain attention to detail and environmental awareness during operations
Use touch to assess quality and complete detail-oriented tasks
Routinely handling items up to 5-25 lbs, and occasionally handling items 40-50 lbs
Food safety knowledge (Food Handler or ServSafe certification)
Able to follow food safety, cleanliness, and quality standards
Must be available to work a minimum of 30 hours per week
Must be 18 years of age or older
Must be authorized to work in the United States

Responsibilities

Own food quality by ensuring every item meets sweetgreen’s standards for flavor, food safety, and presentation
Prep and cook hot food to standard using knives, kitchen tools, and ovens (no flames, no fryer oil)
Help teammates improve food execution through real-time feedback
Stay ahead of volume by managing prep timing and par levels to keep the kitchen running smoothly
Be the advocate for food quality on shift, spotting issues early and fixing them fast
Partner with Shift Leaders and Managers to uphold food safety, cleanliness, and operational excellence