Kitchen Manager - Berkeley Culinary Center

Whitsons Culinary Group•Berkeley, IL

About The Position

The Kitchen Manager oversees daily kitchen operations and ensures the consistent delivery of high-quality food while meeting food safety, sanitation, and regulatory standards. The role leads and develops kitchen staff and manages food preparation, inventory, purchasing, scheduling, and sanitation to support efficient, safe, and productive operations. The Kitchen Manager optimizes food costs, labor utilization, and waste reduction while upholding Whitsons' quality standards and promoting safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. The position is full-time and exempt. It may require extended hours, including evenings and/or weekends, travel to multiple work sites, and occasional out-of-state travel. Work is performed primarily in a manufacturing and warehouse environment, including packing and warehousing areas. The role involves standing for most of the workday, moving in and out of storerooms, working near heavy machinery and freezers, exposure to hot and cold temperatures, and moderate-to-loud noise.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Minimum of 3 years of kitchen or food service management experience.
Experience overseeing operations using advanced cooking, chilling, and food production equipment.
Knowledge and experience managing kitchens equipped with state-of-the-art cooking and chilling systems.
Experience training and leading teams in the safe and effective use of advanced kitchen equipment and technologies.
ServSafe or Local Food Handlers Ordinance certification.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and X3.
Ability to manage and train staff.

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor's degree or culinary certificate.
HACCP certification.
Bilingual Spanish.

Responsibilities

Oversee daily kitchen operations to ensure timely, accurate, and efficient food production.
Hire kitchen staff, purchase food and stock, and ensure team members are trained in food preparation and kitchen safety.
Ensure food is prepared according to approved recipes, batch specifications, weights, and yields, and meets Whitsons' appearance, proportion, and quality standards.
Monitor cooking, cooling, and handling processes for consistency, quality, and food safety compliance.
Supervise, train, and develop kitchen staff in food preparation, kitchen safety, and equipment use.
Monitor staff performance and provide coaching, feedback, and corrective action as needed.
Coordinate onboarding and ongoing training to support staff competency, standard operating procedure compliance, and quality and productivity expectations.
Enforce food safety, sanitation, and applicable regulatory standards; develop and follow a regular sanitation schedule and ensure food is disposed of properly.
Ensure proper food handling, storage, labeling, and documentation, and maintain readiness for internal and regulatory audits.
Ensure compliance with the facility's HACCP/Food Safety Plan, including monitoring Critical Control Points, allergen management, environmental monitoring, and cross-contact prevention.
Manage food cost, waste, and labor hours, and track yield, labor efficiency, and waste-reduction indicators.
Identify operational efficiency improvements without compromising food safety or quality, and support labor planning and staffing adjustments based on production needs.
Monitor inventory and purchasing to minimize shortages and excess inventory while meeting production requirements.