Kitchen Manager

Concordia College • Bemidji, MN

46d • $21 - $25 • Onsite

About The Position

The Kitchen Manager provides hands-on leadership for culinary operations at Concordia Language Villages, supporting immersive language and cultural programs through food. The role leads day-to-day kitchen operations, supports and develops culinary staff, coordinates food production and resources, and works with language program leadership to create high-quality, culturally authentic dining experiences for participants.

The Kitchen Manager coordinates staff and resources across complex culinary operations, develops schedules, assigns work, responds to changing staffing needs, and ensures kitchens have the food, supplies, and equipment required. The role manages inventory and purchasing, develops menus and recipes with program leadership, and helps ensure consistent service, food quality, sanitation, safety, and budget standards. The position also supervises culinary team members, participates in recruiting and hiring, and provides coaching, training, feedback, performance management, and professional development.

This is a year-round, full-time, hourly non-exempt staff position in Bemidji, Minnesota. The schedule varies and includes early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays based on program needs.

Requirements

• Must be 18 years old or older.
• Substantial progressively responsible food service management experience involving leadership of complex culinary operations.
• Prior experience supervising, coaching, and developing supervisors, managers, or other operational leaders.
• Experience with staffing, employee training and development, and performance management.
• Experience coordinating staffing, resources, and operations across multiple food-service units, locations, programs, or similarly complex operations.
• Experience with inventory management, purchasing, operational planning, menu development, and recipe management.
• Availability to work a varied schedule, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays, based on program needs.
• Must possess a ServSafe certificate or similar food safety course certificate, or pass the ServSafe exam within the first twelve months of employment.
• Strong leadership and team-development skills, including the ability to supervise, coach, and develop employees and supervisory-level staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities and operational demands simultaneously.
• Knowledge of food production, inventory management, purchasing, kitchen operations, food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to analyze operational issues and develop practical solutions.
• Ability to work effectively independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Proficiency with basic computer applications, including email, spreadsheets, and document management systems.
• Commitment to cultural authenticity, participant experience, continuous improvement, workforce development, and operational excellence.

Nice To Haves

• Degree or formal training in culinary arts, food service management, hospitality management, business administration, or a related field.
• Experience developing and implementing staff training or professional development programs.
• Experience working in camp, conference, collegiate dining, hospitality, institutional food service, or similar environments.
• Experience with culturally diverse or international cuisines.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day kitchen operations, including food preparation, cooking, service, cleanup, food quality, sanitation, and food safety.
• Coordinate staff and resources by developing schedules, assigning daily work, responding to changing staffing needs, and ensuring kitchens have the food, supplies, and equipment needed to operate effectively.
• Develop and support culinary staff through hands-on coaching, training, feedback, performance management, and professional development.
• Create culturally authentic menus and recipes in partnership with language program leadership, balancing program goals, participant experience, and budgetary considerations.
• Manage inventory and purchasing, including maintaining appropriate inventories and ensuring food, supplies, and smallwares are ordered and organized in a timely manner.
• Supervise culinary team members, participate in recruiting and hiring, address performance concerns, and help ensure compliance with safety and food-service standards.
• Build strong partnerships with language program leadership to gather feedback about food and develop menus that support the curricular and cultural immersion goals of each program.
• Lead and coordinate multiple food-service operations while maintaining service, safety, quality, and budget standards.
• Develop and implement systems that create consistency across independently operating teams and locations.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Health Savings Account
• Flexible Spending Account
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Preventative Chiropractic Program
• Retirement Plan
• Long-Term Disability Insurance (full-time only)
• Life Insurance (full-time only)
• 13 paid holidays, including time off between Christmas and New Year's
• Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave
• Up to 100% tuition with discounts and scholarships for the employee and dependents at Concordia College and Concordia Language Villages
• Up to 50% tuition discount for dependents with Oak Grove Lutheran Schools
• Up to 100% tuition discounts for dependents with participating partners: CIC-TEP, ELCA schools, and Tuition Exchange Inc.
• Access to athletic facilities, library, fitness classes, athletic events, theatre events, campus dining for purchase, and free MATbus rides

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed