La Jolla - Kitchen Lead

Sweetgreen • San Diego, CA

245d

About The Position

As a Kitchen Lead you will be an ambassador for our mission: building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. The Kitchen Lead position serves as the backbone of our restaurant's hot food preparation, ensuring every guest receives high-quality, properly cooked, and well-presented food. This role requires exceptional culinary skills, leadership abilities, and operational awareness to manage the full cycle of kitchen operations throughout different service periods. When you join Sweetgreen, you are joining our movement of rewriting the future of fast food. And you won't just grow the planet's future-you grow your own. We're passionate about growing our teams internally - our top-performing team members can reach General Manager in 36 months!

Requirements

• Must be available to work a minimum of 30 hours per week
• You must be 18 years of age or older
• Must be authorized to work in the United States
• Previous kitchen or restaurant experience
• Knowledge of proper food safety handling procedures
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment
• Strong time management and multitasking abilities
• Basic understanding of inventory management
• Reliable attendance and punctuality
• Attention to detail and commitment to quality
• Effective verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

• Prior hot line cooking experience
• Food Handler or ServSafe certification
• Experience with high-volume food production
• Training or leadership experience
• Ability to anticipate needs and solve problems proactively
• Strong organization and prioritization skills
• Passion for food quality and consistency
• Experience working with kitchen management tools

Responsibilities

• Ensure kitchen is clean, organized, and well-stocked throughout service
• Cook and prep hot food items according to recipes and quality standards
• Maintain food safety protocols including proper FIFO rotation
• Conduct regular taste tests to validate food quality
• Manage oven capacity and maintenance for optimal food production
• Coordinate with MOD, Cold Prep, and Service teams throughout shifts
• Support seamless transitions between AM and PM operations
• Record waste due to quality or expiration issues
• Run hot food during off-peak periods and support other stations as needed
• Lead food tastings and midday quality checks
• Assist with new menu training and implementation
• Process receiving orders and report shortages or quality issues

Benefits

• We reward Hospitality! Team Members are eligible for Tips depending on their role and location
• Competitive wages - Team Members earn raises for learning new skills
• Medical, dental, & vision plan options for part-time and full-time Team Members
• Paid Vacation + Wellness time
• Paid parental leave
• 401k
• Free healthy and delicious shift meals
• Access to our SG Swag Marketplace - earn and buy custom swag
• And much more

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Food Services and Drinking Places
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees