Store Chef - Union - AVAILABILITY REQUIRED 4AM TO 11PM

New Seasons Market•Portland, OR

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Store Chef partners with the Prepared Foods Manager to operate the department, including financial stewardship, customer service, department conditions and operations, merchandising, food safety, work safety, communication, and delegation. The position plans and oversees production of Prepared Foods products, provides exceptional customer service, and contributes to a positive, collaborative work environment. It is a union-represented, non-exempt position in the Prepared Foods department for the Oregon/SW Washington region, reporting to the Prepared Foods Manager. The role supports staff through task delegation, training, coaching, and constructive communication. It oversees food preparation and production, inventory and ordering, merchandising, department conditions, and customer service. The position requires work in a grocery-store environment and availability for shifts scheduled according to business needs, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. The stated availability requirement is 4 AM to 11 PM.

Requirements

Previous customer service, food service (such as restaurant or catering), retail, or grocery experience required.
At least 3 years of food production, catering, or kitchen management experience required; high-volume experience preferred.
Previous ordering and inventory management experience required.
Previous large-batch food preparation or production experience required.
Solid knife skills required.
Familiarity with culinary terminology, techniques, and industry-standard equipment required.
Basic math and computation skills required.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel, and ability to learn new computer programs and systems.
Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and multitask in a fast-paced environment.
Self-motivation and high attention to detail, quality, and presentation.
Ability to read, understand, and follow verbal and written instructions and recipes.
Ability to plan, prioritize, and delegate work and to train and coach staff.
Friendly, customer-service-oriented approach and interest in food and cooking.
Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
Must complete and maintain required food and work safety trainings or certifications.
Availability for business-informed scheduling, which may include evening, weekend, and holiday shifts; the job title specifies availability from 4 AM to 11 PM.
Ability to perform the stated physical demands, including frequent standing, walking, bending, crouching, stooping, and hand and wrist use; occasional stair, step-stool, or ladder climbing may be required depending on location.
Ability to occasionally lift 50 pounds and frequently lift or carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Previous supervisory or management experience.
Experience in a high-volume food production, catering, or kitchen environment.
Experience with recipe costing and inventory and ordering systems.
Financial acumen regarding sales and margin.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Prepared Foods Manager to operate all areas of the department.
Prioritize and delegate tasks and production, and assist with training and coaching staff.
Plan and oversee production of Prepared Foods products; follow company recipes and specifications, assess production needs, maintain production levels, and update the production guide.
Respond to production, quality, and consistency issues and report them to the Prepared Foods Manager.
Maintain department conditions and merchandising standards, including stocking, rotation, facing, signage, cleanliness, and category schematics.
Partner with the department manager to maintain satisfactory in-stock conditions and appropriate inventory levels for sales and margin goals.
Order products and ingredients according to business needs and maintain accurate, organized inventory and backstock.
Implement plans for weekly ads, events, and holidays; coordinate with Operations for in-store tastings and support merchandising plans.
Maintain professional vendor relationships and ensure customer special orders are accurately placed and delivered.
Receive and unload merchandise; check quality, count, and condition, and communicate issues to management and the merchandising team.
Prepare food for Prepared Foods stations and cases, observing labeling, dating, storage, expiration dates, and food quality requirements.
Work sauté, grill, pizza oven, and other cook-to-order stations; accurately and promptly process made-to-order customer items.
Assist customers with product selection, packaging, and labeling; share product knowledge and make recommendations based on customer needs.
Ensure department compliance with company organic standards and company invoice, credit, transfer, and inventory procedures.
Support department and store leadership in periodic inventory and handle damaged or spoiled products according to company policy.
Handle escalated customer-service situations, seek solutions, and model and coach friendly, attentive service.
Communicate product information and knowledge to staff and remain aware of industry trends.
Use creativity in merchandising and product utilization to increase sales and minimize waste in accordance with program expectations.
Respond to emails and other communications in a timely manner and support effective communication systems within the department and store.
Follow company and regulatory food-safety and work-safety policies, conserve company resources, maintain equipment, and contribute to store cleanliness.
Promote an inclusive, respectful, collaborative team environment; provide and receive feedback constructively and report staff issues or conflicts to appropriate management or human resources.
Perform other tasks and duties as assigned.