Associate Chef

Sweetgreen is a prominent national restaurant brand that has been dedicated to promoting healthier communities since its inception in 2007. Known for its innovative approach to fast food, Sweetgreen focuses on serving fresh, flavorful meals that highlight real food ingredients sourced through strong relationships with farmers and local communities. As a leader in the fast-casual dining space, Sweetgreen reimagines fast food by prioritizing transparency, sustainability, and wellness, setting new standards for healthier eating habits in the industry. The company is also deeply committed to creating an inclusive work environment that values diversity, equal opportunity, and employee development across its restaurant locations and corporate support centers. Sweetgreen encourages employees to be part of a larger movement where food, people, and purpose converge, cultivating a community that embraces connection through real, nutritious food. This commitment extends to providing equal employment opportunities without discrimination based on gender, race, religion, disability, or veteran status, ensuring every team member feels valued and supported.

The Culinary Lead role at Sweetgreen, also known as the Kitchen Lead, plays a crucial part in maintaining and elevating the brand’s food quality standards. This position is ideal for individuals passionate about food craftsmanship and consistency but who may not be interested in traditional people management responsibilities such as scheduling or conducting performance reviews. As a Culinary Lead, you become the expert in how food is prepped, cooked, and presented in the kitchen, setting the standard for every shift. The iconography of the kitchen environment at Sweetgreen is unique compared to conventional kitchens — there are no grills or fryers, just well-organized kitchens powered by smart systems to create real food done right. Your daily duties will involve hands-on food preparation and cooking using knives, kitchen tools, and ovens, ensuring every dish meets Sweetgreen’s strict criteria for flavor, food safety, and presentation.

The Culinary Lead is responsible not just for food quality, but also for coaching teammates on food execution, providing real-time feedback, and managing the timing of food prep to keep the kitchen running efficiently during high-volume service. Although this is not a managerial role, strong leadership qualities are essential, as you will partner closely with Shift Leaders and Managers to uphold standards related to food safety, cleanliness, and overall operational excellence. Sweetgreen promotes career growth internally, and high-performing Kitchen Leads have clear opportunities to advance to General Manager roles within two to three years. This role offers competitive wages, the chance to earn tips depending on location, medical and wellness benefits for both part-time and full-time employees, paid vacation and parental leave, a free meal every shift, and access to a 401(k) plan and exclusive team merchandise. If you have experience working in fast-paced kitchen environments, love to lead by example, and are passionate about food quality, this role is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact while advancing your culinary career within a visionary company.