Culinary Lead

Sweetgreen is a renowned national restaurant brand committed to building healthier communities by connecting people to real, fresh food. Since its inception in 2007, Sweetgreen has revolutionized the fast food industry by emphasizing fresh, flavorful menu items rooted in strong relationships with farmers and local communities. The brand prides itself on creating spaces where food, people, and purpose seamlessly come together, offering customers not just a meal but a meaningful dining experience. Sweetgreen is dedicated to the growth and development of its employees across both restaurant locations and corporate support centers, ensuring that everyone who joins the team is part of a larger movement toward healthier living and sustainable food practices. The company also embraces diversity and inclusion, providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees without discrimination based on gender, age, race, religion, disability, or any protected status. Sweetgreen actively participates in the federal E-Verify program to ensure lawful employment eligibility.

The Culinary Lead role, referred to internally as a Kitchen Lead, is a vital position within Sweetgreen’s kitchen operations. This role is not a traditional people management job; rather, it focuses specifically on food quality and kitchen execution. As the food quality expert, the Culinary Lead is responsible for overseeing how food is prepped, cooked, and presented during every shift. This involves setting and maintaining high standards for flavor, food safety, and presentation, ensuring that every item meets Sweetgreen’s exacting criteria. Unlike many traditional restaurant kitchens, Sweetgreen’s kitchens do not use grills or fryers but rely on smart systems and ovens to create wholesome and high-quality meals.

The Culinary Lead plays a hands-on role, working directly in the kitchen to prepare and cook hot foods using knives, kitchen tools, and ovens. They provide real-time coaching and feedback to teammates, helping elevate the overall food execution standards. This position requires managing prep timing and stock levels (par levels) to keep operations running smoothly, anticipating busy periods and staying ahead of volume demands. The lead acts as an advocate for food quality on shift, quickly identifying and resolving any issues to maintain operational excellence. This role collaborates closely with Shift Leaders and Managers to enforce food safety and cleanliness standards and ensure a consistently excellent guest experience.

The Culinary Lead position offers an excellent opportunity for individuals who have a passion for food quality, take pride in consistent and clean kitchen operations, and enjoy leadership through example without the responsibility of full people management. It is a perfect fit for those with prior experience in high-volume kitchens, whether in fast casual, quick service, full service, or corporate dining settings. Sweetgreen supports career growth, with top-performing Kitchen Leads often progressing to General Manager roles within 2-3 years. Alongside competitive wages, this role offers comprehensive benefits for part-time and full-time team members including medical, dental, vision insurance options, paid vacation, wellness time, parental leave, and a 401(k) plan. Employees also receive a free meal every shift and have access to a team member merchandise shop to earn and purchase custom Sweetgreen gear.

This dynamic and rewarding role invites enthusiastic candidates to join Sweetgreen’s mission to rewrite the future of fast food, champion real food quality, and be part of a movement that promotes health, sustainability, and community-focused dining experiences.