Culinary Lead

Sweetgreen is a forward-thinking national restaurant brand committed to building healthier communities by connecting people with real, fresh food. Since its inception in 2007, Sweetgreen has revolutionized the fast-food industry by emphasizing fresh, flavorful meals that are deeply rooted in relationships with farmers and local communities. The company is driven by a mission to not only serve delicious and nutritious food but also to foster a culture of wellness and sustainability in the fast-casual dining space. Sweetgreen’s growth has been dynamic, and it offers an inclusive environment where people from diverse backgrounds can thrive and contribute to a movement aimed at transforming food culture across the country. Sweetgreen is dedicated to developing its team members, providing opportunities for career progression and personal growth across both its restaurant locations and corporate support centers. The company is committed to equal opportunity employment, ensuring a fair, inclusive workplace without discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, age, race, religious creed, disability, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local law. As part of this commitment, Sweetgreen also participates in the federal E-Verify program to determine employment eligibility.

The Culinary Lead role, known internally as the Kitchen Lead, is a pivotal position within Sweetgreen’s kitchens. This is a hands-on role focused on being the food quality expert in the kitchen, overseeing how food is prepped, cooked, and presented consistently according to Sweetgreen’s high standards. Unlike traditional kitchen roles, this position does not involve managing people through scheduling or performance reviews but rather leading by example through expertise and coaching. The Culinary Lead ensures that every item meets the brand’s strict requirements for flavor, food safety, and presentation, maintaining the integrity of the food experience Sweetgreen is known for. The role entails working with kitchen tools, ovens, and knives — with no grills or fryers involved, emphasizing a cleaner, smarter kitchen environment.

Beyond food preparation, the Culinary Lead plays a proactive role in supporting team members by providing real-time feedback to improve food execution and managing prep timing to maintain smooth kitchen operations during busy periods. This position requires strong attention to detail, environmental awareness, and a passion for maintaining food quality while collaborating with Shift Leaders and Managers to uphold operational excellence and cleanliness. While not a people management role, the kitchen lead is the go-to person during every shift for maintaining food quality and kitchen execution.

Sweetgreen recognizes that the Culinary Lead position is an excellent stepping stone for career advancement within the company. Top-performing Kitchen Leads have a clear pathway to becoming General Managers within two to three years, positioning this role as an essential part of the company’s leadership development model. Along with competitive wages, this role offers a variety of benefits including tips (subject to location), medical, dental, and vision plans for both part-time and full-time employees, paid vacation, wellness time, parental leave, a free meal every shift, 401(k) options, and access to the Team Member Merch Shop.

If you are passionate about food quality, enjoy working in fast-paced high-volume kitchen environments such as fast casual or QSR, and want to take on leadership responsibilities without full people management duties, the Culinary Lead role at Sweetgreen is an exciting opportunity to join a movement rewriting the future of fast food and grow your own career in the process.