Culinary Lead

Sweetgreen is a national restaurant brand dedicated to building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. Founded in 2007, Sweetgreen has redefined fast food by focusing on fresh, flavorful meals that are rooted in strong relationships with farmers and local communities. The company is known for its commitment to sustainability, quality ingredients, and an innovative approach to healthy dining. Sweetgreen operates modern fast casual kitchens that emphasize food quality through smart systems and clean execution, moving away from traditional restaurant setups with grills and fryers. As Sweetgreen grows, it continues to nurture the development of its team members, providing opportunities for career advancement within a supportive, mission-driven environment.

The Culinary Lead, also referred to as the Kitchen Lead, is a critical role within Sweetgreen that focuses on food quality and kitchen execution. This is not a traditional people management position; instead, the Culinary Lead acts as the food quality expert on shift, leading by example through craftsmanship, coaching, and consistent execution. They are responsible for owning how food is prepped, cooked, and presented in the kitchen, ensuring that every dish meets Sweetgreen's high standards for flavor, food safety, and presentation. This role involves working hands-on in the kitchen with knives, tools, and ovens — but notably without the use of grills or fryer oil, reflecting Sweetgreen's approach to healthier cooking.

As a Culinary Lead, you will not manage schedules or conduct performance reviews, but you will be the go-to person on your shift for maintaining food standards and kitchen operational excellence. You'll collaborate closely with Shift Leaders and Managers to uphold food safety, cleanliness, and overall kitchen efficiency. Key responsibilities include managing prep timing and inventory par levels to ensure smooth operations and providing real-time feedback to teammates to help improve food execution. This role is ideal for individuals who love working in the kitchen, take pride in quality and consistency, and desire a leadership position without full people management responsibilities.

Furthermore, this position offers a clear path to advancement, with top-performing Kitchen Leads having the opportunity to become General Managers within 2-3 years. Sweetgreen values the development of its employees and offers a range of perks and benefits including competitive wages, tips (depending on location and role), medical, dental, and vision insurance options for both part-time and full-time team members, paid vacation, wellness time, parental leave, free meals during each shift, a 401(k) plan, and access to a team member merch shop where employees can earn and purchase custom Sweetgreen gear. This role requires a minimum commitment of 30 hours per week and candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

Sweetgreen promotes an inclusive work environment that values diversity and equal opportunity for all employees and applicants. The company is committed to nondiscrimination on any protected characteristics under federal, state, or local law. For applicants residing in California, Sweetgreen provides an applicant privacy notice, and the company participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm employment eligibility. Accommodation requests are welcomed as permitted by law.

Joining Sweetgreen as a Culinary Lead means becoming part of a movement to revolutionize fast food by prioritizing health, community, and purpose. This role is perfect for passionate kitchen professionals who want to grow their careers in a vibrant, mission-oriented company dedicated to making a positive difference through real food and exceptional service.