Culinary Lead

Sweetgreen is a nationally recognized restaurant brand dedicated to creating healthier communities by connecting people with real, fresh food. Founded in 2007, Sweetgreen has revolutionized the fast-food experience by focusing on delivering meals that are flavorful, fresh, and prepared with the utmost respect for farmers and communities. Their commitment to sustainability and healthy eating creates a culture where food, people, and purpose align. The company is known for its innovative approach, combining smart kitchen systems with high-quality ingredients and a focus on operational excellence. Sweetgreen prides itself on providing a welcoming, inclusive environment that embraces diversity and equal opportunity for all employees, reflecting their core values of equity and community support across all of their locations and corporate offices.

The Culinary Lead, known internally as the Kitchen Lead, plays an essential role in maintaining the exceptional food standards Sweetgreen is famous for. This role centers on food quality expertise within the kitchen, focusing on how food is prepared, cooked, and presented in every shift. Unlike traditional kitchen leadership positions, this role does not involve personnel management duties such as scheduling or performance reviews. Instead, the Culinary Lead leads by example, emphasizing craft, consistency, and coaching peers in food preparation techniques. They are the go-to individual in the kitchen for food quality and execution, responsible for setting the standard across shifts to ensure customer satisfaction.

The kitchen environment at Sweetgreen is unique, featuring no grills or fryers, instead relying on ovens and other kitchen tools to prepare food meticulously. This reflects the brand’s commitment to healthy, fast-casual dining without compromising food quality or safety. Culinary Leads work closely with Shift Leaders and Managers to uphold strict food safety, cleanliness, and operational standards, helping maintain smooth and efficient kitchen operations even during the busiest periods.

This position offers a clear growth pathway, with high-performing Culinary Leads having the potential to advance to General Manager roles within two to three years. The role is ideal for individuals passionate about food quality who seek leadership responsibility without the full scope of people management. Candidates with high-volume kitchen experience from fast casual, quick service, full-service, or corporate dining environments will fit well into this role. Sweetgreen offers competitive wages, benefits including medical, dental, and vision plans for eligible employees, paid vacation, wellness and parental leave, free meals during each shift, and a 401(k) plan. Working at Sweetgreen means being part of a movement to transform fast food into an experience that values real food and great people, creating healthier futures for everyone involved.