Culinary Operations Manager

Fresh Kitchen is revolutionizing the concept of fast food by delivering real, high-quality food made from scratch, using ingredients and standards you can truly feel good about. As a modern restaurant brand, Fresh Kitchen stands out through its commitment to purity and nutrition, featuring 100% pure olive oil instead of seed oils, hand-cut vegetables, antibiotic and hormone-free meats, responsibly sourced seafood, and a 100% gluten-free recipe lineup. This dedication to quality forms the foundation of their philosophy, which they proudly call Good Food Forever.

Founded with an ambitious vision to grow to 100 remarkable restaurants by 2034, Fresh Kitchen integrates a strong focus on both people and culture alongside their rigorous attention to food quality and operational performance. This balance defines their brand and their workplace environment, making Fresh Kitchen an inspiring place for culinary professionals passionate about their craft and committed to building something enduring.

The role of Culinary Operations Manager is a pivotal leadership position within the establishment, responsible primarily for overseeing the back-of-house operations. This role is designed for a hands-on leader who is deeply involved with daily kitchen activities, ensuring that the product quality, execution speed, consistency, and kitchen flow meet the highest standards every single shift. This role demands a well-rounded individual who can manage food safety, maintain strict sanitation and readiness protocols, and ensure no shortcuts are taken on standards.

Furthermore, the Culinary Operations Manager is the driving force behind the kitchen team culture, focusing on staff hiring, coaching, accountability, ongoing training, and team development. They optimize costs through tight inventory controls, accurate pars, waste reduction, and strong labor deployment strategies to maintain smart scheduling with the right personnel in the right roles. This person works closely with the Managing Partner, Assistant Culinary Manager, and the Restaurant Operations Manager to align kitchen operations smoothly with front-of-house activities, online ordering systems, and catering demands.

Essentially, the Culinary Operations Manager operates with an ownership mentality: disciplined, well-organized, people-first, and consistently raising the bar of excellence. They set the tone for every shift and lead by example with a calm yet fast-paced leadership style. Their ability to build and maintain systems that standardize speed, quality, and consistent outcomes is key to making every shift a success. They ensure that quality food is delivered in every bowl while fostering a high-performance kitchen culture based on trust, accountability, and pride.

This career opportunity offers a competitive salary ranging from $65,000 to $75,000 annually plus an 8-12% profit-sharing bonus, along with benefits such as affordable group health, vision and dental plans, and a 401(k) match. The company is also dedicated to supporting career growth, offering strong leadership development programs and a culture that values inclusive people practices. Ready-made meals during shifts, a balanced work-life schedule with progressive paid time off, closures on nine holidays, and a values-driven workplace atmosphere emphasize the well-rounded employee experience at Fresh Kitchen.

If you are a talented culinary professional with over five years of management experience in a high-volume, food-centric environment, and if you excel in fast-paced kitchens with an eye for detail in food quality, operations, and people management, Fresh Kitchen is the place to take your career forward. With a strong ethos of coaching, problem-solving, and building systems that work, this role offers you a chance to truly own your kitchen and be part of a growing, innovative food brand that cares deeply about its people and its product.