Food Service - Kitchen Manager

Winston-Salem, NC, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Compensation

Hourly

Range $19.00 - $21.00

Work Schedule

Weekend Shifts

Night Shifts

Benefits

Paid Time Off

Medical insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life insurance

401(k) Plan

paid bereavement

meal plan

Employee Discounts

Tuition Discount

Holiday pay

Paid sick leave

on-demand pay

Job Description

SSA Group has been a trusted partner in the hospitality industry for over 50 years, specializing in designing seamless hospitality experiences for cultural attractions. This company expertly integrates admissions, culinary services, and retail with innovative strategies and a strong focus on human connection. Their service model, known as 452 Hospitality, emphasizes the importance of creating special moments that leave lasting impressions on guests and clients alike. SSA Group is dedicated to operational intelligence, people-centric values, and technological innovation, distinguishing itself as a leader in the hospitality sector. The company’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and community-focused hospitality makes it a dynamic and fulfilling place to work for professionals who are passionate about excellence and guest satisfaction.

The role of Kitchen Manager at SSA Group is a critical leadership position that reports directly to the Food Service Operations Manager(s) and the Executive Chef. This full-time, non-exempt role offers eligibility for overtime pay and includes a comprehensive benefits package. The Kitchen Manager will be responsible for overseeing all back-of-house (BOH) kitchen operations, ensuring that the restaurant is adequately prepped, staffed, and operating smoothly each day. Key aspects of the position include enforcing food safety and quality standards, supervising kitchen personnel, maintaining equipment, and fostering a positive teamwork environment.

The Kitchen Manager plays a vital role in embodying the company’s 452 Hospitality philosophy by delivering warm, welcoming, and memorable experiences for every guest and client. This includes managing kitchen duties to meet and exceed quick service and food service standards, handling safety logs like food temperatures and waste management, and ensuring proper hygiene protocols such as uniform standards and handwashing are rigorously followed. Additionally, the manager supports safety training initiatives, particularly in knife handling, and actively participates in daily kitchen prep and service operations to ensure efficiency.

Leadership responsibilities extend to training new employees, issuing performance reviews, managing attendance records, conducting routine maintenance checks, and coordinating with other managerial personnel such as the Regional Executive Chef and Restaurant Supervisors. The Kitchen Manager must be adept at multitasking, problem solving, and leading a team in a fast-paced environment while maintaining compliance with relevant local, state, and federal regulations. This role embraces diversity and inclusion, sustainability efforts, and community engagement as foundational elements of workplace culture. Candidates with supervisory experience and a passion for hospitality who seek a role that blends operational oversight with team development and guest service excellence will find this position rewarding and impactful.

Job Requirements

Strong interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to articulate to our General Manager and personnel
Proven leadership skills with an understanding of the importance of team building/development while fostering partnerships with other branch managers
Exceptional problem solving/decision making skills combined with the ability to be organized
Demonstrates multi-tasking, detail, analytical, planning and leadership skills
Demonstrates the ability to remain flexible in a fast-paced environment
Ideal candidate is a team player, personable, professional, upbeat and energetic, takes initiative, uses tact and diplomacy
Computer knowledge and skill level for basic office functions
Physical ability to stand for extended periods and to move and handle boxes (10-35lbs) as necessary to operation, which entails lifting, and perform all functions as set forth above
Ability to work varied hours/days, including nights, weekends and holidays, as needed
Three years supervisory experience

Job Qualifications

Strong interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to articulate to General Manager and personnel
Proven leadership skills with understanding of team building and development, fostering partnerships with other branch managers
Exceptional problem solving and decision making skills combined with ability to be organized
Demonstrates multitasking, detail, analytical, planning and leadership skills
Demonstrates ability to remain flexible in a fast-paced environment
Team player, personable, professional, upbeat and energetic
Takes initiative and uses tact and diplomacy
Computer knowledge and skill level for basic office functions
Physical ability to stand for extended periods and to move and handle boxes (10-35lbs)
Ability to work varied hours, including nights, weekends and holidays as needed
Three years supervisory experience

Job Duties

Live out 452 Hospitality by delivering warm, welcoming, and memorable experiences for every guest and client
Ensure restaurant is adequately prepped and staffed (BOH) for daily operation
Oversees location kitchen duties, ensuring quickservice, food service, safety and quality, availability, merchandising, and guest service standards are all met and exceeded
Oversight of safety logs, including food temperatures, rotation, and waste
Ensures proper uniform, hygiene, handwashing, and glove use with staff
Responsible for supporting SSAfety training with knife handling skills, ensuring all direct reports display proper use of knife and slicers
Creates daily prep and items lists, delegating to employees as necessary
Actively helps to support operations and fill holes as necessary to ensure smooth service
Maintains a checklist of routine or daily cleaning tasks and ongoing projects or menu planning
Assigns associates to duties, coaching through projects daily tasks and guest interaction
Actively and efficiently responds to guest and client feedback, with report to the operations manager to ensure that any potential complaints are mitigate against further occurrence
Oversees personnel duties, including but not limited to training new employees and issuing performance reviews, actively managing and issuing progressive documentation to coach and counsel the employee on performance with oversight from operations manager, reports employee attendance and any hour discrepancies to the payroll department, oversees break and rest break management for BOH employees
Inspects equipment and performs routine maintenance and cleaning as necessary
Assists team to ensure all tasks are completed in a timely manner through helping complete daily tasks as necessary
Communicates up to the Regional Executive Chef and Food Service Operations Manager in regard to any issues seen with daily service or quality
Works directly with restaurant supervisor(s) to ensure respective locations are operating to standard
Remains knowledgeable of and supervises in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal laws
Perform other tasks as deemed necessary
Maintain a clean, safe and organized work environment
Uphold and demonstrate a complete understanding of company policies and procedures