Head Chef

Tacoma, WA, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Compensation

Salary

Range $90,000.00 - $105,000.00

Work Schedule

Standard Hours

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Paid Time Off

Retirement Plan

employee discount

Training and Development

performance bonuses

Job Description

LSG Sky Chefs is a globally recognized leader in airline catering and related services, with a longstanding history dating back to 1942. Operating across 43 sites throughout the United States, including their Seattle location, they have established a reputation for delivering millions of meals annually with a commitment to excellence, innovation, and operational precision. As a trusted partner to leading airlines and retailers, LSG Sky Chefs combines culinary expertise with advanced logistics to ensure quality, reliability, and exceptional customer service at every stage from food preparation to delivery. The company values its people, emphasizing growth, leadership, and the chance to make a meaningful impact in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. They are committed to an inclusive workplace and seek professionals who are passionate about culinary arts and operational leadership to join their vibrant team.

The Head Chef position at LSG Sky Chefs in Seattle is a pivotal role, responsible for managing and supporting all food production activities within their Customer Service Center (CSC). This position is on-site and offers an annual salary range between $90,000 and $105,000. The Head Chef works closely with the Executive Chef to maintain the highest standards of food quality, authenticity, and adherence to company guidelines. This role demands not only culinary skill but also strong leadership and organizational capabilities to ensure smooth kitchen operations and team performance. In the Executive Chef's absence, the Head Chef steps up to provide full operational leadership, maintaining seamless workflows and upholding safety, hygiene, and budgetary standards. The Head Chef actively supports production planning, inventory controls, menu development, and quality checks while ensuring compliance with hygiene regulations such as HACCP. They are instrumental in fostering innovation by integrating industry trends and collaborating with design chefs. Additionally, the Head Chef represents the kitchen staff to external stakeholders and plays a vital role in training, mentoring, and motivating team members according to the company’s human resources policies. This role is ideal for culinary professionals with at least five years of commercial cooking experience, proven leadership skills, and a passion for delivering excellence in food service within a dynamic and respected organization.

Job Requirements

Graduation from an accredited culinary school
Minimum five years of experience in commercial cooking
Knowledge of food safety and hygiene regulations including HACCP
Strong leadership and communication skills
Ability to manage kitchen operations and personnel
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and related computer applications
Willingness to work on-site in Seattle
Commitment to maintaining high standards of food quality and safety

Job Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited culinary school
Five years of experience in commercial cooking
Additional certifications such as diet chef, industrial chef, design chef or equivalent professional experience preferred
Certification with the American Culinary Federation a plus
Knowledge of food and hygiene regulations such as HACCP
Good communication and organizational skills
Service orientation
Good knowledge of Microsoft Office and Windows-based computer applications

Job Duties

Support all food production activities in the hot and cold kitchen in responsible CSC
Identify deviations in inventories and production, initiate countermeasures if necessary
Support the controls and adjust production plans, estimate consumption of food and equipment required to execute daily production
Ensure compliance with recipe specifications and conduct sense-checks (Gold Standards)
Participate in the development of food products and menus as needed
Maintain awareness of catering manuals content, update and distribute within responsible CSC
Support cost controlling of budget, personnel, and material costs
Participate in menu presentations internal and external
Coordinate and control countermeasures in production in case of customer complaints
Develop and support existing training strategy and training plans for kitchen staff in responsible CSC
Represent kitchen and kitchen staff in front of external stakeholders
Actively research and incorporate industry innovations and emerging food trends, collaborating with Design Chefs
Participate in marketing activities as needed
Ensure quality of goods received
Guarantee tidiness in food storage and adherence to first in - first out principle
Guarantee adherence to hygiene, health and safety standards and HACCP regulations
Organize, staff, and direct area of responsibility properly
Guide, motivate and develop subordinate employees within Human Resources Policy
Implement and control cost budget in area of responsibility, initiate and steer corrective actions if deviations occur
Participate and support company sponsored initiatives such as Global Quality Standard, HACCP, Lean Manufacturing