Heart of House Lead (Salem, OR)

Buffalo Wild Wings is a renowned American casual dining restaurant and sports bar franchise specializing in flavorful buffalo wings and a variety of other popular American dishes. With locations across numerous states, it has established itself as a go-to destination for sports enthusiasts and food lovers alike. The company prides itself on offering a fun, energetic atmosphere where guests can enjoy high-quality food while watching their favorite sports events. Buffalo Wild Wings emphasizes quality, consistency, and excellent customer service, making it a favorite spot for group gatherings, casual dining, and sporting event celebrations.

The current job opening is for a Kitchen Team Member whose primary responsibility is to prepare and produce all menu items in accordance with the company’s standards. This multifaceted role includes duties across several kitchen stations such as Chip, Shake, Grill, Southwest, and Expo, ensuring smooth kitchen operations and high-quality food output. The successful candidate will be an integral part of the kitchen team responsible for maintaining food preparation standards and sanitation guidelines critical to the restaurant's success. This position requires a dependable team player who can work efficiently under pressure while maintaining exceptional quality and speed.

The role involves various specific tasks such as prepping and portioning ingredients based on shift requirements given by the Manager on Duty, ensuring strict adherence to Food Defense and Inventory Rotation (FDIR) and First In, First Out (FIFO) procedures. Each station holds unique responsibilities: the Chip Station handles the preparation of fried chips, wedges, and onion rings, including fryer maintenance; the Grill Station focuses on preparing grilled items and maintaining the grill's quality; the Shake Station manages sauces and seasonings, ensuring they are clean, filled, and primed; the Southwest Station handles preparation of wraps, salads, and flatbreads with a focus on cold rail maintenance; and the Expo Station coordinates communication between kitchen and front-of-house teams to ensure the timely and quality delivery of food orders.

In addition to production duties, the role requires maintaining cleanliness and sanitation standards across all workstations, following guidelines for cleaning and restocking during shift changes. The Kitchen Team Member must also track waste to minimize loss, monitor equipment functionality, and comply with all company standards related to food safety, preparation times, and quality control. This position shares responsibilities among team members to foster a supportive and organized work environment.

Skills required include strong verbal communication for smooth interaction among kitchen and front-of-house teams, excellent time management, attention to detail, and the ability to follow precise cooking specifications and safety protocols. Experience with order management systems such as CSK/KDU and ticket systems is advantageous. The ability to maintain a high pace and consistency through an extended shift is essential.

Buffalo Wild Wings is an inclusive employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities. The company offers a dynamic and enjoyable workplace with opportunities for growth and development within the hospitality industry. This position is ideal for individuals 16 years or older who have prior experience in a restaurant or retail environment and are eager to join a popular brand dedicated to delivering a superior guest experience.