Kitchen Lead

The hiring establishment is a vibrant family amusement park that features a fast-paced restaurant and cafe, known for delivering quality dining experiences to park visitors of all ages. This amusement park is a popular destination where guests come to enjoy rides, entertainment, and a variety of food and beverage options. The restaurant and cafe space within the park plays a crucial role in maintaining overall guest satisfaction by offering timely, delicious meals that cater to the diverse tastes of a family-friendly crowd. The park's environment requires staff who are energetic, reliable, and dedicated to upholding high standards of food safety and customer service throughout the year.

The role of the Kitchen Lead is a full-time, year-round position responsible for overseeing the day-to-day back-of-house operations in this dynamic environment. Reporting directly to the Food & Beverage Manager or Executive Manager, the Kitchen Lead plays a pivotal role in ensuring food quality, safety, speed, and consistency across all kitchen activities. This role is hands-on, requiring the individual to actively participate in food preparation and line execution, while leading a diverse team including seasonal employees. Their responsibilities include coordinating workflow, maintaining operational standards during peak seasons and slower off-seasons, and facilitating a positive and energetic team atmosphere. Availability on weekdays, weekends, holidays, and peak times is essential for success in this role.

The Kitchen Lead must possess a strong understanding of food safety and sanitation standards, back-of-house operations, and effective team leadership. Leading and motivating kitchen staff, particularly in a high-volume environment with fluctuating demand, is a key part of the job. They will be responsible for training new and seasonal team members, assigning daily tasks, and ensuring that staffing levels adequately meet operational needs. They must be able to multitask and manage time efficiently, maintaining order accuracy and cooking times during busy periods. The Kitchen Lead also ensures compliance with health codes, oversees cleaning schedules, and manages inventory, including product rotation and quality inspections of deliveries. Additionally, this role supports quality control, guest experience enhancements such as consistent portion sizes and allergen-friendly procedures, and contributes to operational improvements including scheduling and labor management. This position demands physical stamina as duties require standing for extended periods and lifting up to 40 pounds. Overall, the Kitchen Lead serves as a vital link between management and kitchen staff, driving excellence in food production and service within a family-friendly amusement park setting.