San Marzano Market Lead Cook

Overview:
The Lead Cook is responsible for guiding the kitchen team before and during service, ensuring exceptional food quality standards are met, maintaining strict sanitation and safety protocols, and ensuring that kitchen operations run smoothly and efficiently.

• Strong culinary skills with expertise in preparing fresh, high-quality food; knowledge of seasonal foods and utilizing clean ingredients; thoughtful presentation and attention to detail
• Excellent time management and multitasking skills to handle and direct team members with prep and executing the menu tasks daily
• Knowledge of preparing foods for those with food allergies to ensure our menu is always safe for customers
• Knowledge of current food safety regulations and completion of food safety certification

• High school diploma or equivalent; culinary school training or certification is a plus

• Supervise, train, and motivate kitchen team members, ensuring effective collaboration and adherence to kitchen standards and protocols
• Communicate shift needs and updates to the team clearly and effectively daily
• Oversee and participate in the preparation of grab-and-go bowls, made-to-order salads, appetizers, and deli case meals, ensuring consistency, quality, and thoughtful presentation
• Manage the timely and accurate execution of all prepared foods to meet customer expectations and abide by strict dietary requirements and food safety standards
• Monitor ingredient inventory and provide clear communication with management for ordering, coordinate with suppliers, and ensure quality control while checking in products upon delivery, proper storage and rotation of stock to minimize waste
• Oversee and log daily kitchen duties, including cleaning, equipment maintenance, and compliance with food safety and sanitation regulations (e.g., HACCP standards)
• Collaborate with management to maintain menu standards, suggest seasonal or trending items, and ensure recipes are followed accurately and precisely
• Inspect food items for freshness, taste, and presentation, addressing any issues promptly to uphold brand standards; pull any product that does not meet proper temperature control, is damaged or expired
• Process and accurately log grab & go shrink daily
• Coordinate prep schedules and workflow to ensure efficient production during peak hours and maintain smooth kitchen operations
• Ensure all equipment is functioning properly and report issues
• Maintain a positive and productive work environment
• Clear communication with managers regarding shift outcomes and staffing needs

• Customer service awareness

• Minimum of 3-5 years of professional cooking experience, with at least 1-2 years in a supervisory or lead role in a high-volume kitchen
• Prior experience in a fast-paced retail or food service environment
• Ability to work well under pressure, stand for extended periods, lift up to 50 lbs, and work in a hot, busy kitchen environment
• Ability to bend, reach, and perform repetitive motions with hands and arms such as operating registers, cleaning, and writing shift notes
• Must have strong interpersonal and communication skills to support and guide team members under pressure

• Must be available for variable shifts, including weekends and holidays

Other Duties:
This job description does not cover the entirety of tasks within the role. We reserve the right to implement changes at any time and do our best to foster an environment of open communication in order to best support our teams and individual team members.