Managing Chef

About the role

Sifted is seeking an emerging culinary leader to serve as the Managing Chef for our Austin market. This role is built for up-and-coming talent ready to take the next step into leadership while owning day-to-day kitchen execution, menu quality, team development, and operating discipline. The Managing Chef leads the Austin culinary team, drives production excellence, partners on eater and client satisfaction, and will be closely supported by the District Chef as they grow into broader culinary leadership responsibilities.

What you'll be doing

• Lead day-to-day culinary operations in Austin, ensuring food quality, production flow, presentation, and final output meet Sifted and client expectations.
• Design, prepare, and coordinate weekly menus that reflect diverse dietary needs, strong culinary creativity, and consistent execution.
• Own ordering, inventory, order sheets, and food cost performance, including COGS oversight, portion control, and production planning.
• Implement and reinforce standardized kitchen processes, production procedures, and culinary best practices to improve consistency and scalability.
• Manage, coach, and develop the Austin culinary team, including staffing support, packout oversight, PTO coordination, discipline, time card approval, and daily accountability.
• Participate in discussions around eater satisfaction, business growth, and menu performance, helping translate feedback into kitchen improvements.
• Support the rollout of new product lines, culinary practices, service enhancements, and other initiatives that strengthen the Austin program.
• Execute and enforce strict quality control, sanitation, and safety standards while ensuring kitchen operations meet both company and facility expectations.

Our ideal candidate

• High-end restaurant experience is ideal, with comfort working across diverse cuisine types, ingredients, and service styles; catering or banquet experience is preferred.
• Demonstrated potential as up-and-coming culinary talent with the readiness to grow into stronger people leadership and business ownership.
• Strong batch-cooking and production-management capability, including the ability to organize output for larger groups and multiple dietary needs.
• Natural leadership presence, with the ability to coach, train, and hold team members accountable while fostering a supportive kitchen culture.
• Strong communication skills and comfort receiving direction, incorporating feedback, and coordinating across cross-functional teams.
• Sound business judgment, including willingness to learn and adopt operational disciplines tied to cost control, process consistency, and client satisfaction.
• Proficiency with back-of-house systems, culinary technology, Google Workspace, and basic business tools used for communication, reporting, and organization.
• Ability to think quickly and critically under pressure while maintaining calm, quality, and execution standards.

Perks + benefits

• Compensation : $70,000 with Bonus opportunities
• Company-sponsored health insurance plans, including 100% company-paid HDHP, as well as vision+ dental opt-in
• 401(k) program available after six months of employment
• Unlimited paid time off; 10 paid company holidays; Paid winter break from Dec 24th- Jan 1st
• Monthly cell phone usage reimbursement
• Free lunch during meal service
• 100% mileage reimbursement

Job Type: Full Time, Exempt

Shift: Weekdays

Weekly day range: Monday- Friday

Eligibility : This position must maintain ServSafe Food Handler card (company-paid);

Work environment : This is a position based both in a commercial kitchen and on-site in client offices

Physical requirements : This position requires the ability to lift up to 50 lbs, the ability to stand for long periods of time, and the ability to bend, squat, and reach

This job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We believe that the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of our employees make us better. We strongly encourage people of color, individuals with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary candidates to apply.

Employment at Sifted is considered at will, meaning that either the company or the employee may terminate this employment relationship at any time with or without cause or notice. 

Offers of employment and continued employment at Sifted are contingent upon successful completion of trust + safety checks including a criminal history check, a motor vehicle record check, identity verification, food safety certification verification, and at least two reference checks.