As a Kitchen Lead you will be an ambassador for our mission building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. The Kitchen Lead position serves as the backbone of our restaurants hot food preparation ensuring every guest receives high-quality properly cooked and well-presented food. This role requires exceptional culinary skills leadership abilities and operational awareness to manage the full cycle of kitchen operations throughout different service periods.When you join Sweetgreen you are joining our movement of rewriting the future of fast food. And you wont just grow the planets future-you grow your own. Were passionate about growing our teams internally - our top-performing team members can reach General Manager in 36 months What Youll DoThese responsibilities highlight some of the key functions a Kitchen Lead will perform. They include but are not limited toEnsure kitchen is clean organized and well-stocked throughout serviceCook and prep hot food items according to recipes and quality standardsMaintain food safety protocols including proper FIFO rotationConduct regular taste tests to validate food qualityManage oven capacity and maintenance for optimal food productionCoordinate with MOD Cold Prep and Service teams throughout shiftsSupport seamless transitions between AM and PM operationsRecord waste due to quality or expiration issues- Run hot food during off-peak periods and support other stations as neededLead food tastings and midday quality checks- Assist with new menu training and implementationProcess receiving orders and report shortages or quality issuesPhysical Requirements Lift up to 25 lbs stand for extended periods.You must be able to perform all of the above essential job duties satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodationMinimum RequirementsMust be available to work a minimum of 30hours per week.You must be 18 years of age or olderMust be authorized to work in the United StatesWhat Youll BringEssential Skills & ExperiencePrevious kitchen or restaurant experienceKnowledge of proper food safety handling proceduresAbility to work efficiently in a fast-paced environmentStrong time management and multitasking abilitiesBasic understanding of inventory managementReliable attendance and punctualityAttention to detail and commitment to qualityEffective verbal communication skillsWhat Makes You Stand OutPrior hot line cooking experienceFood Handler or ServSafe certificationExperience with high-volume food productionTraining or leadership experienceAbility to anticipate needs and solve problems proactivelyStrong organization and prioritization skillsPassion for food quality and consistencyExperience working with kitchen management toolsWhat Perks Youll GetWe reward Hospitality Team Members are eligible for Tips depending on their role and locationCompetitive wages - Team Members earn raises for learning new skillsMedical dental & vision plan options for part-time and full-time Team MembersPaid Vacation Wellness timePaid parental leave401kFree healthy and delicious shift mealsAccess to our SG Swag Marketplace - earn and buy custom swagAnd much more…Depending on eligibilityJoin our team and become the backbone of our hot food preparation ensuring every guest receives high-quality properly cooked and consistently delicious food throughout the day.Who We Aresweetgreen is on a mission to build healthier communities by connecting people to real food. We passionately believe that real food should be convenient and accessible to everyone. Every day in each sweetgreen our 5000 team members make food from scratch using fresh ingredients and produce delivered that morning. And in our local communities were committed to leaving people better than we found them. Were in the business of feeding people and were out to change what that means. Our teams are our most valuable ingredient - the heart of our company the face of our brand and what truly makes the sweetgreen experience special and unique.Sweetgreen provides equal opportunities for everyone that works for us and everyone that applies to join our team without regard to sex or gender gender identity gender expression age race including traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and protective hairstyles religious creed color national origin ancestry pregnancy physical or mental disability medical condition genetic information marital status sexual orientation any service past present or future in the uniformed services of the United States military or veteran status or any other consideration protected by federal state or local law.California residents Review our applicant privacy notice HERE.Sweetgreen participates in the federal governments E-Verify program to determine employment eligibility. To learn more about the E-Verify program please CLICK HERE.