Kitchen Manager

About the Role

The Kitchen Manager leads the daily back‑of‑house operation by creating an environment where food quality, teamwork, accountability, and operational excellence come together. This hands‑on management role in a fast‑paced breakfast and lunch restaurant is responsible for maintaining T’s standards for food preparation, recipe execution, cleanliness, safety, organization, and kitchen performance. The position generally requires up to 50 hours per week and may involve working at various T’s locations on a limited basis to support business needs.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, sanitation standards, health department requirements, and company policies.
• Maintain proper receiving, storage, labeling, rotation, temperature control, and handling of all food products.
• Keep the kitchen clean, safe, and organized.
• Support recruiting, onboarding, training, recognition, performance feedback, and development in partnership with the Restaurant General Manager.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, accountability, respect, and continuous improvement.
• Lead daily kitchen operations, including food preparation, production, opening, closing, sanitation, and overall execution.
• Ensure recipes, presentation, portioning, quality, and ticket‑time standards are consistently met.
• Maintain staffing levels and support efficient daily operations.
• Manage ordering, inventory, invoices, food costs, labor performance, waste reduction, and required operational reporting.
• Protect company assets through responsible purchasing and inventory controls.
• Partner with front‑of‑house leadership to deliver exceptional guest experiences and communicate staffing, equipment, maintenance, inventory, and operational needs.
• Respond professionally to guest concerns related to food quality and service.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support restaurant operations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; culinary, hospitality, or restaurant management education preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years of kitchen management, restaurant leadership, or comparable back‑of‑house supervisory experience preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of back‑of‑house operations, including prep, cook line, expo, food production, recipe execution, food safety, sanitation, and kitchen organization.
• Experience with ordering, inventory, product rotation, waste control, portioning, food cost awareness, and labor awareness preferred.
• Ability to lead, coach, train, communicate expectations, and hold team members accountable in a respectful and professional manner.
• Strong communication, organization, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills; collaborative work style with restaurant leadership, front‑of‑house teams, vendors, and support teams.
• Basic computer skills and ability to learn company systems, including POS, scheduling, inventory, payroll, and communication tools.
• Food Safety Manager Certification and First Aid Certification required, or ability to obtain within company guidelines.
• Ability to work early mornings, weekends, holidays, and additional hours as business needs require.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States and able to successfully complete a background check.

Benefits

• Ongoing training, leadership development, and advancement opportunities.
• Internal promotion opportunities and annual performance reviews.
• Daytime‑only restaurant operations – no late nights.
• Flexible and predictable scheduling.
• Thanksgiving and Christmas Day off through the “Home for the Holidays” benefit.
• Meal benefits for team members, whether working, off the clock, or visiting any T’s location.
• Tickets at Work® discounts on travel, entertainment, attractions, shopping, hotels, sporting events, and more.
• Positive, supportive, team‑oriented work environment.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• 401(k) plan (subject to eligibility).
• Pet insurance.
• Accident insurance (subject to eligibility).
• Full‑time medical, dental, vision, and life insurance (eligibility requirements apply).

Pay

Salary range: $54,000 – $60,000 annually. Eligible for a quarterly management bonus opportunity of up to 10 % of annual salary, subject to eligibility requirements, company policy, and plan terms.

Schedule

Full‑time, salaried, exempt position. Typically up to 50 hours per week, with early mornings, weekends, holidays, and occasional additional hours as business needs require. Daytime‑only operations provide flexible and predictable scheduling; occasional work at other T’s locations may be required.

Physical Requirements

• Stand for extended periods and perform frequent bending, stooping, twisting, reaching, and repetitive hand and wrist movements.
• Lift, carry, push, and pull products and supplies weighing up to 45 lb.
• Work with and around hot, cold, and various kitchen equipment, including grills, stovetops, slicers, broilers, ovens, fryers, dish machines, and other commercial kitchen tools.
• Use office equipment, phones, and company systems as needed.