Kitchen Lead (For INTERNAL candidates only)

Reports To: Kitchen Manager

Schedule: Flexibility to work a shift between the production window of 4:00 am - 4:00 pm, including opening or closing coverage.
Requirements: Flexibility to work the occasional evening, weekend, off-site function, and emergency response operation.

General Summary: The position supports the Kitchen Managers in coordinating and executing daily food production operations for the San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB). This hands-on shift leadership position directs daily production activities, supports Kitchen Associates, maintains operational readiness, and helps ensure meals are prepared safely, accurately, and on schedule.

Working in a high-volume meal production environment, the Kitchen Lead helps ensure adherence to approved menus, standardized and USDA-credited recipes, food safety procedures, special dietary instructions, and applicable federal child nutrition program requirements, including CACFP. The Lead monitors quality, verifies documentation, addresses immediate operational concerns, and promptly escalates issues requiring management or program-level decisions.

As part of Community Food & Nutrition Services, two Kitchen Leads provide staggered coverage and consistent operational standards across the production day. Each Lead reports to an assigned Kitchen Manager and works with both Kitchen Managers. Leads are expected to understand the full kitchen production workflow and provide continuity across shifts; assigned tasks do not limit their responsibility to support other areas as needed. Leads provide day-to-day work direction and coaching to Kitchen Associates; formal personnel management remains with the Kitchen Managers.

Impact:

Leadership & Production Execution

- Coordinate production floor activities during assigned shifts, including station assignments, staffing adjustments, break coverage, and workflow priorities in consultation with the Kitchen Managers.

- Monitor progress against approved menus, production schedules, meal counts, and delivery deadlines; identify delays and take timely corrective action within delegated authority.

- Guide Level 1 and Level 2 Kitchen Associates across production areas; assist with production work when needed while maintaining oversight of overall shift execution.

- Confirm that standardized recipes, approved ingredients, portion sizes, yields, serving utensils, packaging specifications, and build sheets are followed.

- Verify meal counts, required components, packaging, and labels before meals are released according to established quality assurance procedures.

- Conduct opening and closing readiness checks and communicate production status, staffing needs, shortages, incomplete work, and unresolved concerns during shift handoffs.

- Serve as the designated floor point of contact when a Kitchen Manager is not immediately available, escalating decisions beyond delegated authority.

Food Safety, Special Diets & Program Compliance

- Monitor safe food handling, time and temperature controls, sanitation, allergen cross-contact prevention, and equipment and workstation cleanliness; ensure deviations are addressed and documented.

- Help verify compliance with CACFP and other applicable program requirements, including age-group meal patterns, creditable components, whole grain-rich requirements, and approved substitutions.

- Coordinate with Special Diet Coordinators to ensure meals are produced, segregated as needed, packaged, labeled, and documented according to approved special diet instructions.

- Immediately hold affected meals or stop an unsafe process when a potential food safety, allergen, labeling, or meal compliance concern is identified; notify the Kitchen Manager and appropriate program personnel and follow established release procedures.

- Do not independently approve special diet substitutions, change approved menus, or determine meal-pattern crediting; escalate proposed changes to the Kitchen Managers and Community Nutrition & Menu Development Manager.

- Check production records, temperature logs, quality checks, and corrective action documentation for timely, accurate completion; follow up on missing or inconsistent entries.

- Support readiness for TDA administrative reviews, health inspections, internal quality checks, and partner visits.

Production Preparation, Records & Inventory Coordination

- Prepare and organize daily production materials from Mosaic, including recipes, production records, build sheets, and applicable special diet instructions.

- Confirm stations have required documents, utensils, equipment, ingredients, and supplies before production begins.

- Coordinate with Receiving & Inventory Coordinators to confirm product availability, staging, and timely replenishment; promptly communicate shortages or discrepancies.

- Monitor production usage, overproduction, rework, and preventable waste; document and communicate opportunities to reduce controllable shrink.

- Collect, review, and route completed production documentation in accordance with established recordkeeping procedures.

Staff Training, Communication & Accountability

- Provide hands-on orientation, coaching, and reinforcement of production standards, food safety practices, documentation requirements, and safe equipment use for Kitchen Associates, volunteers, interns, and trainees.

- Provide observations and skill-assessment input for Level 1-to-Level 2 Kitchen Associate development; final advancement and performance decisions remain with management.

- Model professional conduct, teamwork, timekeeping, uniform standards, and respectful communication; promptly report attendance, conduct, performance, and safety concerns to the Kitchen Managers.

- Collaborate with both Kitchen Managers and with Special Diet, Meal Service, Inventory, and Nutrition personnel to ensure consistent instructions and continuity across shifts.

- Identify equipment issues and submit or escalate maintenance needs through established channels.

Mission Support

- Support emergency and disaster feeding operations, community events, special projects, and catering functions as assigned.

- Support SAFB's mission, vision, and values in all duties as assigned.

Supervisory & Decision-Making Scope

The Kitchen Lead provides daily work direction, coaching, production verification, and immediate safety intervention within established procedures. The position does not independently make hiring, disciplinary, performance evaluation, menu approval, or special diet substitution decisions. Each Lead has one assigned Kitchen Manager for formal supervision and supports both Kitchen Managers in executing consistent kitchen-wide standards.

Required Job Qualifications:

Education & Experience

- 2-3 years in high-volume food service, school nutrition, childcare/institutional/healthcare/or non-profit food production.

- Experience leading a shift, station, or small team, or training other kitchen staff or volunteers.

- Proven ability to follow a standardized recipe, keep production records, follow food safety procedures, and meet quality assurance requirements.

Skills & Competencies

- Basic computer applications, printing, and record keeping skills; ability to learn applications like Mosaic.

- Demonstrated knowledge of food allergy safety and ability to follow approved special diet procedures, with training as needed.

Certifications & Licenses

- Current Texas driver’s license, liability insurance, and a clean driving record.

- ServSafe Manager Certification (or ability to obtain prior to start date).

Preferred Job Qualifications:

- At least one year of experience with a federal child nutrition program (CACFP, NSLP, SBP, or SFSP).

- Experience as a school kitchen lead, cafeteria manager, or lead cook.

- Experience with special diet meal production and food allergen controls.

- Culinary arts training or certificate.

- Bilingual English/Spanish.

Physical Demands

Constantly required to stand and walk for extended periods; regularly bends, reaches, pushes, pulls, and performs repetitive kitchen tasks.

Utilizes fine manipulation and near visual acuity.

Must regularly lift and move up to 50 pounds, with appropriate assistance or equipment as needed.

Work Environment

This job is primarily performed in a commercial kitchen with varying temperatures, including walk-in coolers and freezers.

Required to regularly travel to partner sites of varying conditions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and levels of work to be performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties.