Chef & Kitchen Team Manager

Department: Kitchen

Reports To: Operations Manager

Date Prepared: 2/21/2025

About Fit-flavors

fit-flavors is a meal prep company dedicated to providing high-quality, nutritionally balanced meals that taste great. We are a faith-driven organization, deeply rooted in Christian values, guiding our mission with integrity, purpose, and service. We prepare and package over 4,000 meals per day in our industrial kitchen and distribute them throughout the St. Louis area, to both our storefront locations and direct-to-customer homes.

Position Summary

We are seeking a culinary-trained Production Chef to lead our kitchen operations and manage our kitchen team.

The fit-flavors Production Chef should possess a genuine passion for health and wellness, demonstrate expertise gained from training with or working under a renowned chef, and bring extensive experience from a luxury culinary environment where exceptional food quality is critical.

The Production Chef is responsible for ensuring the seamless execution of all meal components for the daily production of 4,000 meals, driving the success of fit-flavors' growing retail locations and thriving online business. Key responsibilities include vendor management, executing cook sheets, ordering and supply pick up, overseeing all kitchen stations to maintain quality control, coordinating with the packaging department, and stepping into any station as needed to ensure smooth operations throughout the day.

Additionally, as the manager of the kitchen department, the Production Chef is responsible for holding the kitchen team accountable to fit-flavors high-standards of employment, coaching employees in the moment, hosting and documenting regular 1:1s with team members, preparing and delivering reviews, and delivering disciplinary notices.

The Production Chef is required to be eligible to drive company vehicles, meaning a clean driving record is required for employment.

Above all, the successful Production Chef will have an agile, entrepreneurial spirit and roll-up-the-sleeves mentality, including willingness to find scrappy solutions, take calculated risks, and act with a sense of urgency.

Education & Experience

• Required: Culinary degree or 7 years experience working under culinary-trained chefs
• Required: Experience in a high-volume, upscale kitchen environment
• Required: Background and/or interest in health/nutrition industry
• Required: Proper sense of urgency in responding to unforeseen circumstances and the ability to remain calm under pressure
• Required: Flexibility and the ability to excel when the job goes beyond the job description
  
  
  

Leadership Critical Attributes

Demonstrates resilience

Exhibits a sense of urgency

Builds and inspires teams

Maintains focus

Displays motivation

Manages time effectively

Resolves conflicts efficiently

Thinks strategically

Confidently makes decisions

Adapts to change

Acts with integrity

Communicates effectively

Shows empathy

Fosters collaboration

Holds oneself accountable and is detail-oriented

Drives innovation

Seeks continuous improvement

Influences others positively

Solves problems proactively

Exudes passion

Practices self-awareness

Embodies humility

Schedule

Full Time; 40-45 hours per week

Monday-Friday

5am - 1pm

**This position requires flexibility to work varying shift hours (typically ranging from 5-7 AM to 1-3 PM)**

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand for long periods of time (8 hours)
• Ability to tolerate cool environment (40 degree walk-in cooler)
• Ability to reach with arms, bend, squat, kneel unassisted and use hands
• Ability to lift 25 lbs
  
  
  

Key Result Areas & Responsibilities

Be an “All In” fit-flavors Leader

• As fit-flavors Leaders, we go beyond a "9 to 5." Our commitment and flexibility drive success.
• As fit-flavors Leaders, our career is our passion. We are driven to move the mission forward.
• As fit-flavors Leaders, we embrace teamwork and shared accountability. No task is outside our responsibility, and together we win.
• As fit-flavors Leaders, we care deeply about our team. We build trust by fostering personal connections and supporting each other's families.
• As fit-flavors Leaders, we value authenticity and radical honesty. Vulnerability strengthens our collaboration.
• As fit-flavors Leaders, we believe every challenge has a solution. With confidence and unwavering determination, we create the way forward.
• As fit-flavors Leaders, we are relentless. We thrive in the “messy middle” and we create both scrappy and strategic solutions in the name of edging closer to greatness.
• As fit-flavors Leaders, we prioritize vision over ego. Success is shared, and we celebrate collective wins.
  
  
  

Operations Management

• Oversee, manage, and maintain the kitchen department flow of operations. This includes managing the day-to-day operations, people, processes, and procedures.
• Be the first point of contact for any day-to-day operations issues in the kitchen department.
• Execute all fit-flavors processes and procedures accurately and efficiently.
• Monitor inventory levels, order materials, and reduce waste
• Proficient in using all required platforms (Google Drive, Slack, Paycor, Asana, Galley) - training available.
  
  
  

Quality Control & Safety

• Responsible for ensuring all cooking techniques are executed properly
• Responsible for overseeing the quality control of raw materials and finished products by conducting quality tests to ensure consistent adherence with the company standards
• Ensure food safety standards are met and maintained
• Lead efforts to resolve quality issues quickly, including investigating root causes and implementing corrective actions
• Maintain and execute sanitation standards and cleanliness
  
  
  

Kitchen Team Management

• Host regular huddles to provide department updates, company updates, and drive overall communication and motivation
• Deliver immediate, on-the-spot coaching to team members as needed
• Ensure all team members comply to all company policies and procedures
• Responsible for all employee disciplinary actions
• Responsible for holding regular 1:1s with each team member
• Interview prospective candidates for the kitchen team
• Manage the training process for new and existing employees
• Conduct mid-year and end-of-year reviews with all kitchen team members
• Create and publish the monthly schedule based on the Labor Plan, including arranging for additional team members to assist the kitchen team on days when multiple employees are on vacation
• Approve and/or deny all request off for the department
• Communicate menu changeover details with the team
  
  
  

Continuous Improvement

• Support the Operations Manager in implementing continuous improvement projects in the kitchen department
• Be an active participant in Production Operations Manager meetings
• Take full ownership of new menu responsibilities within the kitchen department, including involvement in both menu development and menu changeover.
  
  
  

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision insurance

401K with 4% company match (qualify after 6 months of employment; fully vested)

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Additional benefit programs (ex: free group workout/training services)

50% discount off meals and 30% discount off meals for immediate family members

1 free shift meal (every shift)

Licenses, Certifications, & Training

Preferred: ServSafe

Upon hiring: Complete all required fit-flavors Modular Training

Note: Job Descriptions are not exhaustive lists of all skills, responsibilities, or efforts associated with a job. They reflect principal job elements essential for performing the job and evaluating performance. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.