Kitchen Operations & Culinary Manager

Our Client, a well-established supermarket chain, is seeking a visionary chef and pragmatic operator who is capable of managing a dynamic team and optimizing production systems to stay ahead in a competitive foodservice landscape. This is a permanent position.

KITCHEN OPERATIONS & CULINARY MANAGER

(Permanent Hire)

SECTOR:  Food Service/Supermarket

SUMMARY

The Kitchen Operations & Culinary Manager is a key leader in a fast-growing commercial kitchen, responsible for driving operational excellence and culinary innovation to support the company’s growth and market penetration goals. This hybrid role combines strategic oversight of kitchen operations with hands-on culinary leadership. The ideal candidate is both a visionary chef and a pragmatic operator, capable of managing a dynamic team, optimizing production systems, and continuously evolving the culinary direction to stay ahead in a competitive foodservice landscape.  He/she reports to Senior Commercial Manager Centralized Production Facilities.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead day-to-day kitchen operations to ensure consistency, efficiency, and excellence in large-scale food production.
• Innovate and elevate the menu with trend-forward, market-relevant offerings aligned with brand identity and growth strategy.
• Translate culinary vision into scalable production systems that maintain quality and integrity at volume.
• Manage, mentor, and grow a high-performing culinary and operations team, fostering accountability, creativity, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with leadership, marketing, and sales teams to develop new product lines, seasonal specials, and customer-centric solutions.
• Oversee food safety, hygiene, and regulatory compliance with a zero-compromise approach.
• Implement and refine SOPs to improve kitchen workflow, reduce waste, and optimize labour and cost efficiency.
• Monitor ingredient sourcing, vendor relationships, and inventory management to balance cost control and culinary excellence.
• Leverage data and customer feedback to assess performance, refine offerings, and identify new market opportunities.
• Serve as a brand ambassador for quality, innovation, and operational discipline within the kitchen environment.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

• 5+ years in culinary leadership and kitchen operations, ideally in a high-volume or commercial kitchen setting.
• Proven success in menu development and launching new food concepts at scale.
• Culinary degree or relevant certification strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of kitchen systems, production flow, food costing, and supply chain coordination.
• Passion for food innovation and awareness of current culinary trends and market demands.
• Exceptional leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

COMPETENCIES

• Operational Excellence – Strong understanding of kitchen systems, workflows, food costing, and supply chain.
• Culinary Innovation – Ability to develop market-relevant menus and scalable food concepts.
• Leadership & Team Development – Proven success managing and inspiring high-performing culinary teams.
• Strategic Thinking – Aligns culinary direction with broader company growth and brand strategy.
• Food Safety & Compliance – Zero-compromise approach to hygiene, health, and safety standards.
• Problem-Solving & Adaptability – Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment with changing demands.
• Communication & Collaboration – Works seamlessly with cross-functional teams including marketing, sales, and procurement.

Closing date for applications: 10 October 2025

Only suitable applicants meeting with the requirements will be considered.