Kitchen Manager / Culinary Lead

The Growler – Danville, CA

The Growler is a neighborhood restaurant and pub in Danville looking for an experienced Kitchen Manager / Culinary Lead to take ownership of our food program and help lead our kitchen team.

We already have a hardworking and reliable kitchen team and an established menu. We're looking for someone who can bring the next level of consistency, culinary knowledge, organization and leadership to the kitchen while helping us continue to develop what The Growler can be.

This is a hands-on leadership position. We need someone who is comfortable working alongside the team during service, but who can also step back and see the bigger picture: food quality, recipes, training, communication, systems and the continued development of our menu.

What You'll Own

Maintaining consistency in food quality, portions, weights and plating
Creating and maintaining clear recipe and plating standards
Training and developing kitchen staff
Leading the kitchen calmly and effectively during busy services
Communicating clearly and respectfully with both BOH and FOH
Identifying problems and helping create practical solutions
Developing recipes, seasonal specials and new menu ideas
Monitoring prep, waste, yields and portion control
Helping maintain food-cost and labor goals
Maintaining strong food-safety, cleanliness and kitchen standards
Building systems that make it easier for the entire kitchen team to succeed
Working collaboratively with restaurant management and ownership on the continued development of The Growler's food program

Who We're Looking For

We're looking for someone with strong professional kitchen experience and a genuine understanding of food.

You should know why a recipe works, not simply how to follow one. You understand weights, yields, portions, plating, preparation and consistency, and you're comfortable turning that knowledge into standards other people can successfully follow.

Just as importantly, you know how to lead people.

We value someone who can teach effectively, address problems constructively, communicate when something isn't working and remain level-headed when the restaurant gets busy.

You Might Be a Great Fit If You...

Have previous kitchen leadership experience
Have strong culinary and recipe-development knowledge
Care about details and notice when food isn't leaving the kitchen consistently
Enjoy teaching and developing other cooks
Can give clear, respectful feedback
Stay calm and solution-focused under pressure
Communicate well across different personalities and roles
Take initiative rather than waiting for someone else to notice a problem
Enjoy improving systems and creating standards
Have ideas and creative energy around food
Want to have a meaningful voice in the direction of a neighborhood restaurant

The Kitchen Culture We're Building

We value consistency and pride in the food we serve, alongside respectful communication and teamwork.

We're looking for someone who wants to help strengthen that culture and who takes pride not only in the food they produce, but in the team they develop around them.

If this sounds like the kind of kitchen you'd like to lead, we'd love to hear from you. Please send us your resume along with a little about your kitchen leadership experience and what you're looking for in your next role.

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