Fashion Island - Kitchen Lead

Address 853 Newport Center Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660, USA

Compensation $21.43 / hour

Job Description

A Healthier Future Starts With You!

As a Kitchen Lead, you'll be an ambassador for our mission : building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. You're the backbone of our hot food preparation—ensuring every guest receives high-quality, properly cooked, and well-presented food through exceptional culinary skills, leadership, and operational awareness.

Join our movement to rewrite the future of fast food and grow your own future too. Top-performing Kitchen Leads can advance to General Manager in as little as 24 months.

What You’ll Do :

Lead the kitchen with a focus on quality and consistency while ensuring smooth operations across all shifts.

Essential Functions

Manual Precision :

Measure, cut, organize, and ensure product standards are met.

Operate Equipment :

Use of kitchen tools and equipment (specifically ovens and other hot or electrical tools) safely and effectively, including setting, loading / unloading, and monitoring cooking times.

Tactile Quality Checks :

Conduct quality assessments requiring fine motor skills and tactile sensitivity.

Team Communication :

Engage in verbal communication with team members for coordination, coaching, and incident documentation.

Performance Oversight :

Observe and assess performance, ensuring operational quality and adherence to standards.

Active Floor Leadership :

Maintain a consistent physical presence, engaging in hands‑on tasks and staying visible in the workspace.

Task Coordination :

Organize workflow, anticipate demand, and manage tasks efficiently.

Execute Team Member Duties :

Perform all essential functions and meet the minimum requirements as outlined in the Team Member role.

What Makes You Stand Out

Kitchen or restaurant experience in high-volume settings with food safety knowledge

(Food Handler or ServSafe certification a plus)

Strong time management, organization, and attention to detail with commitment to quality

Effective communicator and team player who thrives in fast-paced environments

Experience with kitchen management tools, inventory systems, and local / sustainable ingredients preferred

Meet all minimum requirements of the Team Member role

Lifting : Handling various items, including cases / bags of produce + protein up to ~40 lbs

Tactile Sensitivity : Use touch to assess quality and complete detail-oriented tasks

Visual + Auditory Observation : Maintain attention to detail and environmental awareness during operations

Must be available to work a minimum of 30 hours per week

Must be 18 years of age or older

Must be authorized to work in the United States

What Perks You’ll Get

Tips

• (subject to location and role)

Competitive wages (with raises for learning new skills)

Medical, dental, and vision plan options for part-time and full-time team members

Paid vacation + wellness time

Paid parental leave

401k

Free healthy and delicious shift meals

Access to our SG Swag Marketplace — earn and buy custom Sweetgreen gear

And much more…

Who We Are

Sweetgreen is a plant-forward food company with a vision for a healthier tomorrow—and we’re just getting started. As we grow, we’re committed to developing our people from restaurants to our support center so everyone can be part of the movement. When you join Sweetgreen, you don’t just grow your own future—you grow the planet’s.

Sweetgreen provides equal opportunities for everyone that works for us and everyone that applies to join our team, without regard to sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, any service, past, present, or future, in the uniformed services of the United States (military or veteran status), or any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law.

California residents : Review our applicant privacy notice HERE.

Sweetgreen participates in the federal government's E-Verify program to determine employment eligibility. To learn more about the E-Verify program, please click HERE.

To request an accommodation as permitted by law, click here.

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