Kitchen Manager

Woods & Co Recruitment is excited to be recruiting for a Kitchen & Culinary Operations professional to join a dynamic and high-volume catering and event environment. We are looking for someone passionate about culinary excellence, operational efficiency, and team leadership. This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned culinary professional to lead kitchen operations, develop innovative menus, and ensure the seamless execution of high-profile events. If you thrive in a fast-paced setting and have a strong background in culinary management, we want to hear from you.

What’s in it for you?

• Opportunity to work in a vibrant, fast-paced environment with high-profile clients.
• Lead and implement seasonal menus and culinary innovations.
• Manage, mentor, and develop a diverse kitchen team.
• Contribute to operational excellence, food safety, and cost control.
• Build strong vendor relationships and negotiate contracts beneficial to the business.
• Support your career growth with ongoing training and development opportunities.

What you’ll do:

• Oversee daily kitchen operations, including food prep, quality, and presentation standards.
• Collaborate on menu development, ingredient sourcing, and kitchen innovation.
• Manage purchasing, vendor relationships, and inventory control procedures.
• Monitor and analyze food and labor costs, identifying savings opportunities.
• Supervise, hire, onboard, and train kitchen staff and leadership.
• Assist in coordinating and supporting off-premise and on-site events.
• Work with FOH and beverage teams on menu and operational collaboration.

What we’re looking for:

• Proven leadership experience as a Kitchen Manager, Sous Chef, or Culinary Operations Manager.
• Strong knowledge of NYC food safety, sanitation standards, and health regulations.
• Experience managing inventory, food and labor costs, purchasing, and vendor relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, hire, train, and develop kitchen teams while maintaining operational excellence.
• Experience supporting large-scale events (150–700+ guests) and coordinating with FOH and beverage teams.
• Familiarity with scheduling and inventory systems, such as ADP and When I Work.

Woods & Co Recruitment is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce. We do not discriminate and proudly encourage applications from everyone—including individuals from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, members of the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, and people with disabilities of all ages.

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.