Mid Level Kitchen Lead Jobs
Mid level kitchen lead jobs go to cooks and line leaders ready to own station operations, mentor junior staff, and drive daily kitchen decisions with minimal supervision. Openings are predominantly on-site across Retail and Manufacturing, with employers like US LBM, Amazon, and Omni Hotels hiring at this level now.
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See related jobsMinimum: $85,000 annual salary
Maximum: $85,000 annual salary
Assistant General Manager
375 Reserve Fine Wine & Spirits Bar
JFK International Airport - Terminal 4 | Paradies Lagardère Dining Division
Lead Culinary Excellence in a Premium Airport Dining Environment
375 Reserve is an upscale Fine Wine & Spirits Bar scheduled to open in December 2026 in JFK Terminal 4, offering travelers a sophisticated dining experience featuring chef-inspired menus, premium beverages, elevated breakfast selections, artisan sandwiches, fresh salads, signature appetizers, and thoughtfully crafted entrées.
We're seeking a hands-on Assistant General Manager (Kitchen Manager) to oversee all back-of-house functions and lead the culinary team in delivering exceptional food quality, consistency, and operational excellence.
This role is ideal for a culinary leader who excels in high-volume environments while maintaining elevated food standards, developing teams, and driving operational performance.
As Assistant General Manager - Kitchen Operations, you'll partner with the General Manager and Front of House leadership team to ensure exceptional execution throughout the restaurant.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead all kitchen and back-of-house operations.
- Oversee food production, preparation, presentation, and quality standards.
- Recruit, train, coach, and develop culinary team members.
- Ensure adherence to recipes, specifications, and portion standards.
- Maintain food safety, sanitation, and HACCP compliance.
- Manage food cost, inventory controls, ordering, receiving, and waste reduction initiatives.
- Develop schedules that align labor with business needs.
- Monitor kitchen productivity and operational efficiency.
- Support menu execution and new product rollouts.
- Maintain equipment, smallwares, and kitchen organization.
- Ensure readiness for peak-volume travel periods and operational disruptions.
- Foster a culture focused on safety, accountability, teamwork, and excellence.
What We're Looking For
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of restaurant or culinary management experience.
- Experience leading high-volume kitchen operations.
- Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and HACCP standards.
- Proven ability to manage inventory, purchasing, food cost, and labor.
- Experience developing and coaching culinary teams.
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to obtain and maintain airport security credentials.
- Ability to work flexible schedules, including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in upscale casual, fine dining, hotel, airport, or premium hospitality concepts.
- Kitchen opening or startup experience.
- ServSafe Food Manager Certification.
- Culinary degree or equivalent professional experience.
- Experience with menu execution across multiple dayparts, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bar food offerings.
Why 375 Reserve?
- Opportunity to help launch a brand-new concept at JFK Terminal 4
- Leadership role with growth potential within Paradies Lagardère
- Fast-paced, dynamic hospitality environment
- Work with premium wines, spirits, and elevated culinary offerings
- Develop and lead a team focused on delivering first-class hospitality
About Paradies Lagardère
At Paradies Lagardère, we're passionate about creating exceptional experiences for travelers. Our Dining Division operates innovative restaurant concepts across North America's leading airports, combining outstanding hospitality, culinary excellence, and operational expertise to deliver memorable dining experiences every day.
Ready to lead something special?
Join us as we introduce 375 Reserve Fine Wine & Spirits Bar to JFK Terminal 4 and help create a destination travelers will seek out before every journey.
Experience
Required* 3 - 5 years: Restaurant Management
Education
Required* High School or better
Behaviors
Preferred Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
Leader: Inspires teammates to follow them
* Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity
Motivations
Preferred Entrepreneurial Spirit: Inspired to perform well by an ability to drive new ventures within the business
Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization
* Goal Completion: Inspired to perform well by the completion of tasks
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Minimum: $85,000 annual salary
Maximum: $85,000 annual salary
Assistant General Manager
375 Reserve Fine Wine & Spirits Bar
JFK International Airport - Terminal 4 | Paradies Lagardère Dining Division
Lead Culinary Excellence in a Premium Airport Dining Environment
375 Reserve is an upscale Fine Wine & Spirits Bar scheduled to open in December 2026 in JFK Terminal 4, offering travelers a sophisticated dining experience featuring chef-inspired menus, premium beverages, elevated breakfast selections, artisan sandwiches, fresh salads, signature appetizers, and thoughtfully crafted entrées.
We're seeking a hands-on Assistant General Manager (Kitchen Manager) to oversee all back-of-house functions and lead the culinary team in delivering exceptional food quality, consistency, and operational excellence.
This role is ideal for a culinary leader who excels in high-volume environments while maintaining elevated food standards, developing teams, and driving operational performance.
As Assistant General Manager - Kitchen Operations, you'll partner with the General Manager and Front of House leadership team to ensure exceptional execution throughout the restaurant.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead all kitchen and back-of-house operations.
- Oversee food production, preparation, presentation, and quality standards.
- Recruit, train, coach, and develop culinary team members.
- Ensure adherence to recipes, specifications, and portion standards.
- Maintain food safety, sanitation, and HACCP compliance.
- Manage food cost, inventory controls, ordering, receiving, and waste reduction initiatives.
- Develop schedules that align labor with business needs.
- Monitor kitchen productivity and operational efficiency.
- Support menu execution and new product rollouts.
- Maintain equipment, smallwares, and kitchen organization.
- Ensure readiness for peak-volume travel periods and operational disruptions.
- Foster a culture focused on safety, accountability, teamwork, and excellence.
What We're Looking For
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of restaurant or culinary management experience.
- Experience leading high-volume kitchen operations.
- Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and HACCP standards.
- Proven ability to manage inventory, purchasing, food cost, and labor.
- Experience developing and coaching culinary teams.
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to obtain and maintain airport security credentials.
- Ability to work flexible schedules, including mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in upscale casual, fine dining, hotel, airport, or premium hospitality concepts.
- Kitchen opening or startup experience.
- ServSafe Food Manager Certification.
- Culinary degree or equivalent professional experience.
- Experience with menu execution across multiple dayparts, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bar food offerings.
Why 375 Reserve?
- Opportunity to help launch a brand-new concept at JFK Terminal 4
- Leadership role with growth potential within Paradies Lagardère
- Fast-paced, dynamic hospitality environment
- Work with premium wines, spirits, and elevated culinary offerings
- Develop and lead a team focused on delivering first-class hospitality
About Paradies Lagardère
At Paradies Lagardère, we're passionate about creating exceptional experiences for travelers. Our Dining Division operates innovative restaurant concepts across North America's leading airports, combining outstanding hospitality, culinary excellence, and operational expertise to deliver memorable dining experiences every day.
Ready to lead something special?
Join us as we introduce 375 Reserve Fine Wine & Spirits Bar to JFK Terminal 4 and help create a destination travelers will seek out before every journey.
Experience
Required* 3 - 5 years: Restaurant Management
Education
Required* High School or better
Behaviors
Preferred Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
Leader: Inspires teammates to follow them
* Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity
Motivations
Preferred Entrepreneurial Spirit: Inspired to perform well by an ability to drive new ventures within the business
Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization
* Goal Completion: Inspired to perform well by the completion of tasks
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
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Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Retail
- Manufacturing
Mid Level Kitchen Lead Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a mid level kitchen lead job?
Position your experience around ownership, not just task completion. Highlight moments where you ran a station independently, resolved service issues without manager intervention, or trained a newer team member. Applications that show menu familiarity, speed under pressure, and the ability to coordinate across a line read as mid level. Tailor your resume to the kitchen format and volume of each employer you target.
Which companies hire mid level kitchen leads?
Companies hiring mid level kitchen leads right now include US LBM, Amazon, and Omni Hotels, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. At this level, hiring tends to come from full-service restaurants, hospitality groups, and food service operations that need experienced kitchen leaders who can hold a station without close supervision.
Are there remote mid level kitchen lead jobs?
Yes, though kitchen lead work is almost entirely hands-on and on-site by nature. About 0% of mid level kitchen lead openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and those roles typically involve culinary training, menu development consulting, or operations coordination rather than live kitchen service. Most active openings require in-person presence.
How do I move up to a mid level kitchen lead role?
Moving into a mid level kitchen lead role comes from building depth over your first few years on the line. That means taking ownership of a station consistently, learning to prep and execute without being walked through each step, and demonstrating that you can hold quality and pace during a rush. Cooks who cross into mid level have usually mentored at least one newer team member and contributed to menu or process decisions in a meaningful way.
Which industries hire the most mid level kitchen leads?
Mid Level kitchen lead roles concentrate in Retail and Manufacturing, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors drive hiring because they operate high-volume kitchens with enough staffing depth to need experienced leads who can keep a line moving and develop the cooks around them.