Kitchen Manager

Why Concordia Language Villages? At Concordia Language Villages, a program of Concordia College, your work contributes to something bigger. Every role plays a part in creating immersive experiences that inspire curiosity, build connections across cultures, and prepare people to engage thoughtfully with the world. Here, you'll join a collaborative community where your contributions are valued, and your work can make a meaningful difference in the lives of our participants. About the Role: The Kitchen Manager provides hands-on leadership for culinary operations at Concordia Language Villages, helping bring our immersive language and cultural programs to life through food. This role leads day-to-day kitchen operations, supports and develops culinary staff, coordinates food production and resources, and works closely with language program leadership to create high-quality, culturally authentic dining experiences for our participants. What You'll Do: Lead day-to-day kitchen operations, including food preparation, cooking, service, cleanup, food quality, sanitation, and food safety. Coordinate staff and resources by developing schedules, assigning daily work, responding to changing staffing needs, and ensuring kitchens have the food, supplies, and equipment needed to operate effectively. Develop and support culinary staff through hands-on coaching, training, feedback, performance management, and professional development. Create culturally authentic menus and recipes in partnership with language program leadership, balancing program goals, participant experience, and budgetary considerations. Manage inventory and purchasing, including maintaining appropriate inventories and ensuring food, supplies, and smallwares are ordered and organized in a timely manner. Supervise culinary team members, participate in recruiting and hiring, address performance concerns, and help ensure compliance with safety and food-service standards. Build strong partnerships with language program leadership to gather feedback about food and develop menus that support the curricular and cultural immersion goals of each program. You'll Thrive Here If You: Enjoy leading from alongside your team and aren't afraid to jump into day-to-day kitchen operations when needed. Take pride in creating high-quality food experiences and supporting culturally authentic menus and recipes. Enjoy coaching, developing, and bringing out the best in others. Are organized and comfortable balancing staffing, food production, inventory, schedules, and changing operational needs. Communicate effectively and enjoy building strong working relationships across culinary and program teams. Are adaptable, resourceful, and able to respond calmly and practically when plans or priorities change. Find meaning in contributing your skills to immersive educational and cultural experiences.