Full-time, salaried · $60,000–$65,000 · Cinderlands Warehouse, Strip District
Cinderlands Beer Co. is seeking a hands-on Kitchen Manager to run the systems behind the scratch kitchen at Cinderlands Warehouse: training, hiring, inventory and food cost, vendors, sanitation and compliance, and the day-to-day organization that keeps a high-volume kitchen and a growing private events business running smoothly.
About the role
This is a working leadership position, and its first responsibility is teaching. The Kitchen Manager owns how our line cooks and prep cooks learn the kitchen, from our SOPs, recipes, platings, and portioning to station setup and food safety, and holds the team to those standards on every shift. That means training prep cooks on the daily service prep that keeps the line ready, and preparing them for our growing private events business, where large-format production has to be scaled, timed, packed, and executed to the same standard as a Friday night on the line.
The right candidate will enjoy developing cooks, keeping a kitchen organized and accountable, and building systems that make the numbers hold up week after week. This is a strong opportunity for an experienced sous chef or kitchen manager ready to take on meaningful management responsibility without stepping away from the line.
At a glance
Location
Cinderlands Warehouse, Strip District, Pittsburgh
Employment type
Full-time, permanent, salaried, exempt
Compensation
$60,000–$65,000 annually, based on experience
Schedule
45–50 hours per week; flexible scheduling is an important requirement
Reports to
Executive Sous Chef (Aaron Fennell) and Head of Retail Operations (Joe Kiefer)
Direct reports
Line cooks and prep cooks, with shared day-to-day leadership alongside the Sous Chefs
What you’ll do
Train and develop the kitchen team
The first responsibility of this role is teaching. Every cook learns the kitchen from the Kitchen Manager, and the standard holds because of it.
- Train every line cook and prep cook on Cinderlands SOPs, recipes, platings, portioning, and station setup, and hold the team to those standards on every shift.
- Train prep cooks on regular service prep: daily prep lists, batch recipes and yields, par levels, labeling and dating, and the mise en place the line needs before every service.
- Build and maintain the materials that make our standards teachable: plating guides, recipe cards, prep specs, and station checklists.
- Prepare prep cooks for private events: scaling recipes for large-format production, prep timelines, pack-outs, labeling, and holding, so every event leaves the kitchen on time and to spec.
- Coach on the floor in real time and through regular one-on-one feedback; correct drift before it becomes habit.
- Cross-train cooks across stations so the schedule has depth and event prep never strips the line.
- Partner with the Executive Sous Chef and Sous Chefs on performance reviews and development plans.
Manage inventory, food cost, and vendors
- Conduct regular inventory counts and maintain accurate reporting.
- Update and maintain costed plates monthly, delegating data collection as needed.
- Monitor food cost, portioning, and waste through routine checks and real-time correction.
- Review invoices for accuracy, track credits, and ensure vendors bill correctly.
- Watch pricing fluctuations and work with vendors to address increases or identify alternatives.
- Participate in ongoing menu pricing reviews and adjustments.
- Maintain strong working relationships with vendors and assist with ordering to keep product availability and pricing consistent.
- Build orders around the events calendar so private-events product arrives on time without overstocking the walk-in.
Uphold sanitation, compliance, and facility standards
- Ensure full compliance with regulatory standards: proper food handling and storage, accurate labeling and dating, cooling and sanitation logs, HACCP plans where applicable, RAMP certification and training, and ServSafe compliance.
- Enforce cleanliness and organization across all kitchen areas.
- Develop and manage a weekly deep-cleaning schedule across all stations, working with the Sous Chefs to ensure completion and accountability.
- Maintain inventory of operational supplies (BOH and FOH), including paper goods, chemicals, and packaging.
Hire and onboard
- Conduct initial phone interviews to assess candidate experience and fit.
- Schedule and oversee paid working interviews for qualified candidates.
- Complete all onboarding paperwork and system setup in Toast before an employee’s first shift.
- Confirm every new hire is credentialed (ServSafe and RAMP as required) and trained on the basics before working a station unsupervised.
Support scheduling and service
- Support scheduling and maintain appropriate labor levels, including coverage for private events.
- Work prep, the line, and service leadership as needed to protect quality and efficiency.
- Communicate clearly with front-of-house leadership and the private events team so the kitchen is never surprised.
What success looks like
A successful Kitchen Manager will:
- Have every cook trained to the same standard, so platings, portions, and prep execute to spec without a chef standing over the station.
- Have daily service prep complete, labeled, and on par before every service.
- Deliver private-events prep on time, to spec, and fully packed and labeled, with no scramble on event day.
- Maintain accurate inventory, costing, and invoice tracking with minimal discrepancies.
- Hit food-cost targets through portion control, waste reduction, and pricing awareness.
- Onboard, credential, and train every new hire before their first unsupervised shift.
- Uphold strict health and safety standards with zero tolerance for non-compliance.
- Keep the kitchen clean, organized, and running efficiently at all times.
- Communicate effectively with vendors, front of house, the private events team, and leadership.
- Address operational issues proactively and implement solutions.
- Show leadership presence on the floor and during service.
- Give the Executive Sous Chef and Head of Retail Operations dependable visibility without requiring their constant involvement in daily execution.
Who we’re looking for
Strong candidates will have:
- At least three years in professional kitchens, including meaningful leadership experience as a sous chef, kitchen manager, or lead cook.
- A track record of training cooks and holding a line to a standard.
- Working knowledge of food cost, inventory, portion control, and invoice review.
- ServSafe Manager certification, or the ability to obtain it within 30 days of hire, and strong food-safety and sanitation practice.
- Comfort with restaurant systems such as Toast and scheduling and inventory tools.
- The ability to stay organized, communicative, and constructive when volume spikes or plans change.
- Sound judgment about which problems to solve independently and which to escalate.
Helpful additional experience includes:
- Catering, banquet, or private-events production.
- Scratch-kitchen, seasonal-menu, or high-volume brewery and taproom experience.
- Building or improving SOPs, recipe books, plating guides, or training programs.
- HACCP, RAMP, or comparable compliance training.
- Formal culinary education.
A specific degree is not required. Relevant professional experience may substitute for formal education.
Schedule and physical requirements
This is a full-time, on-site position averaging 45 to 50 hours per week. Flexible scheduling is an important requirement: the Kitchen Manager’s week follows the kitchen’s needs, including nights, weekends, holidays, and private events, and moves between administrative time and hands-on shifts as the business requires.
The role requires extended periods of standing and walking; working around hot surfaces, open flame, sharp tools, wet floors, and refrigerated spaces; and lifting cases, stock, and equipment weighing up to approximately 50 pounds.
Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities.
Compensation and benefits
- $60,000–$65,000 annual salary, based on experience
- Health, dental, and vision insurance, with three current UPMC plan options
- Two weeks of paid vacation and one additional unpaid week
- One additional paid vacation day per year of tenure, up to five additional days
- Employee beer, food, and retail benefits
How to apply
Apply below with a resume and a cover letter explaining why this role interests you. We are especially interested in examples of how you have:
- Trained a cook from new hire to a dependable station lead.
- Written or improved an SOP, recipe spec, or plating standard that the whole kitchen adopted.
- Brought food cost or waste back in line.
- Prepped and executed a large event or catering order.
- Handled a difficult conversation with an employee or a vendor.
Candidates do not need to meet every preferred qualification to apply.
Apply now
Two short steps: your contact details and three quick questions, then your cover letter and resume (PDF or Word).
Cinderlands Beer Co. is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.