$76,500.00 - $94,300.00 per year Pay Transparency: The above reflects the anticipated annual salary range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey. The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience. Culinary Manager The Culinary Manager leads daily culinary operations at the HARVEST Food Hub, overseeing the industrial kitchen incubator facility that serves food entrepreneurs, community partners, and Urban Agriculture Cooperative processing operations.
This role supports a safe, efficient, compliant, and collaborative commercial kitchen environment while advancing culinary entrepreneurship, workforce development, food security, and local food system initiatives. Key responsibilities may include: Managing daily operations of the industrial kitchen incubator, including facility scheduling, space utilization, equipment readiness, and compliance with applicable health department regulations and HACCP requirements.
Supporting food entrepreneurs and kitchen incubator members through technical assistance and mentorship, including recipe scaling, production planning, food safety practices, food processing, and business development. Developing, implementing, and maintaining kitchen policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), training programs, and operational guidelines for facility users. Overseeing commercial kitchen equipment management, including procurement, specification, installation coordination, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and vendor relationships.
Maintaining a safe, organized, and fully operational shared-use commercial kitchen that meets established food safety, sanitation, and regulatory standards. Coordinating with registered dietitians and other partners to support nutrition-focused programming and medically tailored food production initiatives. Overseeing food safety certification programs and ensuring facility users maintain required certifications and comply with applicable FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), HACCP, and health department requirements.
Developing and supporting revenue-generating culinary programs, including workforce development initiatives, cooking classes, catering services, and other community-based culinary programming. Collaborating with the Harvest Food Hub Director on facility scheduling, user onboarding, program coordination, and optimization of kitchen space and resources. Managing inventory systems for shared equipment, kitchen supplies, food products, and other operational resources.
Leading culinary workforce development programs in partnership with community organizations, educational institutions, and other stakeholders. Supporting food manufacturing, co-packing, and small-scale food processing activities while ensuring appropriate food safety and operational standards are maintained. Working collaboratively with entrepreneurs, farmers, healthcare professionals, community organizations, educators, and other stakeholders to advance local food system development.
Following established policies, procedures, food safety practices, regulatory requirements, and workplace safety standards to maintain a high level of service and professionalism. Demonstrating strong communication, organization, accountability, adaptability, cultural awareness, and professionalism in a dynamic community-based culinary environment. Supporting initiatives related to sustainable agriculture, food access, food security, economic development, and culinary entrepreneurship.
Participating in continuing education, professional development, and industry training to maintain and expand culinary, technical, regulatory, and management knowledge. Successfully completing organizational onboarding, facility orientation, food safety training, and department-specific requirements. Practicing within the responsibilities and expectations of the Culinary Manager role while maintaining compliance with organizational standards and applicable regulations.
Maintaining flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed to accommodate kitchen incubator members, workforce development programs, and community activities. Qualifications Culinary degree from an accredited institution or equivalent professional experience in commercial food service operations. Minimum 5 years of management experience in commercial kitchen operations preferred, particularly in shared-use, incubator, food manufacturing, or food processing environments.
Comprehensive knowledge of ServSafe certification, HACCP principles, food safety, sanitation, and commercial kitchen operations. Experience with food manufacturing, co-packing operations, and small-scale food processing preferred. Demonstrated ability to mentor, train, and support food entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds.
Strong knowledge of commercial kitchen equipment, including specification, procurement, operation, preventive maintenance, and vendor coordination. Knowledge and experience with health department requirements, FDA regulations, FSMA requirements, and third-party food safety certifications. Proficiency with kitchen management software, scheduling systems, inventory management systems, and other operational technology.
Excellent interpersonal, communication, organizational, and leadership skills. Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including food entrepreneurs, farmers, healthcare professionals, community members, educators, and partner organizations. Understanding of local food systems, sustainable agriculture practices, food access, food security, and community economic development.
Bilingual Spanish/English capabilities strongly preferred. Knowledge of and experience working within the Greater Newark community preferred. Proven work record demonstrating reliability, professionalism, leadership, teamwork, and commitment to quality service.
Commitment to continuing education, professional development, and continuous quality improvement. Ability to balance operational excellence, regulatory compliance, community support, and entrepreneurial development in a shared-use commercial kitchen environment. Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed to support facility users and community programming. grams
Day shift · 37.5