Kitchen Lead - Evanston, IL

Sweetgreen is a vibrant and mission-driven fast-casual restaurant chain focused on building healthier communities by connecting people to real food. Established with a vision to transform the fast food industry, Sweetgreen emphasizes the importance of fresh, sustainable ingredients and food made from scratch daily. With a team of over 5,000 members across various locations, the company strives to make real food convenient and accessible to everyone. Sweetgreen's core values revolve around community impact, nutritional integrity, and environmental responsibility, making it a leader in healthy dining options. The company’s culture promotes growth and development, offering career advancement opportunities such as the potential for top-performing team members to advance to General Manager roles within 36 months. Sweetgreen is an inclusive employer committed to equal opportunity that respects diversity and adheres to policies against discrimination of any kind. Employees are offered competitive wages, benefits, and a supportive work environment where their contributions directly impact the community. The Kitchen Lead role at Sweetgreen is a crucial leadership position responsible for overseeing the kitchen’s hot food preparation and ensuring high-quality culinary output throughout different service periods. As the backbone of the hot kitchen, this position requires exceptional culinary expertise, operational management skills, and leadership abilities to maintain smooth kitchen operations. The Kitchen Lead will handle not only cooking and food preparation according to standardized recipes and quality protocols but also manage kitchen organization, cleanliness, and inventory control. They will ensure food safety standards, including proper FIFO rotation, conducting regular taste tests, managing oven capacity, and coordinating seamlessly with other teams such as MOD (Manager on Duty), Cold Prep, and Service staff. This role demands attention to detail, an ability to multitask effectively in a fast-paced environment, and the physical stamina to lift up to 25 pounds and stand for extended periods. The Kitchen Lead will also lead training sessions for new menu items, manage waste records, and support transitions between shifts to guarantee continuous service quality. Joining Sweetgreen as a Kitchen Lead means becoming an integral part of a brand that’s rewriting the future of fast food by fostering healthier lifestyles and communities. The role offers competitive wages, eligibility for tips depending on the location and role, and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision plans for both part-time and full-time team members. Additionally, employees enjoy paid vacation and wellness time, parental leave, a 401k plan, and free healthy and delicious shift meals. Team members can also access the SG Swag Marketplace to earn and purchase custom company apparel. The company fosters a culture of hospitality, quality, and continuous learning, making it an exciting career opportunity for someone passionate about food, leadership, and community impact.

• Must be available to work a minimum of 30 hours per week
• You must be 18 years of age or older
• Must be authorized to work in the United States