Strong Arm Baking Company is a thriving, expanding, and dynamic business dedicated to producing food so delicious that it can change people’s outlook on life. We are seeking a strong leader to guide our Kitchen department into the next phase of growth.
Who is Strong Arm Baking?
Strong Arm Baking started as a team of 2 in a home-based business 10 years ago. We now operate with a 70-person team of smart, dedicated, talented individuals. We sell our products out of our shop in downtown Oxford, at two area Farmers Markets, and in coffee shops and stores where we deliver daily all over the triangle. We also deliver 'Porch Drop' to over 300 customers' homes weekly.
Our foundation is built on a culture of being polite, clean, kind, and professional. We prioritize hiring individuals who are skilled in their craft and understand the importance of clear communication. Above all else, kindness and a drive to "do what's right'' take precedence in our workplace. Our business continues to shine and flourish because of the people who work here. The right applicant will understand the importance of serving their team through their daily work, not managing from above.
SUPERVISORY Duties and Responsibilities:
Supervises day-to-day tasks of a team of 6-8 line cooks, prep cooks, and dishwashers.
Prepare a wide variety of creative and thoughtful menu items for breakfast and lunch service Currently we serve primarily sandwiches served on bread we freshly bake, seasonal soups, and simple, smashable salads. Work with a focus given to detail, efficiency, and fostering a workplace that is challenging, rewarding, and educational for all employees.
Try new recipes and tweak as needed, without fear of failure. Think about food creatively and playfully. Produce new menu items or products as you or other team members are moved to do so. Be guided by what is most delicious, cravings, or random whimsical ideas.
Be flexible. Our business is always changing, always adapting. The correct applicant must be able to keep an open mind as to how we move forward in this growing business.
The Kitchen Manager is one of 6 departmental managers in Strong Arm. You will communicate with 5 other department heads to problem solve, maintain and improve quality, schedule and cross train employees as needed, and take care of the team as a whole.
Provides a “Hands On” approach to training, planning, assigning and delegating work. Be ready to teach and improve, lifting all team members abilities on a daily basis.
Provide a prep and planning system to communicate daily tasks to staff. This system should encourage self-starting. Assign daily tasks to line cooks,prep cooks, and dishwashers. Monitor production, provide support, and make improvements as needed. Empower your team members to learn, make decisions, and access information on their own.
Adhere to health and safety standards. Keep an organized, clean workplace. Enforce standards.
Maintain a schedule for all line cooks and dishwashers while coordinating with other departments. Produce a schedule that gives priority and value to people’s personal lives and familiar duties. We want to maintain flexibility in the workplace, which is a benefit to all team members.
Order raw ingredients in conjunction with the Ordering Manager to ensure correct supplies are available at all times. Mitigate and record waste.
Immediate Goals
Produce a guide to making Prep Lists. Train your Line Cook in how to make prep lists in your absence, so that this duty may be shared.
Control Refrigeration Storage spaces. Manage space issues. Introduce a storage system for products in freezers and refrigerators and train staff on these systems.
Understand how to push products out for sale, use ingredients to mitigate waste, and create profits from each item baked by ensuring it gets sent to the best sales channel for the individual item. (Market, FOH, Sandwich specials, etc.)
Required Skills/Abilities
Extensive knowledge of professional cooking, moving in a kitchen, and producing beautiful food from high quality ingredients.
Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with co-workers, prioritizing respect.
Excellent organizational skills. Learn our system, then improve it, or establish your own.
Excellent time management skills. Be able to function under time constraints and deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.
Must be able to stand for long periods. Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
Must be willing and able to work a flexible schedule, including all Holidays.
Come hungry.
Education and Experience:
Minimum (2) years experience in kitchen management.
Minimum (2) year experience as a line cook.
ServSafe certification required.
Demonstrated understanding of collaborative teamwork.
Knowledge of Excel, Microsoft Word, ability to learn several software systems necessary for the planning and operation of our business.
Job Perks and Benefits
Daytime hours, Tuesday-Saturday. Flexible Scheduling
100% Employer paid medical, vision, and dental health insurance.
Simple IRA with 3% employer match after 2 years.
Paid Parental Leave after 2 years.
Staff Meal provided daily
Free Fitness Classes
Life Insurance
Two weeks Paid Time Off
Paid Sick or Mental Health Days (3 per year)