We are seeking an experienced, steady, and people-focused Kitchen Manager to help lead the daily operations of a busy cooperatively owned café and bakery kitchen.
This role is ideal for someone who brings strong kitchen experience, clear communication, and a calm, positive leadership style. We are looking for a leader who can maintain high standards for food quality, consistency, cleanliness, and efficiency while also helping create a workplace culture where staff feel supported, respected, and motivated to do their best work.
The right candidate will understand that a strong kitchen is not built through pressure or negativity, but through clear expectations, accountability, teamwork, and positive leadership. This position requires someone who can lead by example, take pride in the details, and contribute to an inclusive, welcoming, and professional team environment.
We value work-life balance and believe strong leadership is most sustainable when expectations are clear, communication is healthy, and workloads are reasonable.
What We Offer
- Schedule based on a 40-hour workweek
- Salary option after 3 months
- Annual pay increases
- Extended benefits, including vision and dental
- Potential eligibility for profit-sharing program (patronage dividends)
- A positive and values-driven workplace culture
- A supportive team environment
- Weekly manager meetings to support clear communication and collaborative problem-solving
- The opportunity to help shape and strengthen kitchen systems
- A busy, creative café and bakery setting
- A leadership role where your communication style, attitude, and care for the team truly matter
Responsibilities
- Lead and support kitchen staff during daily service and preparation
- Coordinate prep, production, baking, and kitchen workflow to ensure smooth operations
- Maintain consistent food quality, portioning, presentation, and recipe standards
- Train and coach team members on kitchen procedures, food safety, prep standards, and cleanliness
- Foster a positive, respectful, inclusive, and team-oriented kitchen culture
- Communicate clearly with staff and management to solve problems before they become larger issues
- Participate in weekly manager meetings with the management team to support clear communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and conflict resolution
- Manage inventory, ordering, food rotation, and waste reduction
- Ensure all food handling, sanitation, and health code standards are followed
- Maintain a clean, organized, and efficient kitchen environment
- Support menu execution and contribute to thoughtful improvements where appropriate
- Help create systems that improve consistency, accountability, and day-to-day operations
- Lead by example with professionalism, reliability, attention to detail, and care for the team
Qualifications
- Previous leadership or supervisory experience in a kitchen, café, bakery, restaurant, or food service environment
- Strong food preparation skills and a solid understanding of kitchen operations
- Experience with inventory, ordering, prep planning, and kitchen organization
- Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and proper food handling procedures
- Ability to lead calmly and effectively in a fast-paced environment
- Strong communication skills and a respectful, constructive approach to feedback
- High attention to detail and a commitment to consistency
- Ability to hold team members accountable while maintaining a positive and supportive tone
- Reliable, organized, and able to follow through on tasks and expectations
- Comfortable working as part of a collaborative management team
- A genuine interest in contributing to a healthy, inclusive, and collaborative workplace culture
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is not only experienced in the kitchen, but also understands the importance of workplace culture. We are looking for someone who can bring structure without harshness, accountability without negativity, and leadership without ego.
You should be someone who takes pride in good systems, consistent food, clean workspaces, and respectful teamwork. You should be comfortable giving direction, receiving feedback, and helping build a kitchen environment where people want to show up, contribute, and grow.
You should also be comfortable working closely with the broader management team, participating in regular conversations about operations, staff support, communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
This is an opportunity to lead within a welcoming and community-minded food service environment that values quality, respect, inclusivity, communication, positive leadership, and sustainable work-life balance.
Pay: $27.00-$29.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Discounted or free food
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Profit sharing
- Store discount
- Vision care
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Sooke, BC: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Kitchen Management: 2 years (required)
Work Location: In person
