Culinary Manager - Workplace Dining (NYC)
Premier Catering Company is seeking a highly experienced Culinary Manager to lead daily kitchen operations for a premier C-suite workplace dining account in New York City. This is a hands-on leadership role within a fast-paced, high-volume environment where hospitality, consistency, and culinary excellence are paramount.
This position is ideal for a culinary professional who thrives in both production and client-facing environments, with a passion for leading teams, building thoughtful menus, and delivering exceptional daily dining experiences.
About the Role
The Culinary Manager oversees all back-of-house operations for a flagship workplace dining program, serving high-level executives and teams with elevated, chef-driven menus. You will act as the primary culinary lead on site, managing production, mentoring staff, and serving as a key liaison between the client and the Relish production team.
Key Responsibilities
On-Site Kitchen Leadership & Operations
- Lead and manage daily kitchen operations in a high-volume workplace dining environment
- Supervise, train, and mentor a team of cooks and culinary assistants to receive and finish daily menus on site.
- Ensure consistent execution of menus with a focus on quality, presentation, and timeliness
- Maintain a clean, organized, and efficient kitchen aligned with Relish standards
Menu Development & Execution
- Develop and execute rotating menus in collaboration with the Relish culinary team
- Ensure menus are seasonally inspired, nutritionally balanced, and aligned with client preferences
- Maintain accurate and detailed allergen labeling and dietary accommodations
- Oversee daily menu updates and communication to client and team
Client Engagement
- Serve as the lead culinary point of contact for the client
- Build strong, professional relationships with stakeholders and C-suite guests
- Present menus, respond to feedback, and proactively evolve offerings
- Act as a conduit between the on-site team and Relish production kitchen
Food Safety, Compliance & Reporting
- Maintain and oversee all temperature logs, receiving logs, and production records
- Manage and track waste logs with a focus on sustainability and cost control
- Ensure compliance with all NYC Department of Health standards and internal protocols
- Oversee proper receiving, storage, and handling of all food products
Production & Off-Premise Coordination
- Coordinate with the Relish production kitchen for off-premises support and deliveries
- Ensure seamless integration of off-site prepared items into daily service
- Manage ordering, inventory, and par levels to support consistent service
Qualifications
- Minimum 5+ years of kitchen management experience, preferably in workplace dining, corporate dining, or high-volume catering
- Strong computer and technology skills.
- Experience working with recipe software, catering software, Excel, Word, MSTeams, Outlook and similar.
- Proven experience leading, training, and developing culinary teams
- Strong culinary foundation with excellent cooking and production skills
- Experience with off-premise production and logistics
- Advanced knowledge of allergen management and labeling
- Strong organizational skills with experience managing logs, reporting, and compliance systems
- Professional, polished demeanor with the ability to interact confidently with clients and executives
- NYC Food Protection Certificate
