Kitchen Team Lead -Hot Food

We are seeking a passionate, high-energy Kitchen Team Lead** to join our team at Hen House. In this role, you'll bring energy and ownership to the kitchen-driving consistency, inspiring your team, and delivering fresh, high-quality ready-to-eat offerings that elevate the guest experience and keep customers coming back.

At Hen House, we're more than a grocery store-we're a team committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences through quality products, strong teamwork, and consistent execution. As part of the Balls Food Stores family, we offer the stability of a locally owned company with deep community roots.

This is a great fit for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, loves working with food, and is motivated by building a strong team, delivering great results, and creating a kitchen operation they can truly take pride in.

Key Responsibilities & Job Duties

• Provide friendly, helpful, and respectful guest service while ensuring a positive food service experience

• Oversee daily kitchen operations, including food preparation, cooking, and product presentation

• Ensure timely production of deli items such as sandwiches, salads, hot foods, grab-and-go meals, and catering orders

• Maintain efficient kitchen workflow during peak service hours and support overall department execution

• Monitor portion control, product consistency, and minimize food waste

• Supervise and direct team members, ensuring accountability, productivity, and consistent execution

• Train team members on recipes, prep procedures, food safety, and sanitation standards

• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment at all times

• Enforce all food safety, sanitation, labeling, and rotation standards to ensure compliance

• Prepare for and support health inspections and ensure adherence to all local regulations

• Manage inventory levels, order supplies, and track product usage to support availability and reduce shrink

• Support food and labor cost control efforts in partnership with department leadership

• Ensure consistency in recipes, food quality, and presentation standards

• Assist with menu execution, seasonal items, and continuous improvement of offerings

• Support scheduling, task delegation, and shift execution to meet operational needs

• Communicate clearly with store leadership and collaborate across departments to support store goals

• Adhere to all company policies and procedures, including attendance, conduct, and safety standards

• Support loss prevention efforts and maintain awareness of cost controls

• Remain hands-on and productive during all shifts, stepping in as needed to support the team

• Other job duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Required: High school diploma, GED, or equivalent work experience

• Required: Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays

• Required: 2+ years of kitchen, deli, or prepared foods experience, including leadership or supervisory responsibilities

• Preferred: Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and health department regulations

• Preferred: Experience with inventory management, ordering, and food cost control