How to hire a food production manager

How to hire a food production manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step food production manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a food production manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new food production manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a food production manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a food production manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a food production manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a food production manager that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of food production manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Food Production Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Food Production Manager	Food service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants and other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages. They direct staff to ensure that customers are satisfied with their dining experience, and they manage the business to ensure that it is profitable.	$12-29
   Food Service Supervisor	A Food Service Supervisor oversees employees engaged in serving food. They establish quality standards for foods and keep facilities clean in accordance with state and local regulations.	$12-19
   Chef Manager	The primary role of a Chef Manager is to supervise food preparation. They may work in varies settings, such as restaurants, schools, and hospitals.	$17-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Culinary
   • Inventory Management
   • Food Quality
   • HACCP
   • Patients
   • Cleanliness
   • Quality Standards
   • Food Handling
   • Menu Planning
   • Food Preparation
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Kitchen Operations
   • FMS
   • ServSafe

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Integrate and manage new network POS system in both sides of the operation; retail and board plan.
   • Manage inventory, ordering and delivery of groceries.
   • Help oversee the proper receiving and storage of all food items according to ServSafe and HACCP regulations.
   • Maintain cleanliness of kitchen, coolers, freezers and dry goods areas.
   • Create HACCP and programs for other food items in testing trials at facility.
   • Ensure the product coming out of department meets the USDA and the customer/company specifications.

   More food production manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your food production manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A food production manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, food production managers' average salary in georgia is 54% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level food production managers earn 58% less than senior-level food production managers.
   • Certifications. A food production manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a food production manager's salary.

   Average food production manager salary

   $40,595yearly

   $19.52 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level food production manager salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average food production manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$60,099	$29
   2	California	$52,275	$25
   3	Washington	$52,089	$25
   4	Pennsylvania	$50,563	$24
   5	Massachusetts	$46,829	$23
   6	New Jersey	$42,753	$21
   7	Idaho	$42,617	$20
   8	Ohio	$42,615	$20
   9	Wisconsin	$42,171	$20
   10	Tennessee	$37,850	$18
   11	Arizona	$36,159	$17
   12	Nebraska	$33,362	$16
   13	Florida	$31,693	$15
   14	North Carolina	$30,952	$15
   15	Texas	$30,920	$15
   16	Kansas	$28,879	$14
   17	Georgia	$27,704	$13

   Average food production manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	GPAC	$69,799	$33.56
   2	Amazon	$48,371	$23.26	23
   3	Sandridge Food	$43,722	$21.02
   4	dnata	$41,453	$19.93	9
   5	Memorial Healthcare	$40,480	$19.46
   6	J.R. Simplot	$40,160	$19.31
   7	University of Nebraska System	$38,474	$18.50
   8	Teasdale Foods	$38,181	$18.36	6
   9	Goodwin Recruiting	$38,098	$18.32	1
   10	Allianz of America, Inc.	$37,028	$17.80
   11	Dierbergs Markets	$36,795	$17.69	1
   12	Compass Group USA	$36,774	$17.68	3,187
   13	Advance Holding Corporation	$36,487	$17.54	20
   14	The Fresh Market	$36,095	$17.35
   15	HMSHost	$36,077	$17.34	67
   16	ManpowerGroup	$35,955	$17.29	123
   17	First Option Recruiting	$35,707	$17.17
   18	Sodexo Management, Inc.	$35,402	$17.02	775
   19	Perfection Foods	$35,290	$16.97
   20	Aimbridge Hospitality	$35,118	$16.88

4. Writing a food production manager job description

   A food production manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a food production manager job description:

   Food production manager job description example

   We are a tradition-rich, private country club known for the quality of our membership and for providing service that exceeds expectations . We pay our Restaurant Sous Chef / Food Production Manager a competitive wage of $90,000 commensurate with experience. Our team also enjoys great benefits , including health insurance, paid time off (PTO), a 401(k) with up to a 4% match after one year of employment, and life insurance . Additionally, our hospitality team receives paid holidays, uniforms, referral bonuses, free meals during working hours, and participation in wellness programs . Plus, we make it easy to apply with our initial quick mobile-optimized application . If we have your attention, please continue reading!

   
   

   ABOUT AUSTIN COUNTRY CLUB

   Founded in 1899, Austin Country Club is one of the oldest existing clubs in Texas and home to Harvey Penick, one of the greatest golf instructors who ever lived. As a private, family-oriented club that is rich in tradition, we are known for the quality of our membership and unmatched customer service that exceeds expectations. We are located along the banks of the Colorado River with Austin's iconic Pennybacker Bridge as our backdrop. Spanning over 180 acres of hill country vistas and canyon views in Davenport Ranch, our property is just 10 miles west of downtown Austin.

   As one of the oldest and finest clubs in the south, we know that a great experience starts with great people . We have a tradition of excellence not only with club history but also with our team members. Our work environment is fast-paced, collaborative, flexible, and mission-oriented. To show our appreciation for all that our employees do, we offer generous perks as well as competitive, comparable compensation and professional development opportunities to help them gain valuable skills for their careers .

   
   

   ARE YOU A GOOD FIT?

   Ask yourself: Do you have excellent verbal and written communication skills? Can you motivate and inspire others to put forth their best effort? Are you able to create and foster a dynamic, fluid, and positive collaborative environment with key internal leaders to achieve company goals? Can you balance multiple tasks while keeping up in a fast-paced environment? Are you a caring, compassionate leader who can hold staff accountable for their performance? If so, please consider applying for this culinary management position with our kitchen hospitality team today!

   
   

   YOUR LIFE AS A RESTAURANT SOUS CHEF / FOOD PRODUCTION MANAGER

   This full-time fine dining culinary management position with our hospitality team works a flexible schedule .

   As a Restaurant Sous Chef / Food Production Manager with our hospitality team, you play an essential role in maintaining strong relationships with your restaurant kitchen staff while ensuring our members receive a high-quality fine dining experience. To keep our kitchen operating smoothly, you provide training opportunities and foster a collaborative work environment among culinary staff. You also teach your staff new recipes, cooking techniques, and the proper usage of equipment to maintain a steady food production process.

   In addition, you ensure our high standards of fine dining are being maintained by supervising cooks during food preparation. You also help create special dishes and manage the kitchen operations during dinner. As needed, you manage the delivery of food supplies and keep track of our inventory stock. Because of your excellent leadership, you ensure our kitchen staff always delivers high-quality, cost-effective dishes that keep our guests coming back for more. You thrive in a fast-paced culinary environment, and it brings you great satisfaction to know you excel at doing what you love!

   
   

   WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

   • 5+ years of experience as an executive chef in a top club, luxury hotel, or an establishment with a high reputation
   • Experience in a leadership role within the culinary division in both a restaurant and banquet environment
   • Experience with versatility and complexity of food concepts
   • Solid understanding of the beverage component of the operation as well as how to influence and connect food and beverages
   • Ability to negotiate difficult and conflicting feedback from members
   • Strong leadership skills with the ability to empower staff members

   A culinary degree is preferred but multiple factors will be taken into consideration. If you can meet these requirements and perform this kitchen job with our country club as described above, we would be happy to have you as part of our hospitality team!

   Location: 78746

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find food production managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your food production manager job on Zippia to find and recruit food production manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with food production manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new food production manager

   Once you've selected the best food production manager candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new food production manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a food production manager?