How to hire a food supervisor

How to hire a food supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step food supervisor 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 supervisor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new food supervisor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a food supervisor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your food supervisor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a food supervisor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A food supervisor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, food supervisors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents food supervisor salaries for various positions.

   Type of Food Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Food Supervisor		$12-19
   Chef/Kitchen Manager	A kitchen manager or chef is someone who oversees the overall operations in the kitchen as well as the food operations. Kitchen managers make certain that food and related products are well prepared, cooked, and served to customers... Show more	$16-33
   Shift Leader	Shift leaders are tenured or experienced employees who are assigned to oversee employees in specific work shifts. They manage team members who are assigned in their shift... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HACCP
   • Problem Resolution
   • Safety Training
   • Safety Regulations
   • Customer Service
   • FDA
   • Food Safety
   • Safety Standards
   • Cash Handling
   • Culinary
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Groceries
   • Product Quality
   • Food Preparation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead shifts while personally preparing bakery items and executing requests base on require specifications.
   • Maintain all food and beverage storerooms in proper condition to ensure cleanliness, freshness, and organization.
   • Inspect all storage and food services preparation areas daily to ensure proper handling and cleanliness standards are met.
   • Travel to find better products that utilize the companies finances better while still providing the best culinary experience for the customer.
   • Examine food and beverage quality and presentation and provide corrective training where necessary, involving the culinary management team when need.
   • Develop and organize BOH through cleaning, maintenance, equipment care, and ordering and receiving.

   More food supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the food supervisor job description is a good way to get more applicants. A food supervisor salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a food supervisor in Mississippi may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level food supervisor. Additionally, a food supervisor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average food supervisor salary

   $16.06hourly

   $33,414 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level food supervisor salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average food supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$42,795	$21
   2	New Jersey	$40,587	$20
   3	California	$39,846	$19
   4	Colorado	$38,024	$18
   5	New York	$37,574	$18
   6	Pennsylvania	$35,352	$17
   7	Arizona	$34,460	$17
   8	Virginia	$33,511	$16
   9	Indiana	$33,058	$16
   10	North Carolina	$32,867	$16
   11	Florida	$32,074	$15
   12	Ohio	$31,881	$15
   13	Iowa	$31,444	$15
   14	South Carolina	$31,044	$15
   15	Texas	$30,930	$15
   16	Tennessee	$30,282	$15
   17	Missouri	$29,772	$14
   18	Kansas	$29,152	$14
   19	Oklahoma	$28,753	$14
   20	Alabama	$27,561	$13

   Average food supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$43,618	$20.97
   2	Children's Hospital Colorado	$38,962	$18.73	1
   3	Catholic Health East	$38,632	$18.57	7
   4	Autumn Care of Suffolk	$38,500	$18.51
   5	Soboba Casino Resort	$37,215	$17.89	2
   6	Swinomish Casino & Lodge	$36,934	$17.76
   7	Great Wolf Resorts	$36,390	$17.50	40
   8	Air Fayre	$35,537	$17.09
   9	Children's Hospital New Orleans	$35,481	$17.06
   10	HealthTrust	$35,234	$16.94
   11	Management & Training	$34,668	$16.67	3
   12	Sodexo Management, Inc.	$34,262	$16.47	770
   13	Albertsons	$34,114	$16.40	43
   14	Alpha Baking Co.	$34,054	$16.37
   15	SodexoMAGIC	$33,933	$16.31
   16	Pediatric Partners, now a member of the Sevita family	$33,691	$16.20	7
   17	Whole Foods Market	$33,272	$16.00	111
   18	Aramark	$33,015	$15.87	2,162
   19	Army and Air Force Exchange Service	$32,965	$15.85	67
   20	Randstad North America, Inc.	$32,946	$15.84

4. Writing a food supervisor job description

   A food supervisor 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 supervisor job description:

   Food supervisor job description example

   • 12+ months retail experience.

   Physical Requirements / Working Conditions:

   • Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
   • In an 8-hour work day: standing/walking 6-8 hours.
   • Hand use: single grasping, fine manipulation, pushing and pulling.
   • Work requires the following motions: bending, twisting, squatting and reaching.
   • Exposure to FDA approved cleaning chemicals.
   • Exposure to temperatures: <32 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing), 32-40 degrees Fahrenheit (refrigerators), >90 degrees Fahrenheit.
   • Ability to work in a wet and cold environment.
   • Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.
   • Ability to use tools and equipment, including box cutters, electric pallet jacks, and other heavy machinery.

   Note: The purpose of this document is to provide a general summary of essential responsibilities for the position and is not meant as an exhaustive list. This document does not reflect all job duties or requirements for every position. Requirements build as one progresses through the job levels, so any job duties required at a lower level may be required at the higher level in addition to the duties listed for that higher level. Duties, assignments, and other responsibilities may differ for similar positions based on business conditions, departmental or geographic location, and/or needs for the particular position. An individual must demonstrate successful performance in their current position before being considered for promotion. In addition, in order to promote into a higher-level position, a business need for the promotion must exist and the candidate must be considered the most qualified person for the new position. Completion of certain milestones such as obtaining an advanced degree or certification, time in current position, or developing skills to perform at the higher-level role do not guarantee a promotion.

   At Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find food supervisors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any food supervisors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level food supervisors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting food supervisors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 supervisor

   Once you've found the food supervisor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new food supervisor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a food supervisor?