How To Become A Kitchen Assistant Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a kitchen assistant manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

It takes many hands to run a successful restaurant. Besides servers and chefs, some managers keep track of the administrative tasks that keep a restaurant running. One of those managers is the kitchen assistant manager, who runs the kitchen or the back-of-house (BOH) operations.

The kitchen assistant manager sometimes steps in and prepares food along with the other chefs, but that is not all they do. They handle all the logistical aspects of running a kitchen, such as maintaining inventory, ordering ingredients, and repairing any broken tools. Kitchen assistant managers also supervise the work in the kitchen by training new hires and making sure that everybody is following safety guidelines.

The work of a kitchen assistant manager is not easy. They come in before a shift starts to make sure that the kitchen is ready to serve guests, and they don't leave until long after the last guest eats dessert. They spend their days and nights in a sweaty, high-pressure environment. However, for most kitchen assistant managers, the joy of helping to prepare excellent food is worth the stress.

ScoreKitchen Assistant ManagerUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,114

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.1

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.88%

Asian 7.04%

Black or African American 10.37%

Hispanic or Latino 14.92%

Unknown 5.15%

White 61.64%

Gender

female 22.87%

male 77.13%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Stress level

9.1

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a kitchen assistant manager

Explore kitchen assistant manager education requirements

Most common kitchen assistant manager degrees

Bachelor's

31.5 %

Associate

30.6 %

High School Diploma

27.0 %

Start to develop specific kitchen assistant manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	15.12%
Cleanliness	10.06%
Food Service	10.00%
Kitchen Equipment	7.42%
Food Handling	6.94%

Complete relevant kitchen assistant manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New kitchen assistant managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a kitchen assistant manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real kitchen assistant manager resumes.

Gain additional kitchen assistant manager certifications

Kitchen assistant manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific kitchen assistant manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for kitchen assistant managers include Certified Food Manager (CFM) and Food Safety Manager Certification.

More About Certifications

Research kitchen assistant manager duties and responsibilities

Manage BOH equipment and physical plant elements - including introduction and training on new equipment
Manage day to day culinary operations with exceptional food quality execution.
Help implement a BOH training program focuse on product consistency, freshness, and quality awareness.
Charge with the culinary development of each manager via corporate initiatives and personal interaction.

Prepare your kitchen assistant manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your kitchen assistant manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a kitchen assistant manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable kitchen assistant manager resume templates

Build a professional kitchen assistant manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your kitchen assistant manager resume.