How to hire a kitchen supervisor

How to hire a kitchen supervisor, step by step

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

What does a kitchen supervisor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the kitchen supervisor you need to hire. Certain kitchen supervisor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   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 kitchen supervisor 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 kitchen supervisor that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of kitchen supervisors.

   Type of Kitchen Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Kitchen Supervisor	A Kitchen Supervisor oversees the day-to-day running of the kitchen. They are also responsible for purchasing food, kitchen supplies, and equipment.	$13-27
   Banquet Captain	Banquet captains are responsible for directing each banquet staff in the entire meal service and assign tasks to them as required. Their duties include teaching new staff members how to execute their designated tasks in the banquet... Show more	$13-19
   Bakery Manager	Bakery managers are responsible for the staff's training, schedules, and assignment of tasks. Suggesting changes in the inventory, prices, and products to make based on reports are also part of a manager's job aside from purchasing supplies for the bakery when needed... Show more	$14-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Culinary
   • Cleanliness
   • Food Service
   • Food Handling
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Customer Service
   • Food Production
   • Food Quality
   • Kitchen Operations
   • Sanitation Standards
   • Beverage Management
   • Portion Control
   • Food Orders
   • Safety Procedures

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage grill area and demonstrate leadership.
   • Manage people and oversee production of high-volume establishment for this upscale restaurant specializing in Mexican cuisine.
   • Train and supervise all culinary employees including community service volunteers in kitchen operations and delegate daily work assignments.
   • Maintain kitchen and dining area under Servsafe guidelines.
   • Used a POS system and show advanced money management skills.
   • Exercise leadership skills by coordinating kitchen staff during busy times.

   More kitchen supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, kitchen supervisors' average salary in alabama is 40% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level kitchen supervisors earn 52% less than senior-level kitchen supervisors.
   • Certifications. A kitchen supervisor 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 kitchen supervisor's salary.

   Average kitchen supervisor salary

   $40,520yearly

   $19.48 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level kitchen supervisor salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average kitchen supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$53,605	$26
   2	Massachusetts	$51,169	$25
   3	California	$50,076	$24
   4	New York	$49,047	$24
   5	Colorado	$46,042	$22
   6	Minnesota	$45,327	$22
   7	Vermont	$44,441	$21
   8	Pennsylvania	$44,241	$21
   9	Oregon	$43,840	$21
   10	Nevada	$42,336	$20
   11	District of Columbia	$42,067	$20
   12	Arizona	$41,807	$20
   13	Maryland	$41,077	$20
   14	Ohio	$38,715	$19
   15	Illinois	$37,759	$18
   16	Nebraska	$37,605	$18
   17	Michigan	$37,280	$18
   18	Texas	$36,089	$17
   19	Indiana	$35,308	$17
   20	Louisiana	$35,154	$17

   Average kitchen supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	GoodCents	$50,996	$24.52
   2	Bertucci's	$49,993	$24.04	2
   3	Kohler Co.	$47,876	$23.02	6
   4	Mckendree Village	$47,641	$22.90
   5	Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza	$47,570	$22.87
   6	G&A Partners	$47,357	$22.77	1
   7	Goodwin Recruiting	$46,822	$22.51
   8	Stars and Strikes Family Entertainment Centers	$45,286	$21.77	10
   9	Live Nation Entertainment	$44,450	$21.37	8
   10	Outside In	$44,350	$21.32
   11	Lulu.com	$44,230	$21.26	1
   12	City of Las Cruces Government	$43,563	$20.94
   13	Coen Company	$43,361	$20.85	17
   14	AHMC Healthcare	$43,278	$20.81	1
   15	Benchmark Group	$42,832	$20.59
   16	Greystone Health Network	$42,807	$20.58
   17	Blackberry Farm	$41,950	$20.17	2
   18	Legends Hospitality	$41,898	$20.14
   19	Proper Hospitality	$41,749	$20.07
   20	Atrium Hospitality LP	$41,569	$19.99	30

4. Writing a kitchen supervisor job description

   A kitchen 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 kitchen supervisor job description:

   Kitchen supervisor job description example

   LSG Sky Chefs a part of the LSG Group with over 75 years of Catering history is immediately hiring, full time team players to prepare and process food orders offered through our Ghost Kitchen operations operated in the Miami area.

   This is a brand new business venture and we want to add great team members who want to make a difference. If you enjoy a fast-paced, team-based production environment with a focus on quality food preparation, food service and delivery, this position may be for you.

   Work Environment

   · This position will be primarily located at one of our ghost kitchen locations in the City of Miami, FL., with potential travel to other locations within the city.

   We offer many attractive benefits

   · Full-time, steady work

   · Bi-weekly pay schedule

   · Health, dental, vision and life insurance

   · 401(k)

   · Vacations, sick days and holiday paid

   · Free meals / free parking

   · Accessible by public transportation

   · Credit Union

   · Promotions from within / opportunities for advancement

   Role Purpose Statement

   · You want to be part of something new, exciting and growing!

   · You are an outgoing candidate who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys managing a team that is laser focused on delivering a quality product to our customers

   · You know how to monitor and engage team members in all safety & performance initiatives

   Main Responsibilities

   · Ensure that the area of responsibility is properly organized, staffed and directed and that all delivery times are being met

   · Conduct daily work group meetings

   · Schedule and lead team to meet or exceed quality, cleanliness and timeliness standards

   · Ensure compliance with all government regulatory agencies standards (example: Local Health Department, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), etc.)

   · Document and follow up on all department processes in order to implement improvements

   · Ensure on-time and accurate production

   · Monitor and ensure compliance with all safety regulations

   · Other duties as deemed necessary

   · Rigorous adherence to internal processes and systems

   Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

   · H.S. diploma or equivalent knowledge required

   · In addition, one to three years of related work experience required

   · Problem solving and leadership skills

   · Strong interpersonal and communication skills

   · Ability to develop and lead others to obtain desired results & achieve productivity goals

   · Working knowledge of OSHA, FDA, USDA and City regulations

   · Excellent verbal, written and organizational skills required along with the ability to multi-task

   · Experience working with Inventory control, POS and 3rd party delivery programs

   · Have or be able to obtain ServSafe Manager Certificate and local Food Handler Permit

   · Passion for producing quality food in a timely manner

   Looking forward to welcoming you to our team in one of the fastest growing food businesses in the world!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right kitchen supervisor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit kitchen supervisors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 kitchen supervisor

   Once you've selected the best kitchen supervisor 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.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new kitchen supervisor. 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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a kitchen supervisor?