Lead Food Service Worker

Role Overview

This position takes charge of the galley team, making sure every shift runs smoothly from prep through service while keeping the kitchen and dining areas inspection-ready. You will be the go-to person for the crew on duty, solving problems, checking quality, and holding the line on food safety. Your leadership directly affects whether the team meets production targets, avoids waste, and keeps customers satisfied.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct the daily workflow of the food service crew, assigning stations, monitoring progress, and stepping in to keep service on schedule.
• Participate hands-on in cooking, portioning, plating, and setting up serving lines to match menu specifications and portion controls.
• Verify that all food handling, storage, and cleaning procedures follow HACCP guidelines and are documented consistently.
• Train newer workers on knife skills, equipment operation, sanitation routines, and service standards, giving corrective feedback when needed.
• Taste and visually inspect dishes before they reach the serving line, rejecting anything that falls short of quality standards.
• Maintain kitchen equipment, noting any unusual noises, breakdowns, or safety hazards and reporting them to the supervisor promptly.
• Keep storage areas organized and properly rotated, tracking stock levels and notifying management when orders need to be placed.
• Adjust staffing plans and break schedules based on meal volumes, events, or manpower shortages to avoid disrupting service.
• Listen to customer complaints and observations, resolve issues on the spot where possible, and escalate recurring problems to management.

Requirements & Qualifications

• At least two years of hands-on food service experience, with meaningful time spent in food preparation, cooking, or kitchen operations.
• Proven leadership experience in a team lead or supervisory capacity, including onboarding, schedule management, or task delegation.
• Solid working knowledge of food safety and sanitation principles, including HACCP requirements for receiving, storage, prep, and serving.
• Confident operation of standard kitchen equipment such as convection ovens, grills, deep fryers, commercial slicers, and dish machines.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to direct a culturally diverse team and coordinate with other departments.
• High school diploma or equivalent certification.
• English proficiency sufficient to read instructions, follow standard operating procedures, and respond in emergencies on site.
• A valid passport with at least one year of remaining validity at the time of hire.
• Eligibility to obtain visas required for the assigned country according to the U.S. State Department Foreign Clearance Guide.
• Ability to pass the contract physical and maintain medical fitness for the entire deployment period.
• Capability to obtain and keep facility access credentials and any required security authorization.