Assistant Food Safety & Kitchen Manager

Description

Location: Wilmington, DE

Job Type: Full-time

Compensation: $28–$30/hour (based on experience)

Reports to: Executive Chef / Kitchen Manager

About Nourish Markets

At Nourish Markets, we believe access to fresh, organic, and local food should be simple and affordable—no matter how busy life gets. Founded in 2022, our mission is to combine food, technology, and sustainability to make better eating radically more convenient.

From smart markets in airports and train stations to wholesale partnerships with beloved local cafés and retailers, we’re building a modern food system that puts health, quality, and community first.

The Role

We’re hiring an Assistant Food Safety & Kitchen Manager to serve as the right hand to our Executive Chef / Kitchen Manager and the day-to-day owner of food safety and quality systems in our USDA/FDA-regulated commissary kitchen.

This is a high-impact, multi-hat role for someone who thrives at the intersection of:

• food safety & compliance
• kitchen operations & production
• people leadership & process building

Food safety is the primary responsibility, but this role is also deeply embedded in kitchen production, team supervision, quality control, and administrative operations. You’ll be hands-on in the kitchen while also owning documentation, verification, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance (Primary Focus)

• Own day-to-day USDA and FDA food safety compliance for our commissary kitchen
• Manage and maintain HACCP and Preventive Controls Food Safety Plans
• Ensure accurate execution of:
• CCP monitoring
• Preventive controls
• Corrective actions
• Verification and validation activities
• Conduct and document:
• Environmental monitoring (e.g., Listeria swabs)
• Sanitation verification
• Cleaning and chemical concentration checks
• Lead internal food safety audits and prepare for:
• USDA inspections
• FDA inspections
• Third-party audits (as applicable)
• Manage food safety software systems to:
• Trace incoming ingredients
• Track lot codes and batch production
• Enable full product traceability and recall readiness
• Maintain training records and ensure all team members are compliant with food safety requirements
• Stay current on regulatory updates and proactively adjust procedures as needed

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

• Oversee daily QA/QC checks on production runs
• Verify product labeling accuracy, allergens, weights, and packaging integrity
• Monitor shelf life, cold chain integrity, and storage conditions
• Investigate and resolve quality or food safety deviations
• Partner with the Executive Chef to continuously improve consistency and product quality

Kitchen Operations & Team Supervision

• Supervise and support the kitchen production team during daily operations
• Ensure SOPs are followed consistently across shifts
• Be hands-on in cooking, prep, and packaging as needed
• Coach and train team members on:
• Food safety
• Sanitation
• Production standards
• Help onboard new hires and reinforce a strong food safety culture

Administrative & Operational Support

• Assist with:
• Ingredient and supply ordering
• Inventory counts and reconciliation
• Scheduling and labor coordination
• Maintain accurate digital records using:
• Food safety software
• Kitchen management tools
• Google Sheets and internal systems
• Support documentation development:
• SOPs
• Training materials
• Checklists and logs
• Act as a communication bridge between kitchen staff and leadership

Compensation & Growth

• Competitive hourly pay: $28–$30/hour
• Benefits, equity options, and growth opportunities
• High visibility role with opportunity to grow into:
• Food Safety Manager
• Operations Manager
• Kitchen Manager
• Join a collaborative, purpose-driven team shaping the future of food

Requirements

Who We’re Looking For

• 3+ years experience in a USDA and/or FDA-regulated food manufacturing, commissary, or production kitchen
• Strong working knowledge of:
• HACCP
• Preventive Controls
• GMPs
• Sanitation programs
• Experience conducting food safety verification activities (e.g., swabs, logs, audits)
• Comfortable managing food safety and traceability software
• Prior experience supervising or leading kitchen or production teams
• Solid culinary skills and willingness to work hands-on in the kitchen
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and process-driven
• Strong communicator who can hold teams accountable while remaining supportive
• Excited to grow with a mission-driven, fast-moving startup

Certifications (Required or Willing to Obtain)

• ServSafe Manager or equivalent (or willingness to obtain)
• HACCP certification preferred (or willingness to obtain)
• PCQI certification preferred (or willingness to obtain)

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand for long periods
• Ability to lift up to 40–50 lbs
• Comfortable working early mornings or weekends as needed