Chef de Cuisine - DEN

About the role

Sifted is seeking a Chef De Cuisine to live and breathe the Sifted brand, be a champion for our Rail-Based Culinary & Logistics Program, ensuring all meals are prepared, packaged, labeled, and loaded according to airline-style standards and client specifications.

Lead all culinary production for the luxury rail hospitality program, ensuring every menu item is prepared, portioned, and packaged to exact specifications and airline-style service standards. Translate menu documentation, recipes, plating guides, and portioning standards into daily production workflows that the team can execute consistently and efficiently

Shifts vary and will adjust based on production timelines and service demands. Candidates must be available for a rotating schedule that may include nights, weekends, and certain peak-season holidays

What you'll be doing

Oversee batch cooking, cooling, chilling, portioning, labeling, and packaging to ensure strict food safety, cold-chain compliance, and quality benchmarks are met.

Coordinate with operations manager to organize packout of all food delivery equipment from production kitchen to train station to ensure accurate order fulfillment.

Track inventory, manage ordering cycles, and forecast production needs based on client updates.

Partner closely with operations leadership to align on production schedules, packout timelines, cart loading order, and daily departure requirements.

Conduct daily quality checks, tasting reviews, and packaging audits to ensure the final product meets culinary expectations and is presentation-ready for onboard service.

Own the creation, revision, and communication of culinary SOPs - including prep lists, station guides, allergen protocols, and new menu onboarding documentation.

Train, coach, and support culinary team members, ensuring each cook understands production standards, plating requirements, and the unique execution needs of a multi-day travel program.

Monitor inventory levels, support ordering, guide purchasing decisions, and proactively identify shortages or substitutions that could impact production timelines.

Collaborate with client culinary POC’s on menu testing, R&D, seasonal updates, and refinement of recipes to ensure scalability and production feasibility.

Communicate proactively with operations managers when issues arise to enable quick, solution-minded adjustments.

Maintain a highly organized production kitchen environment, reinforcing cleanliness, safety, efficiency, and compliance with all culinary standards.

Track yields, batch sizes, and waste to support forecasting, cost control, and continuous improvement efforts.

Support cross-market culinary alignment (Denver + SLC) by ensuring documentation and execution are consistent and replicable across locations.

Travel as-needed

Shifts vary and will adjust based on production timelines and service demands. Candidates must be available for a rotating schedule that may include nights, weekends, and certain peak-season holidays

Our ideal candidate

• Has 3+ years experience in the service industry
• Has 3+ years experience in a professional setting
• Is Culinary minded : exhibits strong follow-through on tasks and progress; flexes between a granular attention to detail and big-picture thinking; balances decisiveness and patience in time-sensitive situations
• Is a natural leader : has filled a coaching, managing or leadership role; feels confident delegating when necessary; models a readiness to help, serve and support; is highly responsive and accessible
• Is analytical : can rapidly convert quantitative feedback into qualitative action; has basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel; can leverage data and technology to automate certain job functions
• Is brand-aware: can accurately represent and speak to a company’s brand

Perks + benefits

• Compensation : starts between $65-75k per year + yearly bonus tied to goal achievement
• Company-sponsored health insurance plans, including 100% company-paid HDHP, as well as vision + dental opt-in
• Unlimited paid-time-off; 10 paid company holidays; paid winter break from Dec 24-Jan 1.
• Optional 401(k) program after six months of employment
• Monthly cell phone usage reimbursement
• Free lunch during meal service
• 100% mileage reimbursement
• Opportunities to take on larger roles within our organization + learn with a fast-growing start-up

Eligibility : This position must maintain ServSafe Food Manager certification

Work environment : This position is based in a commercial kitchen as well as in client offices

Physical requirements : This position requires the ability to lift up to 50 lbs; this position requires sitting for up to 4 hours at a time

This job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We believe that the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of our employees make us better. We strongly encourage people of color, individuals with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary candidates to apply.

Employment at Sifted is considered at will, meaning that either the company or the employee may terminate this employment relationship at any time with or without cause or notice. 

Offers of employment and continued employment at Sifted are contingent upon successful completion of trust + safety checks including a criminal history check, a motor vehicle record check, identity verification, food safety certification verification, and at least two reference checks.