Kitchen Lead - Hippo Pockets

Is cooking your passion? Do you enjoy working in a team? Do you enjoy order and efficiency?

If yes,  … then Centro Restaurant Group (CRG)  is looking for you, an experienced leader to serve as our Kitchen Lead at our upcoming Hippo Pockets location (opening July 9th 2025).  Join our awesome team and be a key leader of our back of the house management team. 

Why Centro Restaurant Group/ Hippo Pockets?

Food and drink with innovation. Atmosphere felt with energy, heart, and dedication. 

Centro Restaurant Group aims to create fun fast-casual concepts that provide a welcoming and memorable experience for all guests while providing speedy and thorough service and quality food and beverage. 

Our company values lie within our team and our community. CRG is devoted to fostering a fun and respectful space for our staff and our guests. We view our relationship with our community as symbiotic - when we nurture our family, our family grows and becomes stronger and thus, helps us better serve our community. In addition, CRG nurtures our team. We work hard to create an equitable, positive, and fun experience for all staff. We will invest as much in you as you invest in us, and are focused on not only having a cohesive and efficient team but in creating leaders.

As a valued member of our team your compensation package would include:

• 22.00/hour


• Medical, dental, and vision insurance options


• 50% employee  discount


• Employee rewards program


• Retirement savings plan with 3% match


• Annual all staff celebrations/parties 

This is where you come in…

Your Impact

Serving as Hippo Pockets Kitchen Lead, your core responsibility is to oversee the kitchen crew and maintain food quality and consistency. You will work collaboratively with our management team to ensure proper back of the house operations and to enhance the customer experience. You will also be charged with upholding safety and sanitation standards. As the Kitchen Lead you will work to develop your back of the house team and aren’t afraid to jump in where needed.

Responsibilities of the job include but are not limited to:

Food Consistency & Control: uphold food quality standards through…

• Regularly testing for food consistency and quality


• Problem-solving food inconsistencies in the moment


• Implementing best practices to minimize food waste with guidance from executive team


• Submitting food orders in a timely manner 


• Acquiring a deep menu knowledge including but not limited to ingredients, plating, and allergens 

Daily Operations: oversee daily back of the house operations through..

• Ensuring all company-wide policies, procedures, and standards of operation are practiced by staff 


• Implementing proper kitchen opening and closing procedures


• Maintaining safety and sanitation standards 


• Managing kitchen service


• Enacting employee breaks and cuts


• Assisting with labor cost control


• Assisting with new menu item(s) roll-out in store

Leadership: exhibit professionalism, poise and compassion through...

• Collaborating with Back of the House Leadership to ensure effective operations  


• Participating in leadership meetings as requested


• Assisting with employee training


• Coaching in-the moment


• Practicing accountability

What You’ll Bring …

• Leadership experience


• A love for hospitality and the unique culture of restaurants


• A desire and ability to perpetuate a positive work culture


• A thirst to learn, develop oneself, and an openness to constructive feedback


• Conversational English and Spanish skills required


• Availability to work 2pm-10pm Wednesday-Sunday

Centro Restaurant Group is an equal opportunity employer

We value diversity, inclusion and belonging at Centro Restaurant Group (CRG). CRG does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, age, marital status,  familial status, or veteran status.