Archived listing. The details below describe a past opening.
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
- 401(k) matching
- Competitive salary
- Dental insurance
Location: Chester, MD (On-site Test Kitchen) Compensation: $60,000 – $70,000 + Full Benefits, 401(k) Match, Unlimited PTO Schedule: Primarily Monday – Friday daytime hours, shifting to a Tuesday – Sunday schedule once per month to lead planned franchise training cohorts (with dedicated comp time / days off scheduled)
About the Role Taste Buds Kitchen is looking for a vibrant, tech-forward culinary leader to serve as our brand's national culinary authority and training engine.
This is not a traditional restaurant back-of-house line job, nor is it a desk-bound administrative role. You will be our resident chef, classroom host, and instructional content creator rolled into one. Operating out of our corporate Test Kitchen in Chester, MD, you will blend hands-on scratch cooking and live adult education with digital media production.
Over the next 3–6 months, you will spearhead modernizing our national training ecosystem - filming recipe walkthroughs, developing e-learning modules, and launching an interactive digital curriculum, all while leading high-energy monthly onboarding cohorts at our flagship kitchen.
The 4 Core Priorities
- Own Recipes, Event Agendas & Seasonal Innovation
• Commercial Recipe Development: Test, refine, and launch high-converting new and seasonal menus and workshop packages (e.g., Summer Camp programs, holiday classes, limited-time specialty classes) engineered to drive bookings, guest retention, and profitability. Partner with Marketing to identify high-performing, revenue-driving culinary concepts.
• Standardization & Scaling: Test and standardize scratch recipes across youth, family, and adult formats. Ensure recipes are simple for non-chef franchise staff to execute consistently within the confines of class time, with strict protocols for dietary and allergen adaptability (We are a nut-free kitchen with select menus that cater to gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian).
• Class Flow & Event Agendas: Define event pacing, setup blueprints, and hospitality standards so every studio delivers a seamless, joyful customer experience from prep to final presentation.
- Lead Monthly Franchise Culinary Cohorts
• Hands-On Certification: Lead multi-day culinary training cohorts each month at HQ, taking incoming franchise owners and their general managers from initial onboarding through full culinary certification.
• Instructional Coaching: Coach non-culinary owners and seasoned cooks alike on scratch-cooking techniques, kitchen workflow, time management, and our interactive, hospitality-first teaching style.
• Network Training Clinics: Host seasonal operational clinics to prepare studios for peak revenue periods and new menu rollouts.
- Spearhead the Digital Training Shift (3–6 Month Sprint)
• Video Production & On-Camera Demos: Record clear, practical instructional recipe videos, prep walkthroughs, and equipment setup guides using accessible creator gear (smartphone/tripod/ring light) for our digital training library.
• E-Learning Curriculum Design: Transition core onboarding workflows into engaging, structured online modules that reduce training friction and standardize instruction across our national network.
- Administer Cloud Operations & Event Resources
• Platform Management: Maintain, organize, and update all digital recipe cards, tray setup guides, allergen substitution guide, and all operational SOPs in our cloud operations platform (Operandio).
• Test Kitchen Oversight: Manage inventory, ingredient sourcing, equipment and facility maintenance, cleaning, and prep logistics for the corporate Test Kitchen.
Who You Are
• Culinary Educator & Facilitator: 2–5 years of combined experience in scratch cooking, professional culinary instruction, cooking school leadership, or hospitality training. (A culinary degree is welcome, but equivalent real-world kitchen experience and strong culinary instincts are valued just as highly).
• Commercially Minded: You understand food as a business driver. You can balance scratch culinary quality with ingredient cost margins, prep simplicity, and customer appeal.
• Digitally Fluent & Content-Ready: You are comfortable working with digital tools, learning management systems (LMS), and cloud operations software. You pick up new tech intuitively and are comfortable capturing clear, high-quality video demonstrations using accessible tools (e.g., smartphone, tripod, ring light, and basic editing apps) - no professional videography degree or cinema rig required.
• Stage Presence & Charisma: You have dynamic public speaking skills, natural warmth, and the ability to command a room, motivate adult learners, and present confidently on camera.
• Active Kitchen Stamina: This is a physical, demonstration-heavy role. You are comfortable moving on your feet for extended training days, staging equipment, executing active recipe tests, and lifting bulk ingredient boxes or kitchen supplies weighing up to 50 lbs.
• ServSafe Certified: Current ServSafe Manager certification (or ability to obtain prior to hire).
Compensation & Benefits
• Base Salary: $60,000 – $70,000 annually, commensurate with experience.
• Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Retirement: 401(k) plan with company matching.
• Work-Life Balance: Unlimited paid time off (PTO) and paid company holidays.
• Perks: Free culinary classes and event discounts for friends and family at our HQ Kitchen; ongoing professional development.
• Predictable Daytime Schedule: Leaves late-night kitchen closes and relentless restaurant grinds behind. The standard schedule is daytime Monday through Friday, shifting to Tuesday through Sunday just once per month for our pre-scheduled training cohort (with corresponding days off provided).
• Location: Corporate HQ in Chester, MD. Accessible via a 15–20 minute reverse commute from Annapolis across the Bay Bridge, featuring free on-site parking and minimal travel (0–2 grand opening backup trips/year).