What is a kitchen supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

As kitchen supervisor, you'll be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day running of the kitchen, including checking supplies, cleaning the equipment, and rotating food stock. You will supervise and coordinate activities of food preparation, kitchen, pantry, and storeroom personnel and utilize food surpluses and leftovers. Your key responsibilities are to manage and coordinate kitchen staff and activities, make sure the kitchen is safe and in hygienic conditions at all times, organize the inventory, store, and distribution of foodstuffs and supplies, supervise cooks, taste, smell, and observe food to ensure conformance with recipes.

To be a kitchen supervisor, health and safety or food hygiene qualifications are crucial. You must have a commercial cooking experience, preferably for a restaurant or hotel, management or supervisory experience, multitasking ability, and basic literacy skills. As a kitchen supervisor, you will earn an average of $31,893 annually.

ScoreKitchen SupervisorUS Average
Salary
3.2

Avg. Salary $40,520

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
9.1

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.85%

Asian 6.76%

Black or African American 9.84%

Hispanic or Latino 17.37%

Unknown 5.08%

White 60.10%

Gender

female 35.01%

male 64.99%

Age - 34
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34
Stress Level
9.1

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
5.0

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.5

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

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Kitchen Supervisor career paths

Key steps to become a kitchen supervisor

  1. Explore kitchen supervisor education requirements

    Most common kitchen supervisor degrees

    Associate

    34.4 %

    High School Diploma

    27.7 %

    Bachelor's

    24.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific kitchen supervisor skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Culinary15.83%
    Cleanliness10.89%
    Food Service9.83%
    Food Handling8.00%
    Kitchen Equipment6.83%
  3. Complete relevant kitchen supervisor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New kitchen supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a kitchen supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real kitchen supervisor resumes.
  4. Gain additional kitchen supervisor certifications

    Kitchen supervisor certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific kitchen supervisor certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for kitchen supervisors include ServSafe Alcohol and Certified Food Manager (CFM).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research kitchen supervisor duties and responsibilities

    • Manage grill area and demonstrate leadership.
    • Manage people and oversee production of high-volume establishment for this upscale restaurant specializing in Mexican cuisine.
    • Train and supervise all culinary employees including community service volunteers in kitchen operations and delegate daily work assignments.
    • Maintain kitchen and dining area under Servsafe guidelines.
  6. Prepare your kitchen supervisor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your kitchen supervisor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a kitchen supervisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Kitchen Supervisor Resume templates

    Build a professional Kitchen Supervisor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Kitchen Supervisor resume.
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    Kitchen Supervisor Resume
  7. Apply for kitchen supervisor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a kitchen supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Kitchen Supervisor Job

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Average kitchen supervisor salary

The average Kitchen Supervisor salary in the United States is $40,520 per year or $19 per hour. Kitchen supervisor salaries range between $28,000 and $58,000 per year.

Average Kitchen Supervisor Salary
$40,520 Yearly
$19.48 hourly

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How do kitchen supervisors rate their job?

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Kitchen Supervisor reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Cons

Repetitive tasks. Or obviously, working with people who are highly critical.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Cons

Nothing to complain about love being a chef


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Cons

My aim is to be a Chef.Because I am a Bsc Hotel Management graduate ,so wood like to prepare the food .I don't like to dishwasher


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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