About this role
The Forge Bagel Co. is a new fusion-style bagel bistro that is elevating the bagel scene in Winnipeg by offering unique, artisan Polishire? bagels, directly inspired by the traditions of Poland and England. Every bagel is hand-stretched by our bakery team, and those bagels are the foundation of a chef-driven menu built entirely from scratch. At The Forge, our customers experience a new standard of bistro that is driven by quality and delivered with heart.
*Details*
We are seeking an experienced Chef to lead and manage our current growth and planned expansion. The Forge is an elevated bistro rather than a counter-service bagel shop. We treat the bagel as a canvas, and we are looking for a chef who wants to see how far it can be taken, from slow-roasted proteins (such as brisket) to technique-driven builds developed in house. This is a full-time, permanent position reporting directly to operations and ownership, with early-morning start times to support our business hours. The successful candidate will have significant experience managing a culinary team, and will work closely with ownership on menu development and new product rollouts.
The Chef will manage a growing culinary team in a compact, high-volume kitchen, hiring and training staff and setting the standard for efficient multi-tasking and best practices on the line. As a leader and active participant in the kitchen, the Chef will also engage directly with customers, handling special orders, offering menu recommendations, and answering questions about menu items and ingredients. The Forge is building for the future, and this is a genuine ground-floor opportunity with significant room to grow alongside the business.
*Responsibilities:*
* Lead and manage a growing culinary team, setting production priorities and quality expectations for every shift. * Develop and execute a wide variety of bagel and sandwich builds, working hands-on through preparation, cooking, and assembly to standardized recipes so every order meets quality standards for taste, texture, temperature, and presentation. * Manage, direct, and work alongside culinary staff, provide best practices training to new hires, and implement and ensure adherence to kitchen policies and safety standards. * Ensure preparation and presentation meet artisan quality standards, control portion sizes, and enforce strict health, safety, and cleanliness regulations throughout the kitchen. * Collaborate with ownership on product ideation, product testing, and be responsible for the successful implementation of new menu options. * Monitor kitchen inventory, organize storage, order necessary supplies, and ensure the kitchen has all required tools and ingredients. * Own culinary profitability by tracking food cost percentages, costing out recipes and new menu items, monitoring and reducing waste, and managing the kitchen to target margins, reporting culinary financial performance to ownership. * Build and manage kitchen schedules to meet service demand while keeping labour costs within budget. * Work with our software developers to shape custom tools that improve productivity and line management, providing hands-on feedback and testing as the operational voice of the kitchen.
*Qualifications: *
* 5+ years of progressive kitchen management experience in high-volume environments. * Education in Culinary Arts or Hospitality Management is highly preferred. * Red Seal certification is considered a strong asset. * Experience managing and growing a culinary team, with the appetite to help scale culinary operations across additional locations as the business expands. * Experience managing food costs, waste, and labour budgets. * Exceptional multi-tasking and organizational skills to manage multiple orders simultaneously during peak hours. * Expert knowledge of food safety and sanitation practices. * Comfort working directly with ownership on growing teams, menus, and business operations. * Current resident of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and