Benefits:

Health insurance
Paid time off
Training & development
Vision insurance
401(k) matching
Competitive salary
Dental insurance
Employee discounts

Role Overview

Location & Commute: Based at our corporate HQ & Test Kitchen in Chester, MD (Kent Island)—just 15–20 minutes east of Downtown Annapolis, offering a scenic, easy reverse-commute across the Bay Bridge with complimentary on-site parking.
Reports To: Director of Operations (or Executive Leadership in the interim)
Direct Reports: None (Individual Contributor)
Position Type: Full-Time (Exempt)

What you’ll do:

As the Culinary Training Manager, you are the culinary backbone of our corporate Operations team, driving consistency, revenue-generating programming, and operational excellence across our national franchise network. Based at our headquarters, you will manage our HQ Test Kitchen, develop and test signature event menus, author turnkey class run-of-shows, partner with Marketing to create high-demand culinary offerings, and lead hands-on onboarding for new franchise owners. Combining a love for hospitality and kitchen connection with operational discipline and sharp attention to detail, you will shape the guest experience nationwide while adapting dynamically as our franchise system grows.

Key Responsibilities

1. Franchisee Onboarding & Hands-On Training

Lead Monthly New Owner Training: Facilitate the 3-day onboarding program (Thursday – Saturday) for incoming franchise owners and general managers, building confident kitchen operators.
Event Choreography & Execution: Train operators on instructor staging, table setups, time management, kitchen pacing, and "culinary entertainment" across all core TBK formats (birthday parties, adult BYOB classes, corporate events, and seasonal camps).
Brand Standards & Operational Logic: Champion brand standards, walking new owners through operational logic, sanitation, and allergy protocols with clarity and diplomacy.
Discovery Day Experience (1 Evening / Month): Host the signature adult cooking class for prospective owners during corporate "Meet the Team" days (shifted schedule / late arrival provided that day).
Grand Opening Support (0–2 Times / Year): Serve as secondary on-site backup for new studio launches, providing live coaching during launch weekends (4-day visit).

2. Culinary R&D & Event Programming

Recipe R&D & Physical Testing: Develop, write, and physically test all new seasonal and evergreen menus—from camps and birthday parties to kids and adult classes. Scale recipes for flavor, timing, allergen adaptability, and franchisee profitability.
Marketing & Sales Collaboration: Partner closely with Marketing to ideate, test, and operationalize fresh, buzz-worthy seasonal menus, limited-time offerings (LTOs), and themed event packages that drive customer acquisition, repeat bookings, and social engagement—all while maintaining operational simplicity and food-cost efficiency on the studio floor.
Operational Flow & Choreography: Author minute-by-minute class run-of-shows, prep guides, mise-en-place checklists, shopping lists, and assistant workflows for flawless studio execution.
Master Menu Calendar: Maintain the national master calendar of culinary offerings across all demographics, balancing seasonal excitement, ingredient crossover, and supplier efficiencies.

3. Training Content & Resource Development (Partnering with L&D)

L&D Partnership & Module Authoring: Partner closely with our L&D Architect to translate your culinary expertise into structured operational modules, training decks, digital guides, and video lessons.
Media & Video Coaching: Script and feature in step-by-step training and recipe execution videos, serving as the digital coach for studio instructors.
Cross-Functional Support: Help assemble and format non-culinary operational modules when other department SMEs provide raw content.

4. Franchise Resource Maintenance & Test Kitchen Oversight

Subject Matter Authority: Serve as the central SME on TBK events, kitchen tools, smallwares, and brand-specified equipment.
Operations Library Governance: Maintain and regularly audit the central resource library (e.g., Operandio). Ensure recipes, Event/Recipe Guide Sheets (EGS/RGS), shopping lists, SOPs, and scripts remain current and error-free.
HQ Test Kitchen Management: Maintain the corporate Test Kitchen to pristine brand standards, managing inventory, equipment, sanitation, and prep for testing, shoots, and training.
Cross-Functional Agility & Brand Growth: Act as an adaptable, proactive member of the corporate team. As our franchise system scales, take on emerging brand initiatives, cross-departmental operational projects, vendor/supply chain reviews, and high-priority assignments directed by leadership.

Schedule, Travel & Work Environment

Standard Schedule: Full-time corporate schedule, Monday through Friday, based at our corporate headquarters/Test Kitchen, with standard corporate daytime hours and flexibility around team priorities.
Monthly Training Shift (1 Week / Month): Shifts to a Tuesday through Saturday schedule once per month (off Sunday and Monday) to prepare for and lead the 3-day New Franchisee Training program (Thursday – Saturday).
Monthly Evening Event (1 Evening / Month): Requires hosting one weekday evening Discovery Day class per month (shifted schedule / late arrival provided that day).
Travel: Minimal (anticipated 0–2 trips per year) to provide secondary backup for a 4-day on-site new studio grand opening visit.
Physical Requirements: Active, hands-on kitchen work. Must be comfortable standing for extended multi-hour training days and lifting kitchen smallwares, equipment, and bulk ingredient bags up to 30–50 lbs.
Schedule Flexibility: While this is primarily an on-site role due to hands-on kitchen testing and in-person training, we offer situational remote flexibility (e.g., dedicated procedural writing, curriculum development, or admin days) depending on that week's operational calendar.

Qualifications & Competencies

Required Qualifications:

3–6 Years of Experience: Demonstrated track record in culinary instruction, recipe development, kitchen management, or hospitality training—including at least 1–2 years of active experience coaching, teaching, or facilitating adult learners in group or kitchen environments.
Demonstrated Culinary Competence: High comfort and confidence in the kitchen with strong instincts for recipe dynamics, scaling, seasonal adjustments, and ingredient swaps.
Dynamic Facilitation & Room Command: Confident public speaker with the presence, warmth, and energy to command a room, engage adult learners, and explain technical steps in simple, repeatable terms.
Procedural Writing & Detail Orientation: Strong technical/procedural writing skills with experience creating clean SOPs, checklists, guides, or slide decks; meticulous eye for proofreading and version control.
Tech Agility: Comfortable learning and managing digital tools, LMS platforms, or operations intranets.
Brand Ambassadorship: High-energy, warm, and articulate professional who embodies TBK’s hospitality brand and thrives on guest and franchisee engagement.

Preferred Qualifications:

Formal culinary training, pastry degree, or equivalent professional kitchen management background.
Prior experience working within a franchise, multi-unit retail, or interactive culinary/hospitality concept.
Experience presenting or coaching on-camera for instructional videos or digital learning modules.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: $60,000 – $70,000 annually, commensurate with experience.
Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
Retirement: 401(k) retirement plan with generous company match.
Time Off & Balance: Unlimited paid time off (PTO), paid company holidays, and a collaborative, family-first company culture.
Perks: Free culinary classes and event discounts for friends and family, plus ongoing professional development.
Meaningful Impact: A high-visibility corporate role where you directly shape the brand, innovate national menus, and empower small-business franchise owners across the country.

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