Job Description
Job Description
Description :
Location : Los Angeles, CA
Reports To : Director of Operations, Head of Kitchen Operations
About goop kitchen
goop kitchen is a culinary concept born from goop, the modern lifestyle brand founded by Gwyneth Paltrow in 2008. Launched in 2021 as a “delivery-first” restaurant, goop kitchen brings together Gwyneth’s clean food vision, a digitally-native marketing strategy, culinary and kitchen operations expertise from some of the world’s best restaurants, as well as class leading paybacks on small footprint restaurants. goop kitchen provides guests with access to nutritious, fantastic-tasting food whenever and wherever they want it. The menu includes hearty bowls, vibrant salads, delicious handhelds, rotisserie chicken, pizzas, and more, all gluten-free and made without refined sugars or highly-processed ingredients.
Role Summary
The Food & Sanitation Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for developing, managing, and continuously improving goop kitchen’s food safety, sanitation, and quality assurance systems across its kitchen(s) and production workflows. This role ensures that all food handling, storage, processing, and packaging meet internal standards, regulatory requirements (federal, state, local), and third-party certifications (e.g. SQF, GFSI, HACCP) as applicable. The manager will also lead audits, investigations, corrective actions, training, and reporting, and will act as a key liaison with regulatory bodies, clients, and cross-functional teams (culinary, operations, supply chain).
Key Responsibilities
- Design, implement, and maintain food safety and sanitation management systems (e.g. HACCP, GMPs, SSOP, SOPs) tailored to Goop Kitchen’s model
- Oversee daily sanitation operations, cleaning protocols, and environmental monitoring programs
- Develop and manage quality control / quality assurance (QC / QA) testing protocols, including microbiological, allergen, chemical, and physical hazards
- Plan and execute internal audits, gap assessments, and readiness checks for regulatory and customer audits
- Handle nonconformance investigations, root cause analyses, and drive corrective / preventive actions (CAPA)
- Lead onboarding and ongoing training programs for kitchen and operations staff on food safety, sanitation, and quality standards
- Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for sanitation, microbial results, audit scores, corrective actions, etc
- Partner with suppliers, vendors, and co-manufacturers to ensure incoming ingredient quality and compliance
- Maintain documentation and records (logs, checklists, sanitation records, audit reports, certifications) to meet regulatory, customer, or internal requirements
- Coordinate with operations on waste reduction, cross-contamination controls, allergen management, shelf life, traceability / recall systems
- Serve as the point of contact for regulatory agencies (health departments, FDA, local environmental health) during inspections and compliance issues
- Provide guidance on kitchen layout, equipment design, flow, and maintenance to support sanitation and quality
- Stay current with industry best practices, regulatory changes, and emerging food safety technologies
Requirements :
Required Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Food Safety, or related discipline (or equivalent experience)5+ years of progressive experience in food safety / sanitation / quality assurance roles in a commercial food manufacturing or kitchen operations environmentPrior management or supervisory experience overseeing sanitation or QA / QC teamsSolid understanding of HACCP, GMPs, SSOP, microbiology, regulatory requirements (FDA, USDA, local health), and third-party audit standards (SQF, BRC, etc.)Strong analytical skills, data literacy, and experience with process improvementExcellent communication and training skills, with ability to influence cross-functional teamsExperience with root cause analysis, CAPA, audit protocols, and documentation controlProficiency with audit tools, data management, and QC / laboratory softwareCertifications such as HACCP, PCQI, or lead auditor (preferred)Detail-oriented, proactive, and able to function in a fast-paced environmentPreferred / Nice-to-HaveExperience in ghost kitchens, meal delivery, or clean-label food brandsExperience managing multiple kitchen or facility sitesLean / Six Sigma or continuous improvement credentialsExperience in packaging, shelf-life studies, or food R&DAllergen management / control experiencePerformance Metrics / KPIs (Examples)Audit compliance rates / audit scoresNumber of nonconformances / critical violationsTime to root cause & closure for CAPAsMicrobiological or swab test results trendsSanitation effectiveness / verification (ATP, protein, etc.)Supplier nonconformance rateTraining completion and audit readiness scoresCost of poor quality (waste, rework, recalls)