A
Senior Kitchen Operations Associate
Ando
Nairobi, KE
Full-time
Posted 4 days ago
Job Description
Ando was born five years ago from a shared love for authentic Pakistani dum biryani — and we haven't looked back since. Backed by world-class investors and driven by a passionate team, we've grown across three countries, built several loved food brands, and served over half a million meals.
From food delivery and catering to dine-in experiences and CPG, we're obsessed with creating food people genuinely love. Every meal that leaves our kitchen carries our commitment to quality, consistency, and hospitality.
As we continue to scale, we're looking for an experienced Senior Kitchen Operations Associate to take ownership of daily kitchen execution, lead a team of kitchen staff, and drive operational excellence across production, quality, and safety standards.
What You'll Do
As a Senior Kitchen Operations Associate, you'll take a lead role in running day-to-day kitchen operations — supervising a team, managing kitchen operations and acting as a key link between kitchen staff, chefs, and the wider operations team.
Key Responsibilities
• Lead and supervise kitchen production staff to ensure smooth, efficient service across shifts.
• Oversee food preparation to ensure full compliance with recipes, portioning, and quality standards.
• Own production scheduling to ensure menu items are prepared accurately and on time.
• Enforce food safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards across the kitchen at all times.
• Manage stock activities including inventory counts, FIFO rotation, and ingredient replenishment.
• Track and report wastage, variances, and losses, and drive initiatives to reduce them.
• Ensure production records, temperature logs, cleaning schedules, and checklists are accurately maintained.
• Maintain kitchen organization, cleanliness, and operational readiness throughout shifts.
• Coordinate with the procurement and operations teams to ensure an uninterrupted supply of ingredients.
• Identify inefficiencies and lead process improvements to boost productivity and consistency.
• Train, onboard, and mentor kitchen team members on SOPs and best practices.
• Represent the kitchen in operational meetings, reporting on performance, challenges, and needs.
This role suits someone who has already led a kitchen team, thrives under pressure, and takes ownership of results, not just tasks.
What We're Looking For
• 3–4 years of experience in kitchen or food production operations.
• Must have worked in a busy cloud kitchen or restaurant environment.
• Experience at Java House, Artcaffe, or similar high-volume brands is a strong advantage.
• Proven leadership experience — must have led or supervised a team.
• Strong knowledge of kitchen operations, food safety, and quality standards.
• Good communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain standards under pressure.
• Ability to work flexible shifts, including weekends and public holidays.
• A proactive mindset with strong ownership and accountability.
Nice to Have
• HACCP, Food Handler's Certificate, ISO 22000, or related food safety certification.
• Familiarity with inventory management systems and production planning tools.
• Experience tracking kitchen KPIs, including food cost, waste, yield, and productivity.
What You'll Get
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunity to grow within one of the region's fastest-growing food companies.
• Leadership exposure across large-scale food production and kitchen operations.
• Training and mentorship from experienced culinary and operations leaders.
• A collaborative, supportive, high-performance work environment.
• Clear opportunities for growth as Ando continues to scale.
Ando is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or any other protected status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to these characteristics.
To apply, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/mho92cPH5W92YN138
From food delivery and catering to dine-in experiences and CPG, we're obsessed with creating food people genuinely love. Every meal that leaves our kitchen carries our commitment to quality, consistency, and hospitality.
As we continue to scale, we're looking for an experienced Senior Kitchen Operations Associate to take ownership of daily kitchen execution, lead a team of kitchen staff, and drive operational excellence across production, quality, and safety standards.
What You'll Do
As a Senior Kitchen Operations Associate, you'll take a lead role in running day-to-day kitchen operations — supervising a team, managing kitchen operations and acting as a key link between kitchen staff, chefs, and the wider operations team.
Key Responsibilities
• Lead and supervise kitchen production staff to ensure smooth, efficient service across shifts.
• Oversee food preparation to ensure full compliance with recipes, portioning, and quality standards.
• Own production scheduling to ensure menu items are prepared accurately and on time.
• Enforce food safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards across the kitchen at all times.
• Manage stock activities including inventory counts, FIFO rotation, and ingredient replenishment.
• Track and report wastage, variances, and losses, and drive initiatives to reduce them.
• Ensure production records, temperature logs, cleaning schedules, and checklists are accurately maintained.
• Maintain kitchen organization, cleanliness, and operational readiness throughout shifts.
• Coordinate with the procurement and operations teams to ensure an uninterrupted supply of ingredients.
• Identify inefficiencies and lead process improvements to boost productivity and consistency.
• Train, onboard, and mentor kitchen team members on SOPs and best practices.
• Represent the kitchen in operational meetings, reporting on performance, challenges, and needs.
This role suits someone who has already led a kitchen team, thrives under pressure, and takes ownership of results, not just tasks.
What We're Looking For
• 3–4 years of experience in kitchen or food production operations.
• Must have worked in a busy cloud kitchen or restaurant environment.
• Experience at Java House, Artcaffe, or similar high-volume brands is a strong advantage.
• Proven leadership experience — must have led or supervised a team.
• Strong knowledge of kitchen operations, food safety, and quality standards.
• Good communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain standards under pressure.
• Ability to work flexible shifts, including weekends and public holidays.
• A proactive mindset with strong ownership and accountability.
Nice to Have
• HACCP, Food Handler's Certificate, ISO 22000, or related food safety certification.
• Familiarity with inventory management systems and production planning tools.
• Experience tracking kitchen KPIs, including food cost, waste, yield, and productivity.
What You'll Get
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunity to grow within one of the region's fastest-growing food companies.
• Leadership exposure across large-scale food production and kitchen operations.
• Training and mentorship from experienced culinary and operations leaders.
• A collaborative, supportive, high-performance work environment.
• Clear opportunities for growth as Ando continues to scale.
Ando is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or any other protected status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to these characteristics.
To apply, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/mho92cPH5W92YN138
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