Commissary Kitchen

Term from Popup Restaurants industry explained for recruiters

A Commissary Kitchen is a licensed commercial kitchen space that food businesses can rent to prepare their meals. It's like a shared workspace for food entrepreneurs, where multiple businesses can use professional kitchen equipment without having to invest in their own facility. These spaces are especially popular with food truck operators, catering businesses, and pop-up restaurants who need a legal, health-department approved space to prepare their food. Think of it as a co-working space, but for cooking instead of office work.

Examples in Resumes

Managed daily operations of a Commissary Kitchen serving 15 food truck businesses

Coordinated scheduling and maintenance for a shared Commercial Kitchen facility

Operated successful popup restaurant using Commissary Kitchen as primary food preparation space

Typical job title: "Commissary Kitchen Managers"

Also try searching for:

Kitchen Manager Facility Manager Commercial Kitchen Supervisor Food Production Manager Shared Kitchen Coordinator Kitchen Operations Manager

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you handle scheduling conflicts between multiple kitchen users during peak hours?

Expected Answer: Should discuss experience with scheduling systems, conflict resolution, and capacity management. Should mention strategies for maximizing kitchen usage while maintaining fair access for all clients.

Q: What systems would you implement to ensure food safety compliance across multiple businesses?

Expected Answer: Should explain tracking systems for different businesses, cleaning protocols, health inspection preparation, and how to maintain documentation for multiple operators.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you manage equipment maintenance and repairs in a shared kitchen environment?

Expected Answer: Should describe preventive maintenance schedules, handling emergency repairs, coordinating with vendors, and communicating equipment issues to kitchen users.

Q: What's your approach to managing storage space among multiple clients?

Expected Answer: Should discuss storage allocation systems, inventory management, and how to handle both dry and cold storage fairly among different businesses.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the basic health and safety requirements for a commissary kitchen?

Expected Answer: Should be able to list basic food safety regulations, cleaning procedures, and common health code requirements for commercial kitchens.

Q: How would you handle basic scheduling and booking for kitchen users?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of basic scheduling tools, time slot management, and communication with kitchen clients.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic kitchen operations and cleaning procedures
  • Schedule management
  • Food safety knowledge
  • Customer service

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Equipment maintenance coordination
  • Client relationship management
  • Storage and inventory systems
  • Staff supervision

Senior (5+ years)

  • Facility management
  • Health department compliance
  • Business development
  • Operations optimization

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No knowledge of food safety regulations
  • Lack of experience with commercial kitchen equipment
  • Poor understanding of scheduling and time management
  • No experience handling multiple client relationships