Kitchen Receiver - Rochester, NY

Our Mission · Our mission is to leverage the power of food to end hunger and build healthier communities. · Our Vision · We believe that the fight against hunger and the fight against poverty are one and the same. We envision a future in which food is recognized as a human right ...

Job description

Our Mission

Our mission is to leverage the power of food to end hunger and build healthier communities.

Our Vision

We believe that the fight against hunger and the fight against poverty are one and the same. We envision a future in which food is recognized as a human right and every person is able to feed themselves and their families in dignity. Together, we work to create a more nourished, prosperous region. 

The Foodlink Way

Act With Compassion

Take Responsibility

Be a Team Player

Listen, Learn, Adapt   

Job Title: Kitchen Receiver

Department: Kitchen Operation

Reports to: Executive Chef

Status: Full-Time, hourly, nonexempt

Job Level: (3) Lead/Senior Operations

Updated: February 2026

SUMMARY

Under the general supervision of the Executive Chef the Kitchen Receiver is the lead role responsible for the accurate receipt, verification, documentation, storage, and distribution of all kitchen inventory. This position serves as the primary point of contact between the kitchen and Distribution Center staff for all inbound deliveries and inventory control activities.

In addition to performing hands-on receiving and inventory duties, the Kitchen Receiver supports inventory accuracy, and proper receiving, storage, and sanitation practices. The Kitchen Receiver plays a minimizing loss and waste, and ensuring the kitchen is consistently stocked and production-ready.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Receiving & Inventory Control (Lead Responsibility)

• Works very closely with the Kitchen Inventory Specialist serving as the primary receiver for all incoming kitchen orders, including dry goods, frozen items, produce, dairy, proteins, paper goods, and chemicals.
• Verifies deliveries against purchase orders and packing slips for accuracy, quality, and completeness prior to acceptance.
• Coordinates directly with Distribution Center staff to manage delivery timing, resolve discrepancies, and ensure efficient movement of product from staging areas into inventory.
• Conducts and oversees food safety checks, including temperature verification, visual inspection for contamination, and compliance with receiving standards.
• Ensures all receiving documentation is completed accurately, including receiving logs, temperature logs, and waste reports.
• Oversee proper storage and FIFO inventory rotation across all storage areas.
• Identifies and reports damaged, expired, or compromised product promptly to management.
• Supports monthly inventory counts and assists with reconciliation of inventory discrepancies.

Inventory Distribution & Production Support

• Physically does the pull of product for the production of snack, breakfast, hot meals, cold meals and senior meals.
• Monitors inventory levels and proactively communicates order needs, shortages, or concerns to the Kitchen Inventory Specialist.
• Ensures paper and chemical supplies are adequately stocked throughout the department, including food-handling gloves, hairnets, hand soap, alcohol prep pads, and cleaning chemicals.

Sanitation, Safety & Compliance

• Maintains a clean, safe, and sanitary receiving, warehouse, storage, cooler, freezer, and loading dock environment.
• Ensures all products are stored off the floor and within designated sanitation zones and storage guidelines.
• Oversee routine sweeping, mopping, and organization of receiving and storage areas.
• Assists with cleaning and basic maintenance of kitchen equipment and promptly reports maintenance or safety concerns.
• Ensures compliance with all regulatory food safety standards and organizational sanitation policies.
• Completes and reviews required daily, weekly, and monthly checklists related to sanitation, equipment temperatures, and receiving procedures.

Leadership & Operational Oversight

• Serves as a subject-matter resource for proper receiving, inventory handling, and food safety practices. Able to answer any questions about incoming product.
• Models strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and adherence to safety and sanitation standards.
• Performs additional duties as assigned to support overall kitchen operations.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or GED required. Some college education preferred.
• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in a commercial kitchen, food production, warehouse, or inventory-focused environment with hands-on receiving responsibilities.
• Food Safety Certification (e.g., ServSafe Food Handler or equivalent) or ability to acquire upon hire.
• Demonstrated experience handling food inventory, including dry, refrigerated, and frozen products, in a high-volume operation.
• Proven ability to accurately receive, verify, and document deliveries against purchase orders and packing slips.
• Working knowledge of food safety and sanitation standards, including temperature monitoring, contamination prevention, and FIFO inventory rotation.
• Experience supporting inventory counts or reconciliation processes.
• Experience completing and maintaining receiving logs, temperature logs, waste documentation, and inventory records.
• Comfortable using basic inventory or ordering systems and standard office tools (tablet, computer, or handwritten logs as applicable).
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining accuracy and compliance.
• Experience providing guidance or informal leadership to peers (e.g., training, coaching, or serving as a point of reference).
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize receiving, storage, and production support tasks in a fast-paced environment.

We are actively seeing a diverse pool of candidates for this position and strongly encourage applications from candidates of color.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time position paid on an hourly basis, ranging from $19.91-$21.52/hour (DOE). Foodlink covers 100% of individual health and dental insurance with the ability to acquire family coverage with pretax dollars. In addition to generous paid time off (PTO), we observe 14 paid holidays throughout the year. Opportunity to contribute to a 401k retirement savings plan upon hire. Eligible for generous employer match after 1 year of service.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

 While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand and talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to handle or feel items such as documents. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk for long periods of time. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision and ability to adjust focus. Able to lift bulk objects or objects weighing up to 50 pounds 

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.  

Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all- inclusive. Employees will follow other instructions and perform other related duties as required.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Foodlink is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. At Foodlink we believe that anti-hunger work is only possible with a commitment to removing barriers caused by systems of oppression that perpetuate hunger and poverty. We recognize that systematic injustice and bias disproportionately impact some identities more than others. 

Foodlink is actively working to center equity- the fair treatment of all people- in everything that we do so that everyone in our region has access to nourishing food that reflects and values cultural differences.

Foodlink is committed to listening and supporting solutions to hunger that are sourced from people and communities with lived/living experience of hunger and poverty, and to responding where inequities exist.

Foodlink is committed to taking great care to cultivate internal culture and practices that support diversity and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees' differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique. We aim to foster an environment in which everyone feels a sense of belonging and understands their connection to the Foodlink mission.

Foodlink employees have a responsibility to always treat others with dignity and respect. Employees are expected to always exhibit conduct that reflects our values and promotes equity and inclusion during work, and at work functions.

Salary Description
$19.91-$21.52 Hour /DOE