Ingredient Preparation Specialist

CAVA is a category-defining Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand, passionate about delivering healthful food and bold, satisfying flavors  utmost priority? Caring for the people and resources that nourish us. This commitment is at the core of our company culture and crucial to our successes.

Our mission is to bring heart, health, and humanity to food. We achieve this by hiring individuals who are dedicated to hospitality and generosity.

At CAVA, we serve food you can be proud of, and we hire people you want to grow with. Explore the opportunity to flavor your future with us!

At CAVA Foods, we take immense pride in manufacturing every product to ensure that every restaurant and retail partner receives items that meet our high-quality standards.

We cultivate a culture grounded in five core values:

• Generosity First, Always: We lead with kindness, delivering our best work in service to others.
• Constant Curiosity: We continually seek opportunities to learn, grow, and explore beyond the obvious.
• Act with Agility: We embrace change, adjusting and adapting as needed.
• Passion for Positivity: We approach each day with warmth and optimism.
• Collective Ambition: We aim high, achieving our goals through teamwork and shared purpose.

If you love the food at our restaurants, you'll appreciate our Restaurant Meal Benefit, which offers free and discounted meals every day.

The Ingredient Preparation Specialist is an essential part of our team, responsible for collaborating effectively to follow daily work instructions. The Ingredient Prep Department prepares and delivers ingredients for the batching process. This role involves handling food ingredients, following recipes, maintaining documentation for traceability, and operating washing, chopping, pumping, and mixing equipment, all while adhering to food quality and safety standards to ensure the timely production of healthy food.

• Assist in setting up the Ingredient Prep and Batching areas.
• Prepare raw materials for processing, including de-casing, inspecting, washing, size reducing, and portioning.
• Label and stage raw materials for downstream processes.
• Safely operate process equipment with supervision, including wash tanks, product conveyors, drum/tote unloaders, size reduction equipment, pumps, and mixing systems.
• Support sanitation activities, ensuring cleanliness in equipment following product changeovers and at the shift’s end.
• Collaborate with the team to ensure timely and efficient production, embracing our collective ambition.
• Prepare and review documentation for food safety, quality, and production tracking.
• Adhere to safety guidelines and Good Manufacturing Practices, demonstrating them to fellow team members.
• Maintain clear communication with Team Members and Managers, embodying CAVA’s values.
• Consistently perform with discipline while contributing to departmental tasks and organizational goals.
• Acknowledge the emotional investment of each team member in the personal and collective success of our business.

• Preferred experience in food handling and/or food processing.
• Ability to start work between 5 am and 6 am and work for up to 11 hours a day.
• Strong attendance and clock management skills.
• Maintaining focus and visual attention to tasks is essential.
• Willingness and ability to follow instructions accurately.
• Good verbal communication skills are required.
• Efficient work habits and a proactive approach are vital.
• Familiarity with smartphones, tablets, and email is advantageous.

• Physical dexterity and the ability to lift up to 45 lbs. and maneuver rolling carts and containers.
• Comfortable working in varied environmental conditions (dry, cold).
• Capable of standing for 8-10 hours a day.
• A keen eye for detail and the ability to assess tasks accurately.
• Effective communication skills for exchanging information are necessary.
• Capability to squat, kneel, bend, and twist as needed.
• Maintain a constant state of alertness and ensure safe operations.

Please note that we prepare products with milk and sesame-containing ingredients. Team members must be able to work with these products.

• Weekly pay.
• Competitive salary.
• Six (6) paid holidays each year.
• Paid sick leave.
• Vacation accrual beginning in the 3rd month.
• Health, Dental, Vision, Telemedicine, and Pet Insurance options.
• 401k enrollment with a CAVA contribution.
• Complimentary CAVA meal for every shift worked.
• Casual work environment.
• Benefits eligibility for all employees.

As an equal opportunity employer, CAVA welcomes applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, familial status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.