Ling Nam Express-Union City, CA Lead Baker Union City, CA · Full time

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Founded in 1990, Ling Nam is a beloved Filipino-Chinese restaurant and bakery rooted in the flavors of Binondo, Manila's Chinatown. For over 35 years, Ling Nam Restaurant has been a full-service gathering place for the Bay Area community — where families connect and every bite tastes like home. Ling Nam Express is the next chapter of that legacy — a modern, fast-casual evolution bringing the same authentic flavors and warmth to every corner of the Bay Area. With our Tracy location and two new Express stores coming soon to Union City and South San Francisco, we're growing the brand into something the next generation can call their own. We lead with a Feeling First hospitality standard — every guest should feel Seen, Safe, Surprised, Valued, and like they Belong. That culture starts with the people we hire. If you take pride in your work, lead with warmth, and believe people will always remember how you made them feel — Ling Nam Express is the place for you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Production Leadership

•       Set and communicate the daily tray target at the start of each shift — default target is 100 trays/day at opening ramp, scaling to 200 trays at full capacity

•       Pace the Dough Preparer team throughout the shift — monitor output, redistribute work, and intervene early if the line is falling behind

•       Coordinate with the Bakery Production Associate to align oven cycle timing with Dough Preparer output — prevent bottlenecks in both directions

•       Train new Dough Preparers on portioning, filling, shaping, and traying standards for all products including Señorita bread

Quality Control

•       Inspect assembled trays before they reach the oven — correct weight, fill, shape, and presentation on every batch

•       Inspect finished product coming out of the oven — reject any items that do not meet the Ling Nam Express standard before they reach the guest

•       Maintain recipe and portioning consistency across all Dough Preparers on the shift

•       Document and escalate recurring quality issues to the Operations Manager with root cause and recommended fix

Team & Operations

•       Participate in pre-shift huddle led by the Shift Supervisor — report production readiness and flag any prep or supply issues

•       Ensure all bakery equipment is set up, calibrated, and ready before the first batch of the shift

•       Follow all food safety and sanitation protocols — lead by example on handwashing, temperature logs, and allergen handling

•       Cover Dough Preparer tasks during gaps or peak periods as needed

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Required

•       2+ years of experience in a commercial or high-volume bakery production environment

•       Demonstrated ability to lead a small production team and hold pace on output targets

•       Strong eye for quality — can identify inconsistencies in shape, fill, and finish quickly

•       Physically able to stand for an 8-hour shift, work near high-heat equipment, and lift up to 50 lbs

•       Food Handler Certification (or willingness to obtain within 30 days of hire)

Preferred

•       Experience with Filipino or Asian bakery products — Señorita bread, pan de sal, or similar

•       Prior lead, senior baker, or trainer role in a production bakery

•       Bilingual in Filipino (Tagalog) or Spanish