By Todd Snopkowski, CEO
After 25 years in the foodservice world, I’ve seen turnover chew through even the best kitchens. Operators scramble to hire. They onboard fast. And weeks later, they’re posting the same role again. I’ve seen it in healthcare kitchens trying to maintain compliance. In college dining halls mid-semester. In corporate cafés coming back after summer break. Different menus, same story.
At Snapchef, we didn’t stumble on a fix overnight. We learned through experience, what works and what falls apart under pressure. And over time, we’ve built a model that doesn’t just fill roles. It sustains high-performing kitchens.
The Real Cost of Turnover
Industry data shows that hospitality and foodservice has some of the highest turnover rates in the country – often over 75% annually, and even higher in some segments. That means operators cycle through most of their team every single year.
When someone leaves, it’s not just an empty station. You lose institutional memory, training time, operational consistency. You lose trust.
And every rehire comes with real costs:
Overtime for the people still standing
Rushed onboarding that cuts corners
A shaky service line when demand peaks
Turnover isn’t a hiring problem. It’s a systems problem. That’s why Snapchef’s approach is about more than filling shifts.
A Model That Works
Here’s what we’ve seen work – again and again.
1. Match Skills to Roles
We place talent based on real-world kitchen experience and skill assessments. If you need a lead grill cook, we don’t send a prep cook hoping to grow into it. We get it right the first time. That means faster ramp-ups and fewer early exits.
2. Temp-to-Perm: Evaluate in Action
One of our most powerful tools is temp-to-perm staffing. You get to try talent on the job—in your kitchen, under your conditions—before making a full-time offer. It reduces risk and leads to better long-term hires.
3. Real-Time Coaching from QC Chefs
Even with great hiring, staff need guidance. That’s where our Quality Control Chefs come in. They’re not inspectors. They’re embedded coaches. They monitor line performance, reinforce safety protocols, and train in real time – so kitchens stay consistent, shift after shift.
4. Fix the Friction
Sometimes, the issue isn’t people—it’s process. That’s why we offer kitchen operations consulting. We help you smooth out workflows, improve throughput, and reduce the kinds of operational chaos that drive good staff out the door.
Don’t Just Hire. Build.
Turnover will always exist in foodservice. But it doesn’t have to control your operation. When you build systems that support your team – before, during, and after the hire – you don’t just survive turnover. You reduce it.
At Snapchef, we’ve seen this work in all kinds of kitchens – from major hospitals to K–12 schools to stadium events. Our model isn’t flashy. But it’s built for the real world. And after 25 years, we know it holds.
If you’re tired of rebuilding your team every month, let’s talk. Because the best kitchens aren’t the ones that hire the fastest. They’re the ones that keep their people.
