Chef Manager(College Dining) -Charlotte, NC

Compass Group USA; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Personal Leave

Job summary

Compass Group USA's Canteen division in Charlotte, NC seeks a Chef Manager to lead a high-volume café operation. You will oversee food production, catering events, staffing, and financial performance, partnering with the Complex Manager to drive excellence.

The role requires hands-on leadership, culinary expertise, and the ability to balance service quality with budget goals in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in foodservice, restaurant, catering, or hospitality operations.
• Strong culinary and food production knowledge.
• Experience managing inventory, purchasing, and food costs.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and computer systems.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily café operations including breakfast, lunch, and menu items.
• Coordinate catering events from box lunches to hot buffets and special functions.
• Recruit, hire, train, coach, and develop team members; manage labor costs.
• Control inventory, ordering, and product costs; process invoices.
• Build strong customer relationships and resolve concerns promptly.

Skills

Leadership

Culinary knowledge

Inventory management

Budgeting

Staff development

Communication

Education

ServSafe Certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

POS systems

Job description

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Chef Manager(College Dining) -Charlotte, NC

Schedule: Mon-Fri, 6am-3pm hours may vary, occasional Saturdays

Other Forms of Compensation:Yearly Bonus Opportunity

Canteen brings break time to everyone. We combine food, service, and experience backed by industry-leading technology to help companies create a better workplace and connect their employees. Canteen's solutions include markets, office coffee and snacks, unattended retail, and culinary.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their dedication, collaboration, and passion fuel our growth. Interested in joining our team? You bring the enthusiasm, customer service, and commitment; we’ll supply the opportunity and innovation. Together, we’ll continue to transform our industry.

Come grow with us. We are Canteen.

Job Summary:

The Chef Manager oversees the daily operations of a high-volume café while ensuring exceptional food quality, customer service, team leadership, and financial performance. This position manages food production, catering, inventory, staffing, and administrative functions while partnering with the Complex Manager to deliver operational excellence.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys working alongside their team, and successfully balances culinary execution, catering operations, financial performance, and employee development.

This role offers the opportunity to lead a highly visible operation and directly impact on customer satisfaction, team engagement, and business results.

Key Responsibilities:

Foodservice Operations

• Oversee daily café operations, including breakfast, lunch, grill, pizza, and other menu offerings.
• Ensure food quality, presentation, portion control, and food safety standards.
• Monitor production levels to minimize waste and meet customer demand.
• Maintain compliance with company, client, and health department regulations.

Catering Management

• Coordinate and execute catering events ranging from box lunches to hot buffets and special functions.
• Partner with clients to ensure catering expectations are met or exceeded.
• Schedule production and staffing to support catering needs.
• Process catering invoices and related documentation.

Leadership & Staffing

• Recruit, hire, train, coach, and develop team members.
• Create schedules and manage labor costs.
• Provide ongoing performance feedback and daily direction.
• Foster a positive, customer-focused work environment.

Financial & Administrative Duties

• Manage inventory, ordering, and product costs.
• Receive and process invoices accurately.
• Monitor food, labor, and operating expenses to meet budget goals.
• Track sales trends and identify growth opportunities.
• Complete reports and administrative tasks in a timely manner.

Customer Service

• Build strong relationships with customers and client leadership.
• Resolve customer concerns promptly and professionally.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and welcoming operation.

Qualifications:

• Leadership experience in foodservice, restaurant, catering, or hospitality operations.
• Strong culinary and food production knowledge.
• Experience managing inventory, purchasing, and food costs.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and computer systems.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Catering and special event management experience.
• Experience with POS systems, invoicing, and foodservice software.
• ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification or equivalent.

Physical Requirements

• Stand and walk for extended periods.
• Lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Work in kitchen environments with varying temperatures.

Canteen is a member of Compass Group USA

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Canteen maintains a drug-free workplace.

Associates at Canteen are offered many fantastic benefits.

• Medical
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Personal Leave

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.