Chef Manager - Orange School District

whitsonsculinarygroup; New Jersey; On-site; USD 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Growth opportunities

Comprehensive benefits: medical,Dental

Paid time off

Professional development

Family-friendly schedule

Job summary

Whitsons is seeking a Chef Manager to lead daily kitchen operations in school dining, delivering healthy, high-quality meals to students and staff.

You will supervise teams, design nutritious menus, maintain food safety and budgets, and collaborate with administrators to support student well-being.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of high-volume food service management experience.
• Strong cooking skills with scratch and batch preparation.
• Knowledge of USDA school meal requirements and production planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily kitchen operations delivering healthy, high-quality meals.
• Supervise and train kitchen team for culinary excellence and efficiency.
• Create nutritious, kid-friendly menus compliant with USDA guidelines.
• Maintain food safety, sanitation, and inventory controls.
• Collaborate with admins and nutrition staff to support student well-being.
• Manage production records, vendor orders, and kitchen budgets.
• Foster a welcoming, inclusive kitchen culture.

Skills

Culinary management

Team leadership

USDA meal knowledge

Food safety

ServSafe certified

Education

Culinary degree preferred

FMP preferred

Safety training required

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Chef Manager - Cook Up Leadership in School Nutrition!

School Dining Leadership

Are you a culinary professional who’s passionate about food, leadership, and purpose? Join our school nutrition team as a Chef Manager and bring your talent to a kitchen that nourishes students and shapes futures.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead daily kitchen operations to deliver healthy, high-quality meals to students and staff
• Supervise and train kitchen team members to ensure culinary excellence and efficiency
• Create menus that are nutritious, kid-friendly, and compliant with USDA school nutrition guidelines
• Maintain food safety, sanitation, and inventory controls in alignment with health regulations
• Collaborate with school administrators and nutrition staff to support student well-being
• Manage production records, vendor orders, and kitchen budgets
• Foster a welcoming and inclusive kitchen culture focused on teamwork and accountability

We’re Looking For:

• 3+ years of experience in culinary management (school food service or institutional setting a plus)
• Strong cooking skills with a focus on scratch preparation and batch cooking
• Knowledge of USDA school meal requirements, production planning, and food safety standards
• A proactive leader who inspires teams and delivers results
• ServSafe certification
• Passion for feeding students and making a difference in the school community

Why Join Us?

• Competitive pay + opportunities for growth
• Family-friendly schedule - no nights, weekends, or major holidays
• Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, and retirement
• Paid time off and professional development opportunities
• A chance to lead with purpose and impact the health and success of students every day

About Us:

At Whitsons, we believe great food fuels great minds. As a Chef Manager, you’ll blend culinary skill with compassionate leadership to create a dining program students love. You’ll not only manage meals—you’ll help build a kitchen that’s a cornerstone of community, health, and learning.

Ready to serve up leadership with heart? at Whitsons our mission is Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time™.

$60,000 - $65,000 per year

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:

Education:

• College / Culinary degree preferred.
• FMP preferred.
• Safety training classes completed as required

Certifications:

• ServSafe Certification required
• OSHA Certification preferred but not required
• Local food safety certification, if required in jurisdiction of employment.

Computer Skills:

• All Microsoft Office Suite products
• Ability to learn new software programs

Other Qualifications, Experience and Competencies:

• Minimum 3-5 years of high volume food service management experience required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB:

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 team member is frequently required:

Standing most of the day is required for this position. Must be able to

To sit, walk, talk and hear; use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.

The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The employee must be able to multi-task.

Position may require extended hours including evenings and/or weekends, travel to multiple work sites and occasional out-of-town travel. Must be able to drive his/her own vehicle to other work sites.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee 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 work is performed primarily in a kitchen setting. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work and duties that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position, and the Company reserves the right to add additional duties or modify existing duties.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the Company and employee and is subject to change by the Company as the needs of the Company and requirements of the job change.