Chef Manager - Princeton, NJ

Compass Group USA; Cedar Grove (NJ); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Flik Independent School Dining, part of Compass Group USA, seeks a Chef Manager to lead culinary and food service operations for a school dining program. You will drive high standards of food quality, safety, sustainability, and guest satisfaction through hands-on leadership and strategic administration.

The ideal candidate combines scratch cooking with seasonal sourcing, strong P&L skills, and the ability to mentor and manage both culinary and front-of-house teams to deliver exceptional

Qualifications

• 3+ years of culinary management experience in contract foodservice, fine dining, or high-volume settings.
• Strong understanding of P&L management and experience in a contract-managed service environment preferred.
• Proven experience in menu development, production planning, cost control, and inventory management.
• Extensive knowledge of culinary trends, sustainability practices, and food safety regulations.
• Exhibitions cooking knowledge and guest interaction in a customer-focused setting.

Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of culinary operations, including production, menu planning, food preparation, presentation and sanitation.
• Oversee full food service operations: inventory control, ordering, receiving and vendor relationships.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP standards and health regulations.
• Collaborate on student-centered menu development using local, sustainable ingredients.
• Maintain P&L accountability and manage food/labor costs and forecasting.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, scheduling and performance management for frontline staff.
• Train and coach teams to uphold service standards and culinary quality.
• Maintain cleanliness, signage, menu displays and pricing accuracy.

Skills

Culinary management

P&L management

Menu development

Production planning

Cost control

Inventory management

Team leadership

Food safety

MS Office

Guest interaction

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent

ServSafe Certification preferred

Tools

Microsoft Excel

MS Office Suite

Job description

Flik Independent School Dining has been leading the way in transforming private and independent school foodservice across 300 communities for over four decades. Our passionate team of associates is fully committed to delivering exceptional foodservice experiences every single time. Our meals are crafted from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, supporting sustainable agricultural practices that benefit our communities. But we don't stop at just foodservice – we take it to the next level by offering cutting-edge nutrition education programs that empower students to make smart, healthy choices daily. By combining nutritious meals with comprehensive education, we equip students with the essential tools they need to lead a healthy and thriving life. We believe in nourishing the whole person, creating community through great food and programming, and doing what’s right, every time.

We are Nourishing a Brighter Future.

Job Summary

The Chef Manager is responsible for leading both the culinary and food service operations of a school dining program, ensuring high standards of food quality, safety, sustainability, and guest happiness. This position blends hands‑on culinary leadership with administrative and operational responsibilities, including inventory management, cost control, staff supervision, and compliance. The ideal candidate is a skilled culinarian with strong leadership abilities and a passion for scratch cooking, seasonal ingredients, and sustainable practices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead all aspects of culinary operations, including production, menu planning, food preparation, presentation, and sanitation.
• Run full food service operations including inventory control, ordering, receiving, and vendor relationships.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP standards, health regulations, and company food safety policies.
• Collaborate with the dining team on creative, student‑centered menu development that emphasizes local, sustainable ingredients.
• Maintain P&L accountability, supervise food and labor costs, and contribute to financial reporting and forecasting.
• Lead all hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and performance management for frontline staff.
• Train, mentor, and coach culinary and service teams to uphold service standards and culinary perfection.
• Ensure attention to detail across front‑and‑back-of‑house operations including cleanliness, signage, menu displays, and pricing.
• Partner with school administration to support special events and community dining initiatives.
• Lead all aspects of administrative functions such as staff payroll, invoicing, weekly and month‑end reporting.
• Champion a culture of safety, partnership, and continuous improvement across the department.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3 years of culinary management experience in contract foodservice, fine dining, or high‑volume restaurant settings.
• Strong understanding of P&L management and experience in a contract‑managed service environment preferred.
• Confirmed expertise in menu development, production planning, cost control, and inventory management.
• Extensive knowledge of culinary trends, sustainability practices, and food safety regulations.
• Knowledge of exhibition cooking and interacting with guests in a customer‑focused environment.
• Effective team leadership and performance management skills, including conducting performance evaluations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
• ServSafe Certification preferred.
• Culinary degree or equivalent experience strongly preferred

Flik Independent School Dining is a member of Compass Group USA

Associates at Flik Independent School Dining are offered many fantastic benefits.

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.

Flik Independent School Dining maintains a drug-free workplace.

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