Chef Manager - The Leffell School

Compass Group USA; City of White Plains (NY); Sur place; USD 85 000 - 115 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Comprehensive Benefit Plan

Résumé du poste

Flik Independent School Dining, part of Compass Group USA, is seeking a Chef Manager for The Leffell School in Westchester County, NY. You will lead culinary and food service operations, ensure high standards of quality, safety, hospitality, and sustainability, and manage budgeting and staffing in a K-12 school setting.

The ideal candidate has at least 3 years of progressive culinary and management experience, strong leadership, and a hands-on approach in a busy school dining program.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of progressive culinary and food service management experience in contract dining, hospitality, education, or high-volume environments.
• Strong leadership with operational and administrative responsibilities.
• Excellent communication with students, parents, faculty, administrators, and clients.

Responsabilités

• Lead all aspects of culinary operations, including menu planning, production, presentation, and sanitation.
• Maintain a hands-on presence in the kitchen and support production and service.
• Oversee purchasing, inventory, vendor relationships, and cost controls.
• Develop student-centered menus featuring scratch cooking and sustainable practices.
• Ensure HACCP and health regulations compliance and food safety policies.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, scheduling, training, coaching, and performance management.

Connaissances

Culinary leadership

Food service management

Budgeting / P&L

Guest hospitality

Staff development

Communication

Formation

Culinary degree or equivalent

Outils

Microsoft Office Suite

Description du poste

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Other Forms of Compensation: Comprehensive Benefit Plan

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 at The Leffell School, an independent Jewish day school in Westchester County, New York, serving approximately 850 students in grades K-12. This role is responsible for delivering an exceptional dining experience while maintaining high standards of food quality, safety, hospitality, sustainability, and operational performance.

The ideal candidate is a skilled culinarian, strong people leader, and polished hospitality professional who thrives in a highly visible school environment. This individual will lead from the front, maintaining a hands-on presence in the kitchen while also serving as a trusted partner to students, parents, faculty, and school administration. Success in this role requires a balance of culinary expertise, operational excellence, financial acumen, and relationship-building skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of culinary operations, including menu planning, food production, preparation, presentation, quality assurance, and sanitation.
• Maintain a hands-on presence in the kitchen, providing culinary leadership and supporting production and service as needed.
• Oversee all food service operations, including purchasing, inventory management, receiving, vendor relationships, and cost controls.
• Develop creative, student-centered menus that feature scratch cooking, seasonal ingredients, and sustainable food practices.
• Ensure compliance with all HACCP standards, health department regulations, and company food safety policies.
• Maintain accountability for food and labor costs, budgeting, forecasting, and overall financial performance.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, scheduling, training, coaching, and performance management for culinary and service team members.
• Mentor and develop associates while fostering a positive, collaborative, and high-performing team culture.
• Deliver an outstanding hospitality experience by ensuring exceptional food quality, service standards, and guest satisfaction.
• Serve as the primary dining services ambassador, building positive relationships with students, parents, faculty, school administration, and other stakeholders.
• Engage regularly with guests to gather feedback, address concerns, and continuously improve the dining program.
• Partner closely with school leadership to support special events, community functions, and campus dining initiatives.
• Maintain exceptional front- and back-of-house standards, including cleanliness, merchandising, signage, menu displays, and overall presentation.
• Oversee all administrative responsibilities, including payroll, invoicing, reporting, and month-end processes.
• Champion a culture of safety, hospitality, inclusivity, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of progressive culinary and food service management experience in contract dining, hospitality, fine dining, private clubs, education, or high-volume restaurant environments.
• Demonstrated success balancing hands-on culinary leadership with operational and administrative responsibilities.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to communicate professionally and confidently with students, parents, faculty, administrators, and clients.
• Proven experience leading client-facing or guest-focused hospitality programs.
• Expertise in menu development, production planning, inventory management, purchasing, and cost controls.
• Strong understanding of P&L management and financial accountability.
• Extensive knowledge of culinary trends, sustainable food practices, and food safety regulations.
• Experience with exhibition cooking, guest engagement, and hospitality-driven service environments preferred.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, coach, and retain high-performing teams.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams).
• ServSafe Certification preferred.
• Culinary degree or equivalent professional culinary experience strongly preferred.
• Previous experience in K-12, higher education, independent schools, private clubs, or similar relationship-driven environments is highly desirable.

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.