CHEF MGR

Bon Appétit Management Company; East Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Job summary

Bon Appetit is seeking a Chef Manager in California to lead culinary and food service operations, ensuring high standards of quality, safety, and guest satisfaction. The role blends hands-on cooking with administrative duties, including inventory control, cost management, and payroll tasks across a dynamic contract foodservice environment.

The ideal candidate has at least 3 years of culinary management experience, strong leadership, and a passion for scratch cooking and sustainable practices.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of culinary management experience in contract foodservice, fine dining, hospitality, or high-volume restaurant settings.
• Strong understanding of P&L management and experience in a contract‑managed service environment preferred.
• Proven expertise in menu development, production planning, cost control, and inventory management.

Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of culinary operations, including production, menu planning, food preparation, presentation, and sanitation.
• Manage 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 menu development that emphasizes fresh, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients.
• Maintain P&L accountability, oversee 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 excellence.

Skills

Culinary management

Leadership

Menu development

Cost control

Inventory management

Food safety

Exhibition cooking

Guest interaction

Team leadership

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Bon Appetit

Salary: $80000 - $95000 / year

Other Forms of Compensation: N/A

Our Passion is Food!

At Bon Appetit Management Company we are committed to two things, great food and outstanding service! At Bon Appetit you won't find our managers referring to a corporate recipe book or our chefs microwaving the lunch special. We do not have standardized recipes or central commissaries, instead, our chefs and managers are expected to stay abreast of current culinary trends and bring cutting edge food into their cafes. We are a restaurant company that operates in contract food service. That means you will have the freedom to be creative, take risks, and truly shine. We are committed to our staff growing, trying new things, and learning all that they can. Our rapid growth and breadth of accounts translates into exciting opportunities for our people!

Job Summary

The Chef Manager is responsible for leading both culinary and food service operations, ensuring high standards of food quality, safety, sustainability, and guest satisfaction. 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.
• Manage 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 menu development that emphasizes fresh, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients.
• Maintain P&L accountability, oversee 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 excellence.
• Ensure attention to detail across front- and back-of-house operations, including cleanliness, signage, menu displays, and pricing.
• Support special events, catering functions, and guest dining experiences.
• Lead all aspects of administrative functions such as staff payroll, invoicing, and weekly and month-end reporting.
• Champion a culture of safety, partnership, and continuous improvement across the operation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of culinary management experience in contract foodservice, fine dining, hospitality, or high-volume restaurant settings.
• Strong understanding of P&L management and experience in a contract‑managed service environment preferred.
• Proven expertise in menu development, production planning, cost control, and inventory management.
• Extensive knowledge of culinary trends, sustainability practices, and food safety regulations.
• Experience with 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.

Bon Appetit is a member of Compass Group USA.

Associates at Bon Appetit are offered many fantastic benefits.

• Medical
• Dental
• 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
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Paid Parental Leave
• 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.

https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023_WageTransparency_BAMCO.pdf

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.

Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Bon Appetit maintains a drug‑free workplace.

STEPHANIE FREER

Bon Appetit