Executive Chef, School Dining - Lead Culinary Excellence

FLIK Independent School Dining; Atherton (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

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

FSAs

Paid Parental Leave

Personal Leave

Job summary

Menlo School partners with Flik Independent School Dining to appoint an Executive Chef who will lead all culinary operations, menu development, and service for a premier independent day school serving approximately 820 students.

This hands-on leadership role focuses on quality, safety, and student wellness, with a Monday–Friday schedule and collaboration with school leadership to deliver memorable dining experiences.

Qualifications

• Culinary degree or equivalent professional training preferred.
• 3–5 years of progressive culinary leadership experience.
• Proven success managing food and labor costs while maintaining quality.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience with scratch cooking and menu development.
• Passion for dining experiences that support student well-being.
• Proficiency with kitchen management systems and Microsoft Office.
• ServSafe Certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead all culinary functions, including menu planning, food prep, recipe development, and service execution.
• Manage food and labor costs while maintaining budget compliance.
• Oversee purchasing, inventory management, and vendor relationships.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, allergen, and HACCP standards.
• Recruit, train, coach, and mentor culinary team members.
• Partner with culinary and marketing teams to develop seasonal menus and promotions.
• Support events and catering functions with high-quality execution.
• Oversee back-of-house operations to ensure cleanliness and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Scratch cooking

Team building

Budget management

Food safety

Kitchen systems

Microsoft Office

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent training

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

ServSafe

Job description

Menlo School partners with Flik Independent School Dining to appoint an Executive Chef who will lead all culinary operations, menu development, and service for a premier independent day school serving approximately 820 students.

This hands-on leadership role focuses on quality, safety, and student wellness, with a Monday–Friday schedule and collaboration with school leadership to deliver memorable dining experiences.