Executive Sous Chef

Heartwood Community School; Ridgeland (SC); On-site; USD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Wellness Programs

FSA/HSA

Retirement Plans

Job summary

Heartwood Community School is seeking an Executive Sous Chef to lead daily breakfast and lunch operations for elementary students, in collaboration with the Executive Chef and Nutrition Director. You will supervise kitchen staff, ensure food safety, manage inventory, and foster a family-style dining culture that encourages healthy eating.

This role blends hands-on cooking with strong leadership in a school setting.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of professional culinary or food service experience, preferably in a high-volume setting.
• Minimum of 2-3 years in a supervisory/leadership role (Executive Sous Chef, Sous Chef, Culinary Manager, etc.).
• Culinary degree, diploma, certification, or equivalent combination of culinary education and professional experience preferred.
• ServSafe certification or equivalent food safety certification required.
• Working knowledge of HACCP principles and food safety management systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily breakfast and lunch preparation, production, service, and kitchen closeout to ensure meals are prepared accurately, efficiently, and on schedule.
• Execute approved menus and standardized recipes in accordance with USDA and NSLP requirements, maintaining consistent quality, taste, presentation, freshness, and portion sizes.
• Coordinate daily kitchen workflow, assign staff responsibilities, and adjust production based on menu, staffing, and operational needs.
• Monitor meal production and proactively communicate challenges that may affect food quality, service, or timing.
• Support family-style meal service and create a welcoming, positive dining experience for students.
• Serve as the operational kitchen leader in the absence of the Executive Chef & Director of Nutrition.
• Supervise, coach, and support kitchen staff throughout preparation, service, cleaning, and closing while reinforcing expectations for quality, teamwork, and accountability.
• Assist with employee onboarding and training in food preparation, sanitation, safety, equipment operation, and service standards.
• Model professionalism, dependability, collaboration, and a commitment to a positive kitchen culture.
• Collaborate with the Executive Chef, school nurse, teachers, school staff, vendors, and delivery personnel to support effective daily operations and documented student dietary needs.
• Keep the Executive Chef informed of significant staffing, production, inventory, equipment, food quality, and service needs.
• Maintain compliance with applicable USDA, NSLP, HACCP, ServSafe, health department, and Heartwood food safety and sanitation requirements.
• Monitor food temperatures, storage, sanitation, cross-contamination prevention, allergen procedures, and safe food and equipment handling.
• Ensure required production records, temperature and sanitation logs, and other documentation are accurate and completed on time.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen and promptly address or report food safety, sanitation, equipment, and compliance concerns.
• Support health inspections, regulatory reviews, and internal food safety checks.
• Monitor inventory and assist with receiving, storage, rotation, organization, and efficient use of food and kitchen supplies.
• Inspect deliveries for quality, quantity, temperature, freshness, and accuracy and communicate shortages or discrepancies promptly.
• Support food cost and waste reduction through appropriate portioning, storage, rotation, and ingredient utilization.
• Ensure equipment, utensils, workstations, and storage areas are clean, organized, safe, and properly maintained.
• Identify and report equipment maintenance or repair needs and ensure established opening and closing procedures are consistently completed.
• Maintain the anticipated 5:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday schedule to support breakfast, lunch, and daily kitchen operations.

Skills

Large-scale food production

Menu execution

Food safety sanitation

Kitchen operations

School food service

USDA NSLP knowledge

Leadership & teamwork

Computer skills

Education

5+ years culinary/food service

2-3 years supervisory leadership

Culinary degree or equivalent

ServSafe certification

HACCP knowledge

Job description

WHO WE ARE

Heartwood Community School is a community-focused, tuition-free charter school serving Jasper, Beaufort, and Hampton Counties in South Carolina. We believe in educating the whole child-nurturing each student academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Honoring every child’s unique journey, we bridge home and school to foster a compassionate, empowering environment where students feel seen and valued.

Our mission goes beyond academics. We guide students to become resilient problem-solvers, compassionate community builders, globally minded citizens, emotionally intelligent leaders, and lifelong learners. Embracing mistakes as part of growth, we equip students to thrive in school and life-ready to make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.

THE ROLE

The Executive Sous Chef at Heartwood is a hands-on culinary leader who supports the daily preparation and delivery of nutritious, high-quality meals while helping create a positive dining experience for elementary students. Working closely with the Executive Chef, this individual helps lead kitchen operations, food preparation, staff coordination, food safety, inventory, and meal service while ensuring consistency, efficiency, and compliance with school nutrition standards. The Executive Sous Chef will also help foster Heartwood’s family-style dining experience, encouraging students to explore healthy foods and develop positive lifelong eating habits. This individual will serve as a key partner in maintaining a welcoming, organized, and student-centered nutrition program.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Culinary Production & Daily Operations
  • Lead daily breakfast and lunch preparation, production, service, and kitchen closeout to ensure meals are prepared accurately, efficiently, and on schedule.
  • Execute approved menus and standardized recipes in accordance with USDA and NSLP requirements, maintaining consistent quality, taste, presentation, freshness, and portion sizes.
  • Coordinate daily kitchen workflow, assign staff responsibilities, and adjust production based on menu, staffing, and operational needs.
  • Monitor meal production and proactively communicate challenges that may affect food quality, service, or timing.
  • Support family-style meal service and create a welcoming, positive dining experience for students.
  • Serve as the operational kitchen leader in the absence of the Executive Chef & Director of Nutrition.

• Staff Leadership & Collaboration
  • Supervise, coach, and support kitchen staff throughout preparation, service, cleaning, and closing while reinforcing expectations for quality, teamwork, and accountability.
  • Assist with employee onboarding and training in food preparation, sanitation, safety, equipment operation, and service standards.
  • Model professionalism, dependability, collaboration, and a commitment to a positive kitchen culture.
  • Collaborate with the Executive Chef, school nurse, teachers, school staff, vendors, and delivery personnel to support effective daily operations and documented student dietary needs.
  • Keep the Executive Chef informed of significant staffing, production, inventory, equipment, food quality, and service needs.

• Food Safety, Sanitation & Compliance
  • Maintain compliance with applicable USDA, NSLP, HACCP, ServSafe, health department, and Heartwood food safety and sanitation requirements.
  • Monitor food temperatures, storage, sanitation, cross-contamination prevention, allergen procedures, and safe food and equipment handling.
  • Ensure required production records, temperature and sanitation logs, and other documentation are accurate and completed on time.
  • Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen and promptly address or report food safety, sanitation, equipment, and compliance concerns.
  • Support health inspections, regulatory reviews, and internal food safety checks.

• Inventory, Equipment & Kitchen Management
  • Monitor inventory and assist with receiving, storage, rotation, organization, and efficient use of food and kitchen supplies.
  • Inspect deliveries for quality, quantity, temperature, freshness, and accuracy and communicate shortages or discrepancies promptly.
  • Support food cost and waste reduction through appropriate portioning, storage, rotation, and ingredient utilization.
  • Ensure equipment, utensils, workstations, and storage areas are clean, organized, safe, and properly maintained.
  • Identify and report equipment maintenance or repair needs and ensure established opening and closing procedures are consistently completed.
  • Maintain the anticipated 5:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday schedule to support breakfast, lunch, and daily kitchen operations.

SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS

• Demonstrated knowledge of large-scale food production, menu execution, portion control, food safety, sanitation, and kitchen operations.
• Experience working with children or in a school, childcare, healthcare, institutional, or other specialized food service environment is preferred.
• Ability to understand and follow USDA school nutrition requirements and other applicable regulatory standards.
• Strong computer skills and the ability to learn and effectively use food service, inventory, ordering, point-of-sale, and other operational systems.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, prioritize competing demands, and maintain a high level of organization in a fast-paced environment.

EDUCATION

• Minimum of 5 years of professional culinary or food service experience, preferably in a high-volume, catering, banquet, institutional, hospitality, or school food service environment.
• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in a supervisory or leadership role, such as Executive Sous Chef, Sous Chef, Chef de Cuisine, Culinary Manager, or similar position.
• Culinary degree, diploma, certification, or equivalent combination of culinary education and professional experience preferred.
• ServSafe certification or equivalent food safety certification required.
• Working knowledge of HACCP principles and food safety management systems.

COMPENSATION

The salary for this role is $80,000, with eligibility for a relocation package. To uphold our commitment to equitable and fair compensation, we offer a competitive salary and have a no-negotiation policy.

We are committed to building a best in class team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

Additionally, we offer a comprehensive benefits package including and not limited to:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance and Disability
• Employee and Family Wellness
• Tax Favored Spending Accounts (FSA/HSA)
• Retirement Plans