Head Chef/Chef de Cuisine: In-School (No Weekends/ Holidays) - Washington D.C.

Red Rabbit; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO

Health, Dental, Vision Insurance

401k Option

Paid Professional Development

Education Reimbursement Opportunities

Paid Family Leave

Disability Insurance Coverage

Paid Summer Flex Program

Job summary

Red Rabbit in Washington, DC is seeking a Head Chef to lead a 3–7 person school cafeteria kitchen, preparing meals for hundreds of students and maintaining high culinary standards. You will train and coach the kitchen team, manage production schedules, and ensure food-safety compliance while collaborating with district staff.

The role prioritizes equity in school meals and nutrition. This full-time position offers a $60,000–$70,000 salary, generous benefits, and opportunities to shape menus and

Qualifications

• 3+ years professional culinary experience in a fast-paced, high-volume kitchen.
• 1+ years supervisory/management experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of proper food safety and sanitation.
• Familiarity with NSLP compliance a plus.
• Share passion for improving nutrition in schools.
• ServeSafe certification within 90 days of hire (reimbursement available).

Responsibilities

• Culinary management: direct daily execution, maintain safe kitchen, ensure menu integrity and cost control.
• Leadership: train and develop kitchen staff, foster team cohesion and performance.
• Administration: manage schedules, track consumption, submit reports, assist with inventory, menus.

Skills

Culinary leadership

High-volume kitchen

Staff training

Food safety

Data tracking

Communication

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor in Culinary Arts

Tools

Spreadsheets

Office software

Job description

About the Role

The Head Chef position is an exciting opportunity for a talented and seasoned chef looking to transition to meaningful, impactful work. The Head Chef directs the day-to-day operations of a 3 - 7 person school cafeteria kitchen preparing meals for hundreds of kids.

The ideal candidate has strong culinary skills, is comfortable with office-work, and enjoys interacting with customers. A strong emphasis will be placed on candidates' ability to train and motivate their team. Must share our passion for creating equity in the school cafeteria. NOTE: Position starts in January

Job Functions

• Culinary Management: Directly responsible for daily culinary execution and excellence. Maintain a food-safe kitchen at all times. Perform quality control on all menu items and ensure recipe consistency and integrity. Improve food costs through disciplined inventory management and creative menu planning.
• Leadership: Train, coach, and develop kitchen team members. Create a supportive environment that encourages team cohesion, member retention, and excellent performance.
• Administration: Adhere to production schedules, track and submit consumption numbers and daily compliance reports. Create menus and support with inventory management.

Skills & Requirements

• 3+ years professional culinary experience in a fast paced, high volume kitchen
• 1+ years supervisory/management experience
• Bachelor degree in culinary arts a plus
• Demonstrated knowledge of proper food safety and sanitation practices
• Must be comfortable using software/apps/spreadsheets to track and report data
• Must have excellent communication skills and be extremely well organized
• Familiarity with NSLP compliance requirements a plus
• Must share our passion for improving nutrition and health in schools
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) a plus
• ServeSafe Certificate required within 90 days of Hire. (Reimbursement available)

Additional Information

Job Type: Full Time

Typical Hours: Monday - Friday approx- 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM

Location: Washington, DC

Reports to: District Manager

Compensation: $60,000 - $70,000

Benefits

• Generous PTO
• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
• 401k Option
• Paid Professional Development
• Education Reimbursement Opportunities
• Paid Family Leave
• Disability Insurance Coverage
• Paid Summer Flex Program

About Red Rabbit

Founded in 2005, Red Rabbit is an MWBE-certified K-12 school food management company on a mission to transform school dining. We believe that serving diverse, high-quality meals to children in urban communities is about more than food, it's about dignity, representation, and opportunity.

Our professionally trained chefs work in commissaries and onsite in school cafeterias, preparing scratch-made, culturally relevant meals that reflect the heritage and lived experiences of the students we serve. We don't just deliver food...we become part of the school community.

Today, Red Rabbit prepares and serves millions of meals each year across the Greater New York region, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.

If you're passionate about food, community, and making an impact every day, we'd love to meet you.

Red Rabbit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, or sexual orientation.