Lead School Dining Chef & Operations Leader

Compass Group USA; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits included

Job summary

Flik Independent School Dining, part of Compass Group USA, is seeking a Chef Manager to lead culinary and food service operations in a school dining program. You will oversee production, menu planning, safety, and guest satisfaction, blending hands-on cooking with administrative duties.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in culinary management in contract foodservice or high-volume settings, strong P&L and cost control skills, and a passion for scratch cooking with seasonal, local ingredients.

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of culinary operations, including production, menu planning, food preparation, presentation, and sanitation.
• Run 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, student-centered menu development that emphasizes local, sustainable ingredients.
• Maintain P&L accountability, supervise 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 perfection.
• Ensure attention to detail across front- and back-of-house operations including cleanliness, signage, menu displays, and pricing.
• Partner with school administration to support special events and community dining initiatives.
• Lead all aspects of administrative functions such as staff payroll, invoicing, weekly and month-end reporting.
• Champion a culture of safety, partnership, and continuous improvement across the department.

Skills

Culinary management

Menu development

Cost control

Inventory management

Team leadership

Food safety

Education

Culinary degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Flik Independent School Dining, part of Compass Group USA, is seeking a Chef Manager to lead culinary and food service operations in a school dining program. You will oversee production, menu planning, safety, and guest satisfaction, blending hands-on cooking with administrative duties.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in culinary management in contract foodservice or high-volume settings, strong P&L and cost control skills, and a passion for scratch cooking with seasonal, local ingredients.