Production Chef

DA Brand; Deerfield (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Life and disability coverage

Generous paid time off

Tuition remission

Fitness center access

Complimentary dining hall meals

Job summary

Deerfield Academy is seeking a Production Chef to lead high-volume cook-chill production, ensure food safety, and supervise kitchen staff. You will train, supervise, and coordinate with the Head Chef, Sous Chef, and First Cooks on daily retherming needs, while maintaining SOPs and accurate production logs.

The role requires ServSafe certification or willingness to obtain it, 3–5 years of relevant experience, and strong organizational and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Completion of 12th grade or equivalent.
• Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts, Food Service Management, Hospitality, or related field is preferred.
• 3–5 years of experience in high-volume food service.
• ServSafe certification is required, or willingness to become certified.
• Familiarity with dietary restrictions (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, kosher style, allergen-free).
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation of high-volume cook chills and retherming of meals.
• Prepare ingredients according to standardized recipes.
• Operate and maintain cook-chill equipment and liaise with vendors.
• Maintain and push recipes to ovens; monitor temperatures.
• Develop and distribute SOPs for cook-chill processes.
• Supervise cooks and food service staff; ensure safety practices.

Skills

Food safety

Staff supervision

High-volume cooking

SOP development

Equipment operation

Training & onboarding

Record keeping

Sanitation

Education

Culinary degree

ServSafe certification

Tools

Combi ovens

Blast chillers

Kettles

Walk-in refrigerators

Job description

The successful candidate will receive a $1,000 sign-on bonus ($500 paid at time of hire and $500 paid at the end of 90 days of employment.

Reporting to the Head Chef, the Production Chef specializes in preparing a high volume of food that utilizes a \"cook-chill\" method. The Production Chef plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety, quality, and consistency, working closely with the Sous Chef and other kitchen staff. The Production Chef assists with training, supervision, and day-to-day operations of the production kitchen.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Cooking and Food Preparation

• Lead the preparation of high-volume cook chills and the retherming of meals in the dining hall for walk-through and family-style sit-down meals.
• Prepare various ingredients, including vegetables, fruits, and meats, according to standardized recipes
• Operate and maintain cook-chill equipment, liaise with vendors for service and support
• Maintain Chef-Link recipes and push recipes to Combi ovens as needed
• Prepare and cook high-volume food products following standardized recipes.
• Monitor and control food temperatures during cooking, chilling, and retherming processes.
• Accurately label and store prepared food items to ensure traceability and food safety.
• Develop, maintain, and distribute standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all cook-chill processes to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Conduct regular compliance checks and implement corrective actions as needed
• Coordinate with the Head Chef on production scheduling and collaborate with the Sous Chef and First Cooks on daily retherming needs.
• Maintain clean, organized, and sanitary workstations at all times.
• Perform routine equipment maintenance and troubleshoot minor issues
• Maintain accurate records of production logs and food safety documentation.

Staff Supervision

• Assist with the daily supervision of cooks and food service workers in the production kitchen.
• Ensure work is done in an efficient, organized manner, safe work practices are consistently employed, and personal protective equipment is utilized properly
• Conduct daily check-ins with staff to ensure they have the tools, supplies, and information needed to perform their duties effectively.
• Support the training and onboarding of new employees, and help develop existing staff through skill-based training and mentoring.
• Attend all required Safety Program trainings and reinforce participation expectations for team members to minimize workplace injuries and illnesses.
• Ensure all commercial kitchen equipment—including combi ovens, blast chillers, kettles, ranges, fryers, mixers, and slicers—cleaned and sanitized according to SOPs and food safety regulations.
• Oversee sanitation of all food prep and service areas, including food storage, sinks, carts, racks, and related equipment.

Job Specifications

• Completion of 12th grade or equivalent required; Associate's Degree in Culinary Arts, Food
• Service Management, Hospitality, or related field is preferred.
• 3 – 5 years of experience planning, preparing, and executing menus for food service operations.
• Significant experience in high-volume food service, including supervision of staff, food preparation, sanitation, and safety practices in a commercial kitchen.
• ServSafe certification is required, or there is a willingness to become certified.
• Familiarity with dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, kosher style, allergen-free
• Significant experience with proper cooking methods, including meats, vegetables, starches, and salads.
• Good organizational, interpersonal, verbal, and written skills
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to meet schedules and timelines.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to understand hazards and follow safety procedures when using chemicals and equipment.
• Competency with MS Office, Google Drive, and foodservice management software
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion and to serving the needs of a diverse community
• Ability to work a flexible schedule as required by the Academy, including nights, weekends, and overtime.

Physical Demand

• Ability to sustain manual labor for eight hours or more.
• Ability to stand and/or walk on a hard surface for eight hours or more.
• Ability to lift and/or carry up to 50 lbs occasionally and up to 20 lbs frequently.
• Ability to stoop frequently.
• Ability to reach with hands and arms frequently.
• Ability to frequently grasp and manipulate objects with both hands.
• Ability to frequently perform tasks of repetitive motion with arms, hands and wrists, such as cutting, slicing, stirring, and serving food.
• Worker is frequently subject to heat from cooking equipment and cold from walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
• Worker is occasionally subject to extreme heat or humidity in the kitchen area.
• Worker is frequently subject to loud noise.
• Worker is frequently exposed to chemical agents.

Working Conditions

• Worker is frequently subject to heat from cooking equipment and cold from walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
• Worker is occasionally subject to extreme heat or humidity in kitchen area.
• Worker is frequently subject to loud noise.
• Worker is frequently exposed to chemical agents.

Deerfield Academy offers a competitive total compensation package, where base compensation or salary is just one component. Pay within the published range is determined by factors such as qualifications, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, allowing for growth and progression within the role.

We also offer a comprehensive suite of benefits to eligible employees, including:

• Health & Financial:Medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 403(b)-retirement plan; and employer-paid life and disability plans.
• Time Off:Generous paid time off and paid holidays.
• Campus Perks:Tuition remission, fitness center access and complimentary dining hall meals

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.