School Dining Chef Manager — Scratch Cooking

Compass Group USA; South Woodstock (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Flik Independent School Dining is seeking a Chef Manager to lead culinary and food service operations for a school dining program. You will manage production, inventory, vendor relationships, and compliance with HACCP and health regulations.

The role emphasizes scratch cooking, seasonal ingredients, and sustainable practices, with oversight of staff hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and performance. This temporary position supports campus dining initiatives and student engagement.

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

P&L management

Menu development

Cost control

Inventory management

Team leadership

Performance evaluations

Food safety

Microsoft Office

Education

Culinary degree

ServSafe Certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Flik Independent School Dining is seeking a Chef Manager to lead culinary and food service operations for a school dining program. You will manage production, inventory, vendor relationships, and compliance with HACCP and health regulations.

The role emphasizes scratch cooking, seasonal ingredients, and sustainable practices, with oversight of staff hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and performance. This temporary position supports campus dining initiatives and student engagement.