Chef Manager - Lancaster School Nutrition

Whitsons Culinary Group•Lancaster, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Whitsons is seeking a Chef Manager to lead a school nutrition kitchen and deliver healthy, high-quality meals to students and staff. The role combines hands-on culinary work with leadership of daily kitchen operations, including menu planning, food production, team supervision, food safety, inventory, purchasing, recordkeeping, and budget management. The Chef Manager works with school administrators and nutrition staff to support student well-being and foster an inclusive kitchen culture centered on teamwork and accountability. The position is full-time and exempt. Workdays and hours generally follow the school or account service schedule; extended hours may be needed for special events, new account openings, or peak operational periods. The position is primarily site-based, with occasional travel to other Whitsons locations. The work takes place mainly in a kitchen and food-service production environment, including storerooms, ovens, and freezers, with exposure to moderate-to-loud noise and hot and cold temperatures. The role requires standing for most of the workday and lifting or moving up to 50 pounds. The Chef Manager is expected to maintain culinary quality and recipe standards, ensure compliance with HACCP, ServSafe, company, and applicable food-safety requirements, develop and coach kitchen staff, control food and labor costs, and keep the General Manager informed about operational issues, staffing needs, and performance concerns. A genuine interest in feeding students and contributing to the school community is central to the role.

Requirements

Minimum 3–5 years of high-volume food-service management experience; the posting also describes 3+ years of culinary management experience.
Demonstrated experience managing kitchen teams, controlling food and labor costs, executing production schedules, and maintaining food-safety and sanitation compliance in a high-volume environment.
Strong cooking skills, including scratch preparation, batch cooking, recipe procedures, and cooking techniques.
Knowledge of USDA school meal requirements, production planning, and food-safety standards.
ServSafe certification and local food-safety certification in the jurisdiction of employment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and ability to learn new software programs.
Strong leadership, team-development, coaching, and kitchen-staff management skills in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Self-motivated, organized, and able to remain calm under pressure; genuine passion for food quality and culinary excellence.
Must complete all company-sponsored training requirements.
Ability to stand for most of the workday; frequently walk, talk, and hear; handle food, tools, and equipment; reach with hands and arms; and lift or move up to 50 pounds, including while turning side to side.
Ability to drive to other work sites as needed; a valid driver's license and access to a personal vehicle are preferred.

Nice To Haves

School food-service, institutional, K-12, or contract food-service experience; K-12 or contract food-service experience is strongly preferred.
College or culinary degree from an accredited institution.
Food Management Professional (FMP) certification.
OSHA certification.
A valid driver's license and access to a personal vehicle.

Responsibilities

Lead daily kitchen operations to provide healthy, high-quality meals to students and staff.
Supervise, hire, train, coach, and develop kitchen team members; set clear expectations and promote an accountable, equitable team environment.
Create nutritious, kid-friendly menus that comply with USDA school nutrition guidelines.
Prepare food using scratch preparation, batch cooking, recipe procedures, and established cooking techniques; ensure recipe adherence, portion accuracy, and presentation standards.
Plan and manage production schedules and service-period operations.
Maintain food safety, sanitation, HACCP, ServSafe, and company compliance standards; complete required documentation and training.
Manage inventory, vendor orders, production records, payroll, kitchen budgets, and food and labor cost controls.
Identify opportunities to reduce waste while maintaining food quality.
Communicate kitchen priorities, recipe direction, and compliance expectations to team members.
Keep the General Manager informed about operational issues, staffing needs, and performance concerns.
Collaborate with school administrators and nutrition staff to support student well-being.
Deliver quality food with attention to presentation and timeliness, supporting student satisfaction and participation.
Travel occasionally to other Whitsons locations as needed.