Chef Manager - Orange School District

Whitsons Culinary Group•Bradford, VT

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Chef Manager leads the school nutrition kitchen and dining operations for Orange School District, preparing healthy, high-quality meals for students and staff. The role blends hands-on culinary work with management of kitchen operations, staff, menus, production, food safety, inventory, and costs. The Chef Manager works with school administrators and nutrition staff to support student well-being and fosters a welcoming, inclusive kitchen culture focused on teamwork and accountability. The position is full-time, exempt, and follows the school or account service schedule. It is primarily site-based, with occasional travel to other Whitsons locations. The role is offered on a 10-month calendar-year schedule, with extended hours potentially needed for special events, new account openings, or peak operational periods. Compensation is $65,000–$70,000. Work takes place primarily in a kitchen and food-service production environment, including storerooms, ovens, and freezers, with moderate to loud noise and exposure to hot and cold temperatures. The job involves standing for most of the workday, frequent walking, handling food and equipment, reaching, and lifting or moving up to 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Requirements

Minimum 3–5 years of high-volume food-service 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 and batch cooking.
Knowledge of USDA school meal requirements, production planning, and food-safety standards.
ServSafe certification.
Local food-safety certification in the jurisdiction of employment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and ability to learn new software programs.
Proficiency in recipe procedures and cooking techniques.
Strong leadership and team-development skills, including the ability to manage and coach kitchen staff in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Self-motivated, organized, and calm under pressure, with a genuine passion for food quality and culinary excellence.
Ability to drive a personal vehicle to other work sites as needed; a valid driver's license and access to a personal vehicle are preferred.
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.

Nice To Haves

School food-service, K-12, institutional, or contract food-service experience.
College or culinary degree from an accredited institution, or equivalent culinary training and progressive kitchen-management experience.
Food Management Professional (FMP) certification.
OSHA certification.
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.
Create nutritious, kid-friendly menus that comply with USDA school nutrition guidelines.
Ensure scratch preparation, batch cooking, recipe adherence, portion accuracy, and presentation standards.
Maintain food safety, sanitation, and inventory controls in accordance with applicable health regulations and company standards.
Collaborate with school administrators and nutrition staff to support student well-being.
Manage production schedules, production records, vendor orders, payroll, kitchen budgets, and compliance documentation.
Monitor food and labor costs, identify waste-reduction opportunities, and operate within budget while maintaining quality.
Communicate kitchen priorities and operational issues, staffing needs, and performance concerns to the General Manager.
Foster a positive, inclusive, and accountable kitchen culture focused on teamwork and equitable treatment.
Meet daily operational standards and deliver meals to standards of quality, presentation, and timeliness.
Travel occasionally to other Whitsons locations as needed.
Complete all company-sponsored training requirements.