Weekends)

Red Rabbit•New York, NY

12d•Onsite

About The Position

Red Rabbit is seeking an Executive Chef/District Manager to lead culinary teams in select schools in its New York regions. The role offers an opportunity to support communities of color by building school cafeterias that honor the heritage and history of Black and Latino food in America, serving familiar foods prepared skillfully and with care and dignity. The Executive Chef/District Manager leads culinary professionals and kitchen staff in preparing and expediting hundreds of meals each day. The role focuses on culinary excellence, food safety, kitchen flow, and operational efficiency. The successful candidate brings hands-on culinary experience in high-volume kitchens, including just-in-time inventory systems, and delivers a high level of hospitality and service. They work with school administration to ensure students receive culturally relevant, nutritious, safe meals they enjoy. The position serves as the primary contact for school administration, supports and develops kitchen leaders and staff, and oversees kitchen organization, JIT inventory, documentation, cleanliness, compliance, and budget performance. The role requires travel between multiple kitchens in the NYC metro area. Typical hours are Monday through Friday; the posting specifies no nights or weekends.

Requirements

BA/BS degree in Culinary Arts, Operations, or Management.
At least 5 years of professional culinary experience in a fast-paced role, such as restaurant management or high-volume kitchen production.
At least 2 years in a senior management role involving hiring, budget management, and inventory management.
DOH Food Handler's certificate.
Experience managing and training an exempt and non-exempt workforce.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Willingness and ability to travel between multiple kitchens in the NYC metro area.
Ability to manage competing priorities; highly organized, detail-oriented, and analytical.
Reliable, able to function well within a team, and able to work calmly and efficiently in a fast-moving environment.

Nice To Haves

Farm-to-table or scratch-cooking experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead, support, and develop chefs and kitchen teams in preparing and expediting hundreds of meals.
Bring hands-on culinary expertise to kitchens and uphold standards for culinary excellence, kitchen flow, efficiency, hospitality, and service.
Assign people to appropriate roles and foster unity and a culture of service, excellence, and affirming children across kitchens.
Coach kitchen leaders and team members to support their growth and success.
Serve as the main point of contact for school administration and build positive relationships with school leaders and staff.
Ensure students receive culturally relevant, nutritious, safe meals that they enjoy.
Confirm meals and deliveries are accurate and on time, daily service aligns with each school's schedule and needs, and required paperwork is filed and tracked correctly.
Address issues proactively, increase meal participation, and communicate the value Red Rabbit brings to school communities.
Ensure kitchens are organized, efficient, and compliant.
Oversee just-in-time inventory management, including proper receipt, storage, and documentation of food, while minimizing waste.
Maintain cleanliness, kitchen flow, and food-safety standards so kitchens pass DOH, CACFP, and NSLP inspections and operate within budget.
Travel between multiple kitchens in the NYC metro area.