Sous Chef of Catering and Production

Community FoodBank of New Jersey•Hillside, NJ

28d•Onsite

About The Position

Join our team and become a part of something bigger – a force for change in the fight against hunger. The Community Foodbank of New Jersey is more than just a food bank – we champion healthier lifestyles and positively impact social and economic change. Together we can create a stronger, more resilient New Jersey for everyone. We are seeking a passionate and innovative culinary leader to join the Community Kitchen team as a Catering and Production Sous Chef. This hands-on role supports high-quality catering production, internal staff meals, emergency meal production, and mission-driven culinary programs. The position collaborates with cross-functional teams to develop menu offerings, improve food quality, strengthen production efficiency, and identify cost-saving opportunities while advancing the mission of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. This role offers the opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional teams while supporting and expanding our high-end catering program. The Catering & Production Sous Chef will oversee food preparation for both revenue-generating and internal catering events, coordinate weekly staff meals, and assist with emergency meal production to support disaster relief efforts and community feeding initiatives.

Requirements

Minimum of 8–10 years of verifiable industry experience as a Sous Chef, Kitchen Manager, or equivalent in a high-volume kitchen environment.
Verified ServSafe Certification.
At least 5 years of related food service experience, including scratch cooking.
Collaborative people leader with strong vision to deliver profitable business results.
Ability to influence and inform strategic development for the function and business.
Strong presentation skills with the ability to effectively convey ideas and solutions.
Must be willing and able to carry bulk materials consistently, up to about 50 lbs.
Demonstrated project management skills.
Positive, professional communication style that supports strong interpersonal relationships with customers, the public, co-workers, and managers in alignment with CFBNJ’s mission.

Nice To Haves

AOS in Culinary Arts and BOS in Restaurant or Food Service Management from an accredited university preferred, or related industry experience.

Responsibilities

Assist the Executive Chef in planning, organizing, and overseeing all catering food production and execution.
Lead the preparation, cooking, packaging, and presentation of food for on-site and off-site catering events while ensuring exceptional quality and consistency.
Coordinate daily catering production schedules with the production kitchen to ensure efficient workflow and timely completion of all orders.
Supervise kitchen staff, temporary employees, volunteers, and culinary trainees during catering production and event execution.
Monitor food safety and sanitation practices to ensure compliance with ServSafe guidelines, local health department regulations, and organizational policies.
Maintain inventory of catering-specific food, supplies, smallwares, and equipment; assist with ordering and receiving.
Work collaboratively with the Catering Team, Production Team, and other departments to ensure successful event execution.
Train, coach, and mentor culinary staff on production techniques, customer service, food presentation, and kitchen best practices.