Sous Chef - K12 Food Service, Houston, TX

Compass Group•Houston, TX

9d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking an inspirational, kid‑focused Sous Chef to lead culinary operations across our growing K‑12 food service programs in the Houston, TX market. In this role, you’ll drive high‑quality, nutritious meals that appeal to diverse student populations while maintaining strong standards in food safety, consistency, and execution. Reporting to a Director of Dining Services, you’ll provide hands‑on leadership, mentoring frontline teams and bringing creativity, energy, and a strong sense of ownership to the program. This opportunity is ideal for a self‑starter who thrives in a collaborative, fast‑paced environment and enjoys working with students and developing strong teams. You’ll help elevate the dining experience through innovation, support key initiatives like Discovery Kitchen and annual cookoffs, and manage food cost and inventory with a focus on excellence. Best of all, this role offers outstanding work‑life balance with a Monday–Friday, 7 AM–4 PM schedule, giving you the chance to lead and grow—while still enjoying life outside the kitchen.

Requirements

5 years of related culinary experience including 1 year at the management level.
Experience in restaurants, hotels, corporate dining, education, military, health care, and/or related food service operations.
Knowledge of food and industry trends with a focus on quality, production, sanitation, safety, food cost controls, and presentation.
Ability to set up and distribute production sheets.
Supervisory, leadership, training, management, and coaching skills.
Computer skills and knowledge of MS Office products including Excel.

Nice To Haves

ServSafe or Department of Health Certification is preferred.
Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assists in coordinating and participating in the preparation and cooking of various food items.
Assists with planning and creating menus.
Rolls out new culinary programs in conjunction with the marketing and culinary team.
Assists with managing cost controls and controlling expenditure.
Performs other duties as assigned.