Job Description
Work in our friendly kitchens, Monday-Friday, 7am-3pm
The ideal Head Chef will be excited about leading a team and collaborating closely with and giving direction to them, while operating as a true chef who provides high quality, delicious meals. You will look forward to working in friendly kitchens each day that are fast-paced, enjoy keeping the wheels of the operation continuously moving and managing the many aspects of a busy kitchen and our daily lunch program. You will be comfortable in this leadership role and coordinate with the site manager on location, manage receiving, ensure quality control and service and oversee the execution of our from scratch Acre Real School Lunch Program each day.
This position oversees all other positions that work in the kitchen and food preparations for service at multiple locations. The Head Chef cooks the meal and directs the cooking of the meal, oversees quality control of the product and its service, and ensures a safe and sanitary working environment in coordination with the guidelines set forth by ACRE. The head chef responsibilities are approximately 80% culinary related and 20% administrative, as outlined below. The Head Chef serves as the onsite liaison between ACRE Real School Lunch and the school administration and the school maintenance staff to ensure smooth daily operations, regulatory compliance and a safe, efficient food service environment that supports the student and faculty health and well being.
Essential Job Functions:
ACRE Real School Lunch Program
• Carry out the company’s program on a daily basis according to our standards and specifications including cleanliness standards and recipes.
• Responsible for the openings and shutdowns of the kitchen several times per school year as the schools schedule and ACRE’s oversight dictates.
• Maintain communication with the school lunch manager each shift and in an ongoing manner.
• Orchestrate the service during the lunch period, including acting as a liaison with the parent lunch volunteers
• Consistently deliver superior customer service to the school community
• Exhibit professionalism and courtesy in all interactions
• Be available and present for all school catering/events in which ACRE takes part as directed by the manager
• Refer all catering inquiries / special requests and school communications to the appropriate manager
Food
• Prepare and oversee the preparation of all foods according to ACRE standards and recipes
• Oversee food preparation at multiple locations
• Oversight of delivery personnel, schedules and food safety, for delivery to satellite locations
• Keep notes of every meal served in the Chef’s book in the format provided
• Coordinate daily production schedules to ensure timely meal service and appropriate quantities
• Monitor food quality, taste and presentation from preparation through service
• Immediately address and resolve any food quality or safety concerns
• Ensure proper portion control and food cost controls
• Accommodate for all food allergies, dietary restrictions and special needs with care and accuracy
• Utilize leftover foods efficiently and in a tasty manner
• Fill out appropriate forms for donation to Food Runners
Ordering and Inventory
• Order dairy and other foods with the guidance of the manager
• Weekly ordering meeting with the Operations Manager
• Check in all orders as they arrive daily and ensure that they’re correct by checking them against the order sheet and within pricing guidelines as discussed with manager
• Keep inventory of all fresh and dry goods and keep them well rotated and in stock as needed
• Collect all invoices to hand in to manager
Staff and Kitchen Oversight
• Supervise, train, schedule and evaluate all kitchen staff.
• Ensure all staff strictly adhere to food safety, sanitation and hygiene standards.
• Delineate daily duties to all kitchen employees including, but not limited to, prep work and cleaning
• Provide leadership and ongoing training that promotes teamwork, accountability and professionalism.
• Maintain a professional atmosphere
• Keep working station clean throughout the day and thoroughly clean it at the end of the day
• Maintain the cleaning schedule for the kitchen as well as HACCP logs to ensure a sanitary kitchen
• Uphold ACRE Break policies
• Meet weekly with the onsite manager
• Ensure accurate Time & Attendance data is reported for payroll processing timely, and following all policies for accuracy and updates
• Ensure that staff are not working unwarranted overtime. Explanation of OT by chef is required in weekly Friday Reports or in the timekeeping system.
Other Duties:
• Follow company guidelines when health inspections occur to ensure a positive and productive work environment during an inspection
• Participate in 2 reviews per school year given by management
• Participate in 1-2 training sessions per year given by management
• Other duties as assigned
Working Conditions/Job Environment
• General high volume kitchen equipment
• General office supplies including laptop computer
• Must be able to stand for extended periods of time
• Must be able to perform repetitive tasks such as chopping, slicing, or assembling
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds
• Must be able to occasionally work overtime for catering events as needed
Requirements:
• Minimum 2 years supervisory cooking experience
• Minimum 5 years professional cooking experience
• High School diploma required; college in culinary arts, food service, hospitality or related field preferred.
• Quantity or production cooking experience
• Preference for experienced chef with French cooking skills and techniques
• Ability to work calmly in a fast-paced work environment and maintain a professional atmosphere
• Ability to maintain company standards of cleanliness and sanitation in kitchen
• Experience with documenting using daily HACCP logs
• Ability to lead and mentor a team
• Professional appearance and conduct at all times
• Must possess basic computer literacy and be able to use Gmail
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Must be able to work overtime for catering events as needed
• Experience with inventory control and receiving product
• Advanced cooking, baking and knife skills in high volume production
• Ability to administer safe food practices and experience operating with cost-saving measures
• Able to stand for extended periods and lift kitchen supplies as needed
• Servsafe Manager Certificate
Other Requirements:
We partner with all of our schools with required finger printing, background checks, and any current and necessary vaccinations. Please let us know if you have questions.
Job Tags
Full time, Work at office, Immediate start, Day shift