Chef Manager - Orange School District

Chef Manager – Cook Up Leadership in School Nutrition!

School Dining Leadership

 

Are you a culinary professional who’s passionate about food, leadership, and purpose? Join our school nutrition team as a Chef Manager and bring your talent to a kitchen that nourishes students and shapes futures.

 

What You’ll Do:

 

Lead daily kitchen operations to deliver healthy, high-quality meals to students and staff

Supervise and train kitchen team members to ensure culinary excellence and efficiency

Create menus that are nutritious, kid-friendly, and compliant with USDA school nutrition guidelines

Maintain food safety, sanitation, and inventory controls in alignment with health regulations

Collaborate with school administrators and nutrition staff to support student well-being

Manage production records, vendor orders, and kitchen budgets

Foster a welcoming and inclusive kitchen culture focused on teamwork and accountability

We’re Looking For:

 

3+ years of experience in culinary management (school food service or institutional setting a plus)

Strong cooking skills with a focus on scratch preparation and batch cooking

Knowledge of USDA school meal requirements, production planning, and food safety standards

A proactive leader who inspires teams and delivers results

ServSafe certification

Passion for feeding students and making a difference in the school community

Why Join Us?

 

Competitive pay + opportunities for growth

Family-friendly schedule – no nights, weekends, or major holidays

Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, and retirement

Paid time off and professional development opportunities

A chance to lead with purpose and impact the health and success of students every day

About Us:

 

At Whitsons, we believe great food fuels great minds. As a Chef Manager, you’ll blend culinary skill with compassionate leadership to create a dining program students love. You’ll not only manage meals—you’ll help build a kitchen that’s a cornerstone of community, health, and learning.

 

Ready to serve up leadership with heart? Apply now and help us nourish the next generation—at Whitsons our mission is Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time™.

Annual Salary 79K

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:

 

Education:

 

College / Culinary degree preferred.

FMP preferred. 

Safety training classes completed as required

 

Certifications:

 

ServSafe Certification required

OSHA Certification preferred but not required

Local food safety certification, if required in jurisdiction of employment.  

 

Computer Skills:

 

All Microsoft Office Suite products

Ability to learn new software programs

 

Other Qualifications, Experience and Competencies: 

 

Minimum 3-5 years of high volume food service management experience required.

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB:

 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

 

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is frequently required:

 

Standing most of the day is required for this position. Must be able to 

To sit, walk, talk and hear; use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.

The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. 

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The employee must be able to multi-task.

Position may require extended hours including evenings and/or weekends, travel to multiple work sites and occasional out-of-town travel.  Must be able to drive his/her own vehicle to other work sites.

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

 

The work is performed primarily in a kitchen setting. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.

 

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work and duties that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position, and the Company reserves the right to add additional duties or modify existing duties. 

 

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the Company and employee and is subject to change by the Company as the needs of the Company and requirements of the job change.