Head Chef, In-School (No Weekends/ Holidays), Princeton, NJ

What do we do

Red Rabbit is a Black-owned School Food Management Company in the country. We work with hundreds of schools, districts, and food banks to uplift communities of color throughout the North East and Mid-Atlantic Regions.

Our professionally trained chefs create menus, source farm fresh ingredients, and cook delicious, thoughtful, and familiar food. School food matters not only because it's integral to good health, but because what children eat is an essential part of their cultural identity and sense of self.

About the Role

The Head Chef position is an exciting opportunity for a talented and seasoned chef looking to transition to meaningful, impactful work. The Head Chef directs the day-to-day operations of a 3 - 7 person school cafeteria kitchen preparing meals for hundreds of kids.

 The ideal candidate has strong culinary skills, is comfortable with office-work, and enjoys interacting with customers. A strong emphasis will be placed on candidates' ability to train and motivate their team.  Must share our passion for creating equity in the school cafeteria. NOTE: Position is located in Trenton. Travel stipend available. 

Job Functions

Leadership

• Train and coach kitchen team members to enhance their skills and performance
• Develop team members through ongoing mentoring and support.
• Create a positive and cohesive team environment that promotes retention and high performance.

Culinary Management

• Oversee daily culinary operations to ensure consistent and high-quality food preparation.
• Maintain a food-safe kitchen at all times by adhering to health and safety standards.
• Perform quality control checks on all menu items to ensure consistency and integrity.
• Optimize food costs through efficient inventory management and creative menu planning.

Administration

• Follow production schedules to ensure timely meal preparation and service.
• Track and submit consumption numbers and daily compliance reports accurately.
• Manage facility maintenance projects to ensure a safe and functional kitchen environment.

Customer Care

• Build and maintain strong relationships with the school community, including teachers, administrators, and parents.
• Attend school meetings to stay informed and engaged with the school community.
• Educate the school community about culinary and nutrition topics through presentations in the cafeteria.

Skills & Requirements

• 3+ years professional culinary experience in a fast paced, high volume kitchen
• 1+ years supervisory/management experience
• Bachelor degree in culinary arts a plus
• Demonstrated knowledge of proper food safety and sanitation practices
• Must be comfortable using software/apps/spreadsheets to track and report data
• Must have excellent communication skills and be extremely well organized
• Familiarity with NSLP compliance requirements a plus
• Must share our passion for improving nutrition and health in schools
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) a plus
• ServeSafe Certificate required within 90 days of Hire. (Reimbursement available)

Work Location & Travel This position is based in Trenton, NJ, with a regular schedule of Monday to Friday, approximately 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Candidates must be able to reliably commute to Trenton each day.

To support candidates commuting from outside of Trenton (such as Princeton or surrounding areas), we are offering mileage reimbursement and/or travel stipend.  Mileage reimbursement/ stipend will apply for travel distances beyond a set threshold. 

Additional Information 

Job Type: Full Time

Typical Hours: Monday - Friday approx- 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM

Location: Trenton, NJ

Reports to: District Manager

Compensation: $50,000 - $60,000

Benefits

• Generous PTO
• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
• 401k Option
• Paid Professional Development
• Education Reimbursement Opportunities
• Paid Family Leave
• Disability Insurance Coverage 
• Paid Summer Flex Program 

About Red Rabbit

Founded in 2005, Red Rabbit is an MWBE-certified K–12 school food management company on a mission to transform school dining. We believe that serving diverse, high-quality meals to children in urban communities is about more than food,  it's about dignity, representation, and opportunity.

Our professionally trained chefs work in commissaries and onsite in school cafeterias, preparing scratch-made, culturally relevant meals that reflect the heritage and lived experiences of the students we serve. We don't just deliver food...we become part of the school community.

Today, Red Rabbit prepares and serves millions of meals each year across the Greater New York region, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.

If you're passionate about food, community, and making an impact every day, we'd love to meet you.

Red Rabbit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, or sexual orientation.