Chef Manager - The Miami Valley School

The Chef Manager is responsible for leading both the culinary and food service operations of a school dining program, ensuring high standards of food quality, safety, sustainability, and guest happiness. This position blends hands-on culinary leadership with administrative and operational responsibilities, including inventory management, cost control, staff supervision, and compliance. The ideal candidate is a skilled culinarian with strong leadership abilities and a passion for scratch cooking, seasonal ingredients, and sustainable practices.  

Key Responsibilities:  

• Lead all aspects of culinary operations, including production, menu planning, food preparation, presentation, and sanitation.  
• Run full food service operations including inventory control, ordering, receiving, and vendor relationships.  
• Ensure compliance with HACCP standards, health regulations, and company food safety policies.  
• Collaborate with the dining team on creative, student-centered menu development that emphasizes local, sustainable ingredients.  
• Maintain P&L accountability, supervise food and labor costs, and contribute to financial reporting and forecasting.  
• Lead all hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and performance management for frontline staff.  
• Train, mentor, and coach culinary and service teams to uphold service standards and culinary perfection.  
• Ensure attention to detail across front- and back-of-house operations including cleanliness, signage, menu displays, and pricing.  
• Partner with school administration to support special events and community dining initiatives.  
• Lead all aspects of administrative functions such as staff payroll, invoicing, weekly and month-end reporting.  
• Champion a culture of safety, partnership, and continuous improvement across the department.  

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Minimum of 3 years of culinary management experience in contract foodservice, fine dining, or high-volume restaurant settings.  
• Strong understanding of P&L management and experience in a contract-managed service environment preferred.  
• Confirmed expertise in menu development, production planning, cost control, and inventory management.  
• Extensive knowledge of culinary trends, sustainability practices, and food safety regulations.  
• Knowledge of exhibition cooking and interacting with guests in a customer-focused environment.  
• Effective team leadership and performance management skills, including conducting performance evaluations.  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).  
• ServSafe Certification preferred.  
• Culinary degree or equivalent experience strongly preferred.