Lead Catering & Support Chef

Job Description

Job Description

Schedule: Monday - Friday; some Saturdays 6am- 2pm (start and end time may be adjusted based on catering needs)
Availability: Weekend availability is a must.

McKnight’s Catering and Your Cuisine Chef Foodservice seek an experienced, hands-on Catering Chef Manager. This is primarily a working chef position with substantial daily cooking, food preparation, and direct production responsibilities—not a desk-based management role.

The Chef Manager personally prepares meals while coordinating catering orders, leading event execution, assisting with recipe development, and directing the catering cook and temporary staff as assigned. Reports to Chef Angelica. Assigned work locations vary according to catering production, scheduled events, and the operational needs of company-managed school dining units.

Catering Production & Order Coordination

- Personally cook and prepare a significant portion of daily catering orders, including scratch-made

proteins, sauces, vegetables, starches, and other menu items; remain actively involved in production

throughout the shift.

- Coordinate catering orders from confirmed details through prep lists, purchasing, staffing, packaging, delivery, and service requirements.

- Verify order counts, menus, dietary accommodations, presentation, equipment, and pickup or delivery deadlines.

- Work efficiently in a fast-paced production environment while keeping stations organized, following prep lists and timelines, and ensuring consistent recipes, portions, presentation, sanitation, temperatures, and food quality.

-Assist with recipe development, testing, standardization, and menu improvements.

Event Execution & Logistics

- Coordinate event setup, transportation, loading, service, breakdown, and timely execution.

- Serve as the on-site culinary lead when assigned; resolve production or service issues promptly and professionally.

-Communicate event requirements and changes with Executive Chef Angelica and designated company

leadership.

Team Leadership & School Support

- Direct, train, and support the assigned catering employee and temporary event staff as needed.

- Coordinate daily work assignments and communicate staffing needs to Executive Chef Angelica, who oversees weekly scheduling.

- Provide kitchen coverage, meal production, and special-event support at company-operated school cafés as assigned.

Inventory, Cost Control & Administration

- Support ordering, receiving, inventory, portion control, waste reduction, and responsible food and labor use.

- Complete prep lists, production records, event checklists, and other required operational

documentation.

Production Efficiency & Accountability

- Plan daily production using organized prep lists, realistic task assignments, and clear completion

deadlines established by Executive Chef Angelica.

- Complete assigned cooking, packaging, sanitation, and event-readiness tasks within allotted scheduled

labor hours while maintaining food quality, food safety, and accuracy.

- Work with urgency and strong time management; anticipate bottlenecks, keep workstations organized,

and communicate delays or workload concerns promptly.

- Never sacrifice safe food handling, required breaks, accurate timekeeping, or quality to meet a

production deadline. Overtime requires advance approval when practicable, but all time worked must be

reported and paid.

- Performance incentives may recognize on-time order completion, accuracy, food quality, efficient labor

planning, waste reduction, and teamwork under a separate written bonus plan.

Schedule & Compensation

This is a flexible, five-day-per-week position with shifts assigned according to catering volume, event commitments, school unit coverage, and available kitchen capacity. Potential shifts include:

Assigned reporting locations may change daily or weekly among existing or future company catering kitchens, school cafés, and off-site event venues in Greater Houston. Staggered shifts may be used to manage shared kitchen space and production demand. Chef Angelica posts the following week’s schedule each Thursday, subject to necessary operational changes.

Event-based shifts: start and end times vary by event, including evenings and weekends; actual hours are recorded and paid.

Hourly rate: $19.25 (approximately $40,040 annually at 40 paid hours per week), plus eligibility for

performance-based bonuses under a separate written plan. Annual earnings depend on actual paid

hours and applicable overtime.

- Paid company-observed holidays off, according to the company holiday calendar and applicable

eligibility policy.

- Four weeks of paid vacation annually, to be taken within company-designated vacation windows based on operational needs and the company’s written leave policy. Vacation dates must be approved in advance.

- This is an hourly, nonexempt position. Employees must accurately record every hour worked, including any overtime. Overtime must be approved in advance when practicable; all overtime actually worked will be paid as required by law. Unpaid meal breaks apply only when fully relieved of duties.

Qualifications

- Three or more years of professional hands-on cooking experience preferred, including catering,

banquets, or high-volume production; must be comfortable cooking daily and working alongside the team.

- Must be able to work at a fast pace in a highly organized, efficient manner while managing multiple orders, maintaining a clean workstation, meeting strict deadlines, and consistently delivering high-quality food. Strong scratch cooking, event coordination, communication, and team-leadership skills required.

- Working knowledge of food safety, inventory, food cost, and portion controls.

- Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record for assigned driving duties; required food safety certification or ability to obtain it.

- Ability to perform essential physical duties, including lifting up to 50 pounds, with reasonable

accommodation where applicable.

Food Service Management Company located inside of a private schools

Company Description

Food Service Management Company located inside of a private schools