EXECUTIVE CHEF

Executive Chef

Chartwells K12's goal is to make sure students leave the cafeteria happier and healthier than they came in, by serving food kids love to eat and creating custom dining programs. With more than 16,000 associates in 4,500 schools, ranging from large public institutions to small charter and private schools, Chartwells K12 is built on decades of food, education and operational experience driven by top culinary, nutrition, wellness, and sustainability talent.

Join us as the Executive Chef for our premiere K12 school district located in Greeneville, TN. Reporting to the Director, you will own the culinary program across all of our school kitchens, creating menus students look forward to and training the teams who bring them to life.

Key Responsibilities:

• Creates regular and specialty menus in line with K12 standards, with recipes, portioning, and presentation written so any site can follow them.
• Leads menu rollouts and new item launches across all locations, training managers and cooks ahead of time so each kitchen opens the menu the same way.
• Trains kitchen staff in scratch and batch cooking, knife skills, equipment operation, and food safety, coaching hands on in the kitchens where the work happens.
• Builds strong site level culinary leaders through cross training and clear standards they can turn around and teach to their own teams.
• Visits each kitchen on a regular rhythm to taste the food, check presentation and execution, give feedback in the moment, and share the wins across the district.
• Partners with the Director and school managers on production planning, forecasting, and inventory so every site has what it needs to deliver the menu.
• Keeps each kitchen inspection ready through solid daily routines and clear cleaning and maintenance schedules for equipment and work areas.
• Brings fresh ideas to the program through student taste tests, seasonal specials, and promotions that keep students excited about lunch.
• Takes an active role in department meetings, staff development, and professional programs to stay current on food trends and bring them back to the team.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support the efficient functioning of a dining service operation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Associate's degree highly desired or equivalent experience in culinary arts.
• 5+ years of progressive culinary/kitchen management experience, (with catering experience preferred).
• Proven success in high-volume, complex foodservice operations, with a solid base in institutional and batch cooking.
• Hands-on chef experience is critical, accompanied by extensive knowledge of food trends, emphasizing quality, production, sanitation, cost control, and presentation.
• Proficiency in computer applications, including Microsoft Office suite and email systems.
• Willingness to actively engage in client satisfaction programs and activities.
• ServSafe certification is highly desirable, highlighting a commitment to food safety.

Chartwells K-12 maintains a drug-free workplace. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Associates at Chartwells K-12 are offered many fantastic benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, holiday time off, associate shopping program, health and wellness programs, discount marketplace, identity theft protection, pet insurance, commuter benefits, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, paid parental leave, and personal leave.