Chef Manager - Charlotte Christian School; Charlotte, NC

FISD

Salary: $65,000 - $80,000 /year

Flik Independent School Dining has been leading the way in transforming private and independent school food service across 300 communities for over four decades. Our passionate team of associates is fully committed to delivering exceptional food service experiences every single time. Our meals are crafted from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, supporting sustainable agricultural practices that benefit our communities. But we don't stop at just food service – we take it to the next level by offering cutting‑edge nutrition education programs that empower students to make smart, healthy choices daily.

By combining nutritious meals with comprehensive education, we equip students with the essential tools they need to lead a healthy and thriving life. We believe in nourishing the whole person ,
creating community through great food and programming, and doing what’s right , every time.

We are Nourishing a Brighter Future.

Job Summary

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 previous experience overseeing unit operations, 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:

• Previous experience overseeing unit operations is required.

• Minimum of 3 years of culinary management experience in contract food service, 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).

• Serv Safe Certification preferred.

• Culinary degree or equivalent experience strongly preferred.

Apply to Flik today!

Flik Independent School Dining is a member of Compass Group USA

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Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the…