Executive CHEF - Union School District, San Jose, CA

Chartwells K12

Salary: $80,000 - $85,000

Other Forms of Compensation: Medical, dental & vision insurance, 401K, PTO

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.

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Union School District, located in San Jose, CA
, is seeking an inspirational, kid-focused Executive Chef to lead culinary operations serving approximately 5,400 students across 8 schools
. Reporting to the Director of Dining Services, this is an inspiring leader will oversee daily food production and program execution, beginning each day with visits to school sites to ensure quality, consistency, and operational excellence. Responsibilities include menu management, production sheets, recipe books and recipe compliance, food safety and sanitation, inventory management, and maintaining high culinary standards across the district.

The Executive Chef will also oversee and create light catering events while helping drive innovative student engagement programs such as Mood Boost, Global Eats, and Student Choice.

This opportunity is ideal for a highly organized, self-motivated culinary professional with K-12 experience who enjoys building strong teams and creating memorable dining experiences for students. Success in this role requires the ability to lead through influence, as the district's dining team is unionized and relationships, communication, and collaboration are key to achieving results. The Executive Chef will mentor and develop staff, bring fresh ideas to enhance participation, and support operational and financial goals, all while enjoying an outstanding Monday–Friday daytime schedule that provides excellent work-life balance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Plans regular and modified menus according to established guidelines
• Follows standardized recipes, portioning and presentation standards. Completes and utilizes daily production worksheets and waste log sheets. Tastes completed meals to ensure quality
• Trains kitchen staff in food preparation, safe handling, operation of equipment, food safety and sanitation based on Company and regulatory standards
• Establishes and maintains cleaning and maintenance schedules for equipment, storage and work areas. Ensures that kitchen staff follows and completes schedules as assigned
• Maintains inventory of food and non-food supplies to stay within established guidelines while assuring that necessary product is available when needed
• Makes all decisions regarding utilization of leftover food products staying within Company guidelines for such products
• Complies with federal, state and local health and sanitation regulations and department sanitation procedures as evidenced through local health department and third-party audits
• Follows facility, department, and Company safety policies and procedures to include occurrence reporting
• Participates and attends departmental meetings, staff development, and professional programs, as appropriate

Preferred Qualifications:

• A.S. or equivalent experience preferred
• Minimum of three plus years of progressive culinary/kitchen management experience, depending upon formal degree or training
• Catering experience a plus!
• High volume, complex food service operations experience - highly desirable
• Institutional and batch cooking experiences
• Hands-on chef experience preferred
• Comprehensive knowledge of food trends with a focus on quality, production, sanitation, food cost controls, and presentation
• Must be experienced with computers; to include Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and Power Point), Outlook, E-mail and the Internet
• Serv Safe certified - highly desirable

Chartwells Schools is a member of Compass Group USA

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 essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable…