Sous Chef of Catering and Production

Join our team and become a part of something bigger – a force for change in the fight against hunger. The Community Foodbank of New Jersey is more than just a food bank – we champion healthier lifestyles and positively impact social and economic change. Together we can create a stronger, more resilient New Jersey for everyone. 

We are seeking a passionate and innovative culinary leader to join the Community Kitchen team as a Catering and Production Sous Chef. This hands-on role supports high-quality catering production, internal staff meals, emergency meal production, and mission-driven culinary programs. The position collaborates with cross-functional teams to develop menu offerings, improve food quality, strengthen production efficiency, and identify cost-saving opportunities while advancing the mission of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. 

This role offers the opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional teams while supporting and expanding our high-end catering program. The Catering & Production Sous Chef will oversee food preparation for both revenue-generating and internal catering events, coordinate weekly staff meals, and assist with emergency meal production to support disaster relief efforts and community feeding initiatives. 

What you’ll do in your role:  

• Assist the Executive Chef in planning, organizing, and overseeing all catering food production and execution. 

• Lead the preparation, cooking, packaging, and presentation of food for on-site and off-site catering events while ensuring exceptional quality and consistency. 

• Coordinate daily catering production schedules with the production kitchen to ensure efficient workflow and timely completion of all orders. 

• Supervise kitchen staff, temporary employees, volunteers, and culinary trainees during catering production and event execution. 

• Monitor food safety and sanitation practices to ensure compliance with ServSafe guidelines, local health department regulations, and organizational policies. 

• Maintain inventory of catering-specific food, supplies, smallwares, and equipment; assist with ordering and receiving. 

• Work collaboratively with the Catering Team, Production Team, and other departments to ensure successful event execution. 

• Train, coach, and mentor culinary staff on production techniques, customer service, food presentation, and kitchen best practices. 

Why you’ll love working at CFBNJ:  

• Opportunity for Impact: At CFBNJ, your work drives meaningful changes. Just last year, we provided over 90 million meals and 35 million pounds of fresh produce to our neighbors in need. 

• Wellness that Works for You: Rooted in our culture of caring, we offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, wellness programs, generous sick/personal time off, 14 paid holidays, childcare resources, and organization-wide engagement days for rest and reflection. 

• Professional Development: Grow your career through our Learning Lab, with access to workshops, online courses, and book resources. We also offer tuition assistance and certificate reimbursement for job-related training to support continuous growth. 

• Recognition and Belonging: We celebrate great work and grow inspiration with Bonusly, our peer-recognition platform, and foster community through employee resource groups to create space to uplift voices and strength connections 

• Retirement Planning: Plan confidently for your future in our 401(k) program, including a 4% company match after one year of service.  

What you’ll need to be successful in this role:  

• Minimum of 8–10 years of verifiable industry experience as a Sous Chef, Kitchen Manager, or equivalent in a high-volume kitchen environment. 

• Verified ServSafe Certification. 

• AOS in Culinary Arts and BOS in Restaurant or Food Service Management from an accredited university preferred, or related industry experience. 

• At least 5 years of related food service experience, including scratch cooking. 

• Collaborative people leader with strong vision to deliver profitable business results. 

• Ability to influence and inform strategic development for the function and business. 

• Strong presentation skills with the ability to effectively convey ideas and solutions. 

• Must be willing and able to carry bulk materials consistently, up to about 50 lbs.  

• Demonstrated project management skills. 

• Positive, professional communication style that supports strong interpersonal relationships with customers, the public, co-workers, and managers in alignment with CFBNJ’s mission. 

Pay Transparency: The salary range f