EXECUTIVE CHEF - K12 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM - JACKSONVILLE, FL

 

 

 

Position Title: EXECUTIVE CHEF II - K12 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM - JACKSONVILLE, FL 

 

 

 

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. For more information, visit www.ChartwellsK12.com.

 

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Job Summary

Are you a visionary Executive Chef with high-volume production and R&D experience? Chartwells K-12 seeks an innovative culinary leader to oversee the mass production of 40,000 meals daily at the Duval County School District’s state-of-the-art 70,000 sq. ft. Nutrition Service Center in Jacksonville, FL.

Why Join Us?

• Lead a high-impact culinary operation feeding thousands of students daily
• Work in a manufacturing-style production kitchen with $2.5M in products, including an in-house bakery producing up to 20,000 muffins per day
• Drive culinary innovation by transforming commodity brown box items into creative, high-quality meals
• Expand and grow a cutting-edge mass production kitchen
• Collaborate with R&D teams on menu planning, cost analysis, and nutritional standards
• Lead high-end catering events, including Board Dinners, community engagements, and Food Truck challenges
• Partner with PTA, principals, and marketing teams to elevate Farm-to-School programs and Farmers Market Samplers

 

What You’ll Do:

• Manage 2–3 Sous Chefs & 6–7 Food Truck team members in a unionized hourly workforce
• Oversee inventory, invoicing, food safety, and QA protocols for large-scale food transportation
• Maintain NSLP compliance and bring added value to K-12 school nutrition programs
• Manage 53 different menus across multiple locations, supporting catering and food truck operations
• Engage in culinary marketing, competitions, and student-driven initiatives

 

What We’re Looking For:
✔ R&D expertise with experience in large-scale food manufacturing
✔ Strong leadership & organizational skills to drive operational excellence
✔ High-level catering experience with a passion for culinary creativity

Preferred Qualifications:

• A.S. or equivalent experience
• Minimum of three to five years of progressive culinary/kitchen management experience, depending upon formal degree or training
• Extensive catering experience a plus
• High volume, complex foodservice operations experience - highly desirable
• Institutional and batch cooking experiences
• Hands-on chef experience a must
• Comprehensive knowledge of food and catering 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
• ServSafe certified - highly desirable
• Certified Executive Chef (CEC) or Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) certifications are highly desirable

 

Apply to Chartwells Schools today!

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