Executive Chef, Najim Community Kitchen

General Description

The Executive Chef is responsible for the overall leadership of all Community Kitchen functions in support of the San Antonio Food Bank’s mission, vision, and strategic goals. This position trains, coaches, and manages kitchen personnel and supervises/coordinates all related culinary activities; directly guiding the Sous Chefs who ensure alignment of all systems to support the business of the department considering business trends, while focusing on people, services, and financial stewardship.

The Executive Chef establishes effective working relationships with all constituencies including clients, volunteers, trustees, leadership, vendors, board members, and employees; estimates food consumption and requisitions or purchases food; selects and develops recipes; standardizes production recipes to ensure consistent quality; establishes presentation techniques and quality standards; plans and prices menus; ensures proper equipment operation/maintenance; and ensures proper safety and sanitation in kitchen; and may also offer culinary instruction and/or demonstrate culinary techniques.

Shift: Monday-Friday; 5 AM-2 PM. Weekends as needed.

Essential Functions:

Primary Duties

• Employee Management:
  • Timecards and scheduling:
    • The San Antonio Food Bank believes in assisting staff have a good work/life balance by ensuring that overtime is minimal and staff schedule and take PTO.
      • Manages ebb and flow of staff to ensure staff can use their PTO.
  • Management of production activities of assigned kitchen staff. Guides this through daily, weekly, monthly production plans and forecasting.
    • Maintains production plan and SOPs database up to date.
  • Train staff to be able to direct volunteer groups in the kitchen.
  • Maintain a safe and organized work environment.
• Production Management:
  • Quickly and effectively identify, investigate, and resolve compliance issues.
  • Supervise production of high volume of meals (breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks) according to USDA guidelines for the appropriate program (Kid’s Café, CACFP, NSLP, ASCP, SBP, etc.)
  • Be able to learn and effectively use technology to:
    • Assist with updating and ensuring the correct components are on the production records and delivery receipts by collaborating with Children’s Programs and notifying them of any issues.
    • Assist with updating cooler tags.
    • Work with the Menu Coordinator to assure that Menu Planning systems are up to date with ingredients, recipes, and production records. Use the menu planning software to plan product orders.
    • Maintain recipe binder and use in kitchen of standardized recipes making sure the quality, quantity, and integrity of the recipe is followed.
      • Maintain computer and hard copy program files for meals per regulatory guidelines; maintain student files as delegated.
  • Adhere to the planned menu for the purpose of conserving food costs and meeting regulatory guidelines including following standardized recipes.
    • Coordinate with the Menu Planner how to appropriately navigate supply chain issues and outages.
    • Coordinates with the Procurement team to forecast product velocity.
  • Ensure all kitchen equipment, tools, worktables, and environment are maintained in a clean and sanitary state based on the Department of Health’s standards and using the clean as you go methodology- continuously tiding up your workspace.
  • Ensure all refrigerated equipment is properly logged and monitored; reporting any deficiencies to the Executive Chef, or when needed, the Facilities Director for repair assistance.
• Inventory supervision:
  • Assign and train staff how to manage inventory.
    • Ensure product is in house and accounted for at least 2 days ahead of production.
    • Call out missing product to Executive Chef immediately.
  • Supervise regular inventory control of specific product lines (chemicals, food, milk, produce, etc.) placing orders and supervising check-in to assure accuracy and freshness for the various programs.
• Customer service:
  • Works daily with volunteers and tour groups. Must be engaging and provide a positive experience.
    • Must train and coach staff as needed to maintain high-level standard.
  • Must be able to represent the San Antonio Food Bank in a positive manner.
• Assist & comply with any other verbal or written instruction(s) issued by the Executive Chef, Director of Culinary Arts, or other appropriate supervisor.
• Adhere to all SAFB policies.

Secondary Duties

• Assist with preparing and packaging meals for all programs as needed.
• Assist with inventory counts and management as needed.
• Work with Culinary Trainer to supervise trustees and teach as needed.
• Step in as volunteer trainer as needed.
• Assist with preparing and set up for Catering Events including graduations.
• Supervise and engage with Trainees (participants in culinary training program) and Volunteers when so delegated, in the absence of Executive Chef.
• Complete deliveries as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

• A minimum of 5 years food service experience and preferably completion of an accredited Culinary Arts Program.
  • Bachelors preferred.
• ServSafe Manager’s Certification or current Food Handler’s Certification with completion of ServSafe Food Manager’s Certification within 30 days of hire date.
• Excellent communications skills, both written and verbal, including the ability for effective public speaking.
• Ability to manage time efficiently and to work independently with minimum supervision.
• Ability to work cooperatively with other staff, volunteers, and agency personnel.
• Orientation to detail, accuracy, and the meeting of deadlines.
• Good judgment and discretion.
• Ability to represent the Food Bank in a courteous professional manner.
• Possession of a current Texas driver’s license, liability insurance and a clean driving record.
• Access to reliable transportation.
• Out-of-town travel for catering or training may be required.
• Be available to work minimum 40-hours a week; with flexibility to work early mornings, weekends and late evenings.

Physical Demands

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions and responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is constantly required to sit, talk, hear, keyboard, and utilize fine manipulation and near visual acuity. The employee is frequently required to walk, utilize gross manipulation, push, pull, reach, and stoop. The employee must occasionally lift, and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

This job is performed in an indoor office environment and occasionally may require attendance at outdoor events. You may be required to drive to different locations with varying conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and levels of work to be performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties.