Find & Apply For Chef Jobs in Plainfield, New Jersey

Ready to change the world? At SFE, we are fueling students to take on their school day one meal at a time, and we need YOU to help bring those healthy, great tasting meals to their plates every day. We are passionate about delicious food, creating a customized experience for each of our districts and schools, bringing innovation to the table and being compassionate leaders to our teams. If you're looking for a career that can truly make an impact on a child's day, we want to meet you! We're looking for an experienced Area Chef to provide hands-on culinary leadership and operational support across multiple school dining locations. This role is ideal for a chef who enjoys variety, thrives in fast-paced foodservice environments, and is passionate about delivering high-quality meals while maintaining operational excellence. As an Area Chef, you will travel throughout your assigned region to support school cafeterias, provide culinary training, ensure food quality and compliance, assist with new account openings, and support special events. You'll work closely with Operations, Marketing, and the Corporate Culinary Team to implement menus, improve food quality, and drive consistency across locations. This position will support accounts throughout New Jersey and New Hampshire . What You'll Do

• Provide hands-on culinary support to school dining locations requiring operational or leadership assistance.
• Prepare and oversee the production of healthy, compliant meals while maintaining company standards for food quality and presentation.
• Train kitchen teams on recipes, menu changes, food safety, production planning, and culinary best practices.
• Conduct culinary, food safety, and operational audits to ensure compliance with company and regulatory standards.
• Support implementation of new menus, recipes, seasonal promotions, and culinary initiatives.
• Assist General Managers and Kitchen Managers with food cost management, labor efficiency, purchasing, and inventory controls.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Culinary teams to develop and implement on-trend menu concepts.
• Support recipe standardization, food ordering compliance, and product utilization initiatives.
• Participate in special events, VIP catering, client presentations, and business development activities as needed.
• Assist with recruiting, onboarding, and training culinary team members throughout the region.
• Support high-profile events, new account openings, and operational transitions.
• Assist with menu development, recipe testing, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Complete additional culinary and operational projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Culinary degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and operational experience.
• Minimum of 7 years of foodservice and fresh food production experience.
• 2-3 years of multi-unit culinary management or supervisory experience preferred.
• Hands-on chef experience required.
• Experience with high-volume batch cooking and large-scale foodservice operations.
• Catering experience preferred.
• Knowledge of food production, recipe standardization, food safety, sanitation, food cost controls, and purchasing.
• Ability to read and execute recipes, production records, and menu documentation.
• ServSafe Certification preferred or obtained within six months of hire.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel.
• Valid driver's license required.
• Ability to travel up to 80%, including overnight travel throughout the assigned region. Why Join Us?
• Regional leadership role with diverse culinary experiences
• Opportunity to influence menu innovation and operational excellence
• Hands-on involvement with new concepts, training, and special events
• Career growth within a nationally recognized K-12 foodservice organization
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, Gender/Minority/Veterans/Disabled and participates with E-Verify Employment Eligibility Program.

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$85,000.00 - $95,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Relocation assistance Vision insurance

Shift:

Day shift Willingness to travel: 75% (Required)

Work Location:

On the road