Head Chef, In-School (No Weekends/ Holidays), Washington D.C. at Red Rabbit Washington DC
Content + Source + Freshness • 11 Dec 2025 • 95% confidence
Offer value
The role promises impact through culinary leadership in schools, promoting health and cultural identity.
- Salary: $50,000 - $60,000 with benefits
- Work-life balance with no weekends/holidays
- Impactful role in children's health and culinary arts
Pros
- Meaningful impact on children's health and nutrition
- No weekend or holiday shifts, promoting work-life balance
- Professional development opportunities in a supportive company culture
Cons
- Requires management experience in a culinary context
- Possibly limited personal kitchen time due to managerial responsibilities
- Candidates must be aligned with the company mission to serve diverse communities
Who it's for
Mid to Senior-level • On-site in school environment
Good fit
- Experienced culinary professionals with a community focus
- Individuals interested in management within educational settings
- Chefs who understand the importance of nutrition in schools
Not recommended for
- New chefs or those unfamiliar with school food regulations
- Candidates preferring standard restaurant roles
- Those seeking flexibility in work hours
Motivation fit
Key skills
About the job
What do we do
Red Rabbit is a Black-owned School Food Management Company in the country. We work with hundreds of schools, districts, and food banks to uplift communities of color throughout the North East and Mid-Atlantic Regions.
Our professionally trained chefs create menus, source farm fresh ingredients, and cook delicious, thoughtful, and familiar food. School food matters not only because it's integral to good health, but because what children eat is an essential part of their cultural identity and sense of self.
About the Role
The Head Chef position is an exciting opportunity for a talented and seasoned chef looking to transition to meaningful, impactful work. The Head Chef directs the day-to-day operations of a 3 - 7 person school cafeteria kitchen preparing meals for hundreds of kids.
The ideal candidate has strong culinary skills, is comfortable with office-work, and enjoys interacting with customers. A strong emphasis will be placed on candidates' ability to train and motivate their team. Must share our passion for creating equity in the school cafeteria. NOTE: Position starts in January
Job Functions
- Culinary Management : Directly responsible for daily culinary execution and excellence. Maintain a food-safe kitchen at all times. Perform quality control on all menu items and ensure recipe consistency and integrity. Improve food costs through disciplined inventory management and creative menu planning.
- Leadership: Train, coach, and develop kitchen team members. Create a supportive environment that encourages team cohesion, member retention, and excellent performance.
- Administration : Adhere to production schedules, track and submit consumption numbers and daily compliance reports. Create menus and support with inventory management.
Skills & Requirements
- 3+ years professional culinary experience in a fast paced, high volume kitchen
- 1+ years supervisory/management experience
- Bachelor degree in culinary arts a plus
- Demonstrated knowledge of proper food safety and sanitation practices
- Must be comfortable using software/apps/spreadsheets to track and report data
- Must have excellent communication skills and be extremely well organized
- Familiarity with NSLP compliance requirements a plus
- Must share our passion for improving nutrition and health in schools
- Bilingual (English and Spanish) a plus
- ServeSafe Certificate required within 90 days of Hire. (Reimbursement available)
Additional Information
Job Type: Full Time
Typical Hours: Monday - Friday approx- 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Location: Washington, DC
Reports to: District Manager
Compensation: $50,000 - $60,000
Benefits
- Generous PTO
- Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
- 401k Option
- Paid Professional Development
- Education Reimbursement Opportunities
- Paid Family Leave
- Disability Insurance Coverage
- Paid Summer Flex Program
About Red Rabbit
Founded in 2005, Red Rabbit is a black-owned, MWBE Certified, K-12 school food management company that believes choosing to feed children diverse and nutritious food is an act of social justice. Red Rabbit celebrates all cultures in the urban school cafeteria by preparing meals that reflect the heritage of the kids they serve. The company places professionally trained chefs in the school cafeteria to create culturally relevant meals that become part of the school community. From our kitchens, Red Rabbit prepares and delivers thousands of heritage-based, scratch made meals to the Greater New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey regions.
Red Rabbit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, or sexual orientation.
