Executive Chef - Archbishop Mitty High School

Flik Independent School Dining is a pioneering leader in transforming private and independent school foodservice across more than 300 communities, with a rich history spanning over four decades. Committed to excellence, Flik designs and delivers exceptional foodservice experiences characterized by fresh, locally sourced ingredients and sustainable agricultural practices that positively impact the communities they serve. Flik goes beyond just foodservice by integrating innovative nutrition education programs that empower students to make healthy and informed food choices every day. This holistic approach nurtures not only physical well-being but also fosters a sense of community and lifelong healthy habits. Their philosophy centers on nourishing the whole person, building community through excellent food and programming, and consistently doing the right thing. As part of Compass Group USA, Flik benefits from the resources and standards of a globally recognized foodservice provider while maintaining a dedicated independent school dining focus.

This role is the Executive Chef at Archbishop Mitty High School, a large, private, coeducational Catholic day high school located in San Jose, California, serving approximately 1,750 students in grades 9 through 12. The position offers a competitive salary ranging from $92,000 to $110,000 per year. The Executive Chef will be responsible for the overall culinary leadership within a dynamic K-12 environment, ensuring the delivery of top-tier dining services that align with Flik’s and Archbishop Mitty’s high standards for nutrition, taste, and presentation. This is a hands-on leadership role that demands a strong commitment to food quality, safety, innovation, and an excellent guest experience.

The Executive Chef will lead a team of culinary associates, overseeing all kitchen operations and collaborating closely with school stakeholders to create a welcoming and nourishing dining atmosphere. Responsibilities include menu planning, food preparation, recipe development, and service execution. The role requires managing food and labor costs effectively, adhering to budgets and cost control strategies, and maintaining vendor relationships and inventory accuracy. Additionally, the Executive Chef ensures strict compliance with food safety, sanitation, and allergy protocols, including HACCP standards.

The successful candidate will recruit, train, and mentor culinary team members, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, safety, and excellence. They will also collaborate with marketing and culinary teams to develop seasonal menus and promotional programs, support special events and catering functions, and maintain back-of-house operations to ensure cleanliness and organization. Working closely with the Director of Dining, the Executive Chef will engage in associate performance management and conduct annual performance evaluations.

Preferred qualifications for this leadership role include a culinary degree or equivalent professional training, along with 3 to 5 years of culinary management experience in high-volume foodservice or catering environments. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a proven ability to control food and labor costs without compromising quality. Strong leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills are essential, as is proficiency in scratch cooking, menu innovation, staff development, and familiarity with kitchen operations software and Microsoft Office. A ServSafe Certification is preferred but not required.

Flik Independent School Dining offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, holiday time off that varies by site and state, associate shopping programs, health and wellness programs, discount marketplace access, identity theft protection, pet insurance, commuter benefits, employee assistance programs, flexible spending accounts, paid parental leave, and personal leave. All associates may also qualify for paid and/or unpaid time off in accordance with federal, state, and local laws.

Flik embraces equal opportunity employment and is committed to fairness and inclusion for all applicants and associates regardless of race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law. This role requires the ability to perform essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. Background screening may be required depending on location. Flik maintains a drug-free workplace and encourages qualified candidates to apply at any time.