Executive Chef

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Executive Chef

Full Time Everett, MA, US

Salary Range: $85,000.00 To $120,000.00 Annually

Position Overview

Rita’s Catering is looking for a hands-on, creative, and experienced Executive Chef to lead our high-volume, fast-paced kitchen. From breakfast boxes and corporate lunches to social events and airline catering, you'll oversee production across multiple food stations while driving innovation, efficiency, and team development.

Primary Duties & Expectations

• Ordering and managing food inventory for all departments, including accurate quantity forecasting and quality control
• Ensuring consistent food quality across all menus, services, and events
• Managing staffing, scheduling, and time management for all culinary employees
• Monitoring and controlling overtime, labor efficiency, and overall labor costs
• Partnering with the Controller to ensure food cost targets, margins, overhead, and per-minute/per-plate performance metrics are achieved
• Ensuring all culinary operations meet sanitation standards and remain fully compliant with FDA regulations and applicable state and local health requirements
• Enforcing uniform, grooming, and professional attire standards for all kitchen and food service employees
• Developing, maintaining, and reviewing menus and menu pricing to ensure appropriate margins and operational efficiency
• Implementing and enforcing portion control standards across all departments
• Creating, maintaining, and enforcing standardized recipes, culinary guides, and preparation procedures
• Establishing and managing schedules for culinary staff and supporting team leadership and accountability
• Supporting all events and service operations to ensure quality, consistency, and execution

This role is ideal for a chef who thrives in a dynamic environment, loves building strong teams, and is passionate about consistently delivering high quality food with exceptional presentation.

Essential Job Functions

Food Production & Quality

• Oversee prep and execution across all kitchen areas: hot line, deli, platters, bakery, airline, and more.
• Ensure food is consistently high in quality, taste, and appearance.
• Lead and train kitchen staff to uphold Rita’s standards at every step.

Menu & Product Development

• Design and update seasonal and event-specific menus.
• Collaborate with our Bakery Manager to align baked goods with seasonal themes and events.

Social Catering & Event Support

• Work closely with the Sales team to customize menus and staffing for client events.
• Provide on-site support for major events, ensuring everything runs smoothly and guests are happy.

Inventory & Ordering

• Manage kitchen inventory, maintaining par levels and using FIFO best practices.
• Handle purchasing and vendor communication to keep kitchens well-stocked and cost-efficient.

Team Development & Training

• Promote cross-training and skill growth within the team.
• Ensure staff is trained in food safety, cleanliness, and kitchen systems.

Operational Excellence

• Keep production on schedule to meet daily and event timelines.
• Monitor labor and food costs while maintaining product quality.
• Work with the Operations team to enforce cleaning and maintenance schedules for equipment.
• Ensure all kitchen and prep areas are kept clean, organized, and up to health standards.
• Partner with the Operations team to maintain equipment cleaning schedules and ensure functionality.
• Promote a culture of cleanliness, safety, and accountability throughout the kitchen.
• Maintain open lines of communication with Sales to support client needs.
• Help troubleshoot last-minute requests and ensure successful event execution.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in a culinary or catering leadership role
• Strong background in high-volume food production
• Creative menu planning and trend awareness
• Strong understanding of Rita’s products, clients, and pace of service
• Serve Safe & Allergen Awareness certifications
• Tech-savvy: familiar with catering software and Microsoft Office

Key Skills

• Strong leadership and team-building ability
• Excellent time management and organization
• Customer-focused with a hospitality mindset
• Deep understanding of food safety and kitchen operations

Additional Information

This job description is not all-inclusive, and additional duties may be assigned as necessary. The final salary will be determined based on experience and qualifications.