About the Role
The In-School Lead Cook is an integral part of a 3–5 person team responsible for preparing and cooking healthy, made-from-scratch meals for 750+ children in their school each day. This role requires strong culinary skills, the ability to manage high-volume meal production, and a commitment to maintaining Red Rabbit’s standards for quality and consistency. The position offers stable, daytime hours with weekends and holidays off.
Responsibilities
- Takes ownership of an exceptional degree of consistency and quality of every batch prepared
- Able to work autonomously using a prep list
- Working with the Head Chef to understand how to prioritize the production of daily menu items
- Read menu production sheets to understand the type and quantity of food that will be prepared each day
- Portion and weigh food according to Red Rabbit’s recipes and NLSP guidelines.
- Assist with cooking, cooling, and plating food as needed and according to Red Rabbit’s recipes and NJ food safety guidelines
- Assist with packing and keeping counts as needed
- Ensure the kitchen is exceeding DOH standards at all times by cleaning work stations and cooking equipment
Requirements
- 3+ years professional culinary experience in a fast paced role in the service industry (i.e. restaurants), high volume kitchen production (i.e. commissary kitchen), or in a similar cafeteria role (i.e. schools/hospitals)
- Comfortable making 500+ meals consistently
- Demonstrated knowledge of proper food safety and sanitation practices
- Must be familiar with using and maintaining industrial kitchen equipment
- Able to self motivate and to be organized
- Can function well within a team and work calmly and efficiently in a fast moving environment
- Have a great attitude who contributes to a positive working environment
- Share our passion for improving nutrition and health in schools
- Must be able to read and write in English.
- Must be able to lift 50 lbs on a regular basis
- ServeSafe Certificate required within 90 days of Hire. (Reimbursement available)
Skills
- Culinary skills
- High-volume meal production management
- Food safety and sanitation practices
- Using and maintaining industrial kitchen equipment
- Self-motivation
- Organization
- Teamwork
- Calm and efficient work in a fast-paced environment
- Positive attitude
- Passion for improving nutrition and health in schools
- Reading and writing English
- Bilingual (English and Spanish) a plus
Location
- Newark, NJ
Work Type
- Full Time
- Monday - Friday 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Experience Level
- 3+ years professional culinary experience
Education Level
- ServeSafe Certificate required within 90 days of Hire
Salary/Compensations
- $19 - $22/hour (with option for Annual raise)
Benefits
- Generous PTO (most major holidays off)
- Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
- 401k Option
- Paid Professional Development
- Education Reimbursement Opportunities
- Paid Family Leave
- Paid Parental Leave
- Worker’s Compensation Insurance Coverage
About the Company
- Founded in 2005, Red Rabbit is an MWBE-certified K–12 school food management company on a mission to transform school dining.
- We believe that serving diverse, high-quality meals to children in urban communities is about more than food, it’s about dignity, representation, and opportunity.
- Our professionally trained chefs work in commissaries and onsite in school cafeterias, preparing scratch-made, culturally relevant meals that reflect the heritage and lived experiences of the students we serve.
- We don’t just deliver food...we become part of the school community.
- Today, Red Rabbit prepares and serves millions of meals each year across the Greater New York region, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.
- If you’re passionate about food, community, and making an impact every day, we’d love to meet you.
Equal Opportunity
- 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.
