Chef Manager

Job DetailsJob Location: Castle Gardens (West Harlem) - New York, NY 10031Position Type: Full-Time ExemptSalary Range: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 SalaryJob Shift: Day ShiftTitle: Chef Manager

Unit: Food and Nutrition

Reports to: Senior Director of Food and Nutrition

Status: Full-Time; Regular; Exempt

Salary Range: $60,000 to $65,000 Annually

Location: Varies

Days/Hours: Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm; Weekends as needed

Organization Overview:

The Fortune Society, Inc. (Fortune) has been working for over 57 years in service to our mission: to support successful reentry from incarceration and promote alternatives to incarceration, thus strengthening the fabric of our communities. The organization has evolved into one of the nation’s preeminent reentry and justice-informed service organizations, providing formerly incarcerated people with the skills and wrap-around services needed to break the cycle of crime and incarceration and to build productive lives in their communities.

Fortune has grown steadily over the years to an agency with over $90 million in annual budget with approximately 600 staff. We anticipate that we will keep growing, both in size and depth of service. Fortune has a dual mission: both advocacy and service. The advocacy portion of our mission focuses on building a more just criminal legal system and reducing the barriers to reentry into society. The service side of Fortune has evolved to encompass a broad range of programs that started with employment and education and now includes a robust array of services, among them: alternatives to incarceration, supervised release, court advocacy, discharge planning within correctional facilities, licensed substance use and mental health treatment, a housing continuum ranging from emergency and transitional through permanent congregate and scattered site housing, assistance in obtaining benefits, a care management unit, HIV services, a food and nutrition program, and an arts program. Each service we provide is informed by the needs of the population we serve. Fortune currently serves approximately 18,000 people a year. Our program models are recognized, both nationally and internationally, for their quality and innovation. We have locations in Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan and Queens.

Position Summary:

The Chef Manager at The Fortune Society plays a critical leadership role within the Fortune Fresh team, overseeing culinary operations while advancing community wellness, workforce development, and nutrition education initiatives. This position combines high-level food service management with community-centered culinary programming designed to support formerly incarcerated individuals, low-income communities, and diverse populations across New York City.

The Chef Manager is responsible for the comprehensive execution of daily culinary production, food safety compliance, staff supervision, menu development, and multi-site food service operations. In addition, this role serves as a culinary educator and mentor by supporting teaching kitchens, cooking demonstrations, nutrition-focused workshops, produce distribution activities, and culinary workforce development initiatives. 

This position requires a dynamic culinary professional who can lead kitchen operations while fostering an inclusive, equity-focused, and mission-driven food environment that promotes health, dignity, empowerment, and second chances.

Core Competencies:

Mission and Fit: 

Embodies Fortune’s mission and values and will be an effective member of the team in furthering both. The candidate should exhibit compassion and understanding for our participants (wherever they are in their re-entry process) and embrace Fortune’s core value that none of us should be measured against the worst things we have done.

Culinary Operations & Food Service Management 

Demonstrates expertise in overseeing high-volume food service operations, menu execution, food safety compliance, inventory management, staffing, and quality control while ensuring efficient and compliant kitchen operations across multiple sites.

Community Engagement & Workforce Development 

Builds meaningful relationships with diverse populations through culturally responsive culinary programming, mentorship, teaching kitchens, and workforce development initiatives that support participant empowerment and professional growth.

Leadership & Team Development 

Effectively leads, trains, and motivates multidisciplinary teams by fostering collaboration, accountability, professionalism, and continuous learning within fast-paced and mission-driven environments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Oversee daily food service operations across multiple locations, ensuring efficiency, consistency, food quality, and compliance with all NYC DOHMH food safety regulations and NYC Food Standards.

Manage food production, inventory, ordering, vendor coordination, kitchen organization, and distribution activities to support seamless culinary operations.

Recruit, supervise, train, mentor, and evaluate kitchen staff, interns, fellows, and volunteers participating in Food and Nutrition programs.

Develop and maintain standardized recipes, production procedures, and portion controls to support quality assurance, operational consistency, and waste reduction.

Collaborate with the Food and Nutrition team to design culturally relevant, nutritious, and budget-conscious menus that accommodate diverse dietary needs and preferences.

Lead and support nutrition-focused culinary programming including teaching kitchens, cooking demonstrations, workshops, and community engagement activities.

Promote health and wellness through culturally responsive culinary education, nutrition messaging, and participant-centered food experiences.

Support workforce development initiatives by mentoring formerly incarcerated individuals and other program participants pursuing culinary and food service career pathways.

Coordinate and support produce distribution activities, special events, catering functions, and cross-departmental Food and Nutrition initiatives.

Maintain accurate operational and compliance documentation including HACCP logs, inventory records, production records, scheduling, and other administrative responsibilities as required.

Perform other duties as assigned

 
QualificationsQualifications:

Culinary degree or relevant certification from a recognized culinary institution;
NYC Food Handlers required;
ServSafe certification preferred, but not required;  

In-depth knowledge of various cooking techniques, ingredients, and cuisines; 

Strong leadership and managerial abilities to oversee kitchen operations effectively;
3–5 years' experience in supervising and leading a team of culinary professionals;

Excellent communication skills to interact with kitchen staff, management, and other team members;

Ability to convey instructions clearly and foster a positive work environment;

Comfortable using Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.);

Strong organizational skills to manage kitchen logistics, including ordering, scheduling, and distribution;

Commitment to maintaining exceptional standards of food quality, cleanliness, and safety including strong knowledge of NYCDOMH standards;

Experience in training and mentoring culinary staff to enhance their skills and performance;

Knowledge of budgeting processes and cost control measures to ensure financial objectives are met;

Travel Requirements: Travel across the five boroughs is required for supervision of meal programs at residential locations.  

Physical Demands: 

Ability to lift boxes of food and beverages as needed, up to 50 lbs. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The responsibilities and requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensing, experience and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.  

The Fortune Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of conviction history, race, religion/creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, victim of domestic violence status or marital status.