Executive Chef - Waco

DescriptionAbout Central Texas Food BankThe Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in Central Texas and a proud member of the Feeding America network. From its headquarters in Austin, CTFB serves a 21-county region on a mission to increase food access by providing nutritious food, leading hunger, and poverty advocacy efforts, and transforming lives through programs, education, and innovative solutions. Through a combination of direct service programs and a network of approximately 250 nonprofit community partners, CTFB supports over 612,000 food-insecure individuals annually. We offer a collaborative and community-focused culture that values Service, Integrity, Dignity, Collaboration, and Innovation.Position OverviewThis newly created role will lead the launch and ongoing operations of CTFB's new Waco commercial kitchen, scheduled to open in May 2026. The Executive Chef will be responsible for building, training, and managing kitchen staff and overseeing all culinary operations. This includes developing and delivering kitchen programming such as core meal production for partner agencies, meals for existing food bank programs, summer meal initiatives, and medically tailored meals.The Executive Chef will also manage food forecasting, standardize production recipes to ensure consistency and quality, establish presentation and quality standards, plan and price menus, and ensure proper operation and maintenance of all kitchen equipment. Compliance with all safety, sanitation, and food handling standards is a critical component of the role.RelationshipsReporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, this position oversees the performance of the meal production team, which will grow as operational needs expand. The Executive Chef is a highly visible leader within the organization and collaborates closely with teams across departments. Success in this role requires a high level of professionalism, strong interpersonal skills, and effective communication to support organizational goals.RequirementsYour QualificationsAssociate's degree in Culinary Arts required, Bachelor's degree in nutrition, public health or a related field preferredMinimum 4+ years of experience in managing a commercial kitchen, including supervising performance of kitchen staff requiredFood Manager's Certification requiredDemonstrated excellence in computer skills with proficiency in MS Office and the ability to move easily between programsAbility to work well with others across departments and job levelsAbility to remain highly organized while working on multiple projectsExcellent communications skills, both written and verbal, including the ability for effective public speakingAbility to manage time efficiently and to work independently with minimum supervisionAbility to work cooperatively with other staff, volunteers, and agency personnelOrientation to detail, accuracy, and the meeting of deadlinesAbility to represent the Food Bank in a courteous professional mannerYour ResponsibilitiesLead menu-planning, working with network programs and clients services teams to procure and prepare food that meets program guidelinesProduction of daily meals for clients following all United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) program guidelines for components, nutrition content and portion sizesOrganize, oversee and manage all food prep operations in daily operationsOrder food based on food production schedulesSupervise regular inventory control of specific product lines (chemicals, food, etc.), placing orders and supervising check-in to assure accuracy for production and culinary programsHave knowledge of all current local health department, organizational HACCP and Food Safety SOP's, State & Federal GuidelinesMaintain accurate files: meal production, programming, inventory and licenses/certification and other documentation as necessary, computer and hard copyWork with kitchen and operations staff to maintain and repair kitchen facility and equipment, with operations scheduling repair services as needed.Ensure a clean, safe and organized work environmentApprove kitchen/program expenditures and be accountable for financials for all kitchen programsSupervise and demonstrate professional culinary techniques and methodsAs appropriate, research and implement new food bank program initiatives related to the kitchenMaintain and report all outcomes as required by grants and fundersEstablish and maintain a working environment conducive to positive morale, individual style, quality, creativity and teamworkServe as the Food Bank's primary liaison with chefs, restaurants, catering companies, and food associations as they pertain to the operation of the kitchen programsPlan menus and oversee venue, equipment, food and service preparationsOversee catering to include the review of catering orders, monitoring catering stock and supplies, ordering replenishments and negotiating prices.Develop a high-performance team culture focused on leadership and accountability at all levels, continuous learning, collaboration, measurement, and goal achievement by modeling the way and enabling others to act.Interview, hire, train, motivate, manage and evaluate kitchen staffSet performance goals for team members that align to CTFB's strategy and evaluate performance against goals on a regular basis.Effectively coach team members and provide supportive and developmental feedback to enhance performance. Ensure that team members develop the technical, leadership and professional skills necessary for success.Actively supports organization's values, goals and objectives by leading by exampleDemonstrates support of organizational message without blaming other departments, leaders or providing personal opinions.Working ConditionsHours of Operation: Generally, Monday - Friday 8:00 am- 5:00 pm, some evening and weekend hours may be required, especially during peak times, disaster response, or holidaysEnvironment: Working in a kitchen and fast paced environmentTravel: CTFB serves 21 counties in Central Texas and often requires same-day travel between counties, using a personal vehicle, CTFB passenger fleet and possibly occasional out of town travel for meetings, special events or meeting for some positions.