Junior Executive Chef

The Junior Executive Chef supports the Executive Chef in managing all culinary operations within the Central Kitchen, serving as the primary leader in daily production, quality assurance, and team development.

This position ensures that food quality, consistency, and safety standards are maintained across multiple outlets including Drydock Restaurant, Grab-n-Go, Catering, and the Commissary Production Program. Assist the Executive Chef in overseeing all Central Kitchen operations and production teams.

Supervise, train, and evaluate sous chefs, line cooks, and stewarding teams to maintain performance standards. Enforce discipline, consistency, and accountability across all kitchen personnel. Maintain a professional culture that reflects organization values-Preparation, Execution, Reflection, Accountability, and Excellence.

Direct day-to-day kitchen operations including prep, production, packaging, and distribution to multiple outlets. Coordinate and schedule staff to meet daily production goals and special event needs. Ensure all recipes, portion sizes, and plating guidelines are followed consistently across outlets.

Oversee inventory, product rotation, and daily usage to maintain tight cost control and minimize waste. Verify that all food is prepared, held, and transported within safe temperature ranges. Conduct daily quality control checks of finished products before release to outlets.

Ensure proper labeling, dating, and storage of all prepared items according to policy. Uphold the Central Kitchen's commitment to scratch cooking using fresh, high-quality ingredients. Collaborate with the Executive Chef in recipe testing, development, and standardization.

Contribute to menu innovation for catering, restaurant, and grab-n-go programs. Train staff on new recipes, techniques, and presentation standards. Participate in the development and enforcement of SOPs for production, storage, and transport. Maintain clear documentation and communication with the Executive Chef regarding operational performance.

Work closely with Stewarding, Purchasing, and Catering teams to ensure smooth coordination of logistics. Communicate production needs and delivery schedules to outlet chefs and managers. Mentor up-and-coming sous chefs and cooks for growth within the organization.

Model a standard of excellence and integrity consistent with the hospitality and service culture of the U.S. Naval Academy. Maintain professional certifications and training related to food safety and leadership. Physical demands Include walking and standing, lifting a maximum of 50lbs.

Incumbent will work in an office setting, kitchen setting and in the areas of the catering events (at times, the events may be offsite).

In order to meet the basic requirement of the Junior Executive Chef position, NF-1101-04, you must meet one of the following: a) Three (3) years of specialized experience in a culinary role.

Specialized experience includes: use of more advanced culinary techniques; preparing complete meals with several dishes for special diets; culinary supervision; OR b) Three (3) full years of graduate level education.

YOU WILL BE RATED ON THE FOLLOWING KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSAs) FOR THIS POSITION: Experience leading, supervising, or managing a culinary team. Experience leading culinary teams for Banquets or large-scale events is preferred.

Communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively across culinary, stewarding, purchasing, and catering teams. Strong ability to lead, motivate, and discipline culinary staff while fostering a culture of accountability and pride.

Proficiency in organizing workflow, managing par levels, and implementing standard operating procedures that support consistency and efficiency. Experience using food inventory software is preferred. Skill in menu scaling, recipe standardization, and production flow management for both retail and catering operations.

Experience using recipe creation software is preferred. Knowledge and skill in using techniques or practices to maintain flavor balance, consistency, and presentation quality in demanding or multi-unit environments.