Kitchen Manager / Chef
Location: Long Island City, NY
Position Type: Full-time
About Us
At Square Fare, we’re redefining healthy eating. We create delicious, personalized meals for people who want to eat well and feel their best — from busy professionals and families to anyone managing specific health needs like allergies, cholesterol, or prediabetes.
Our philosophy is simple: healthy food should never be boring. We cook with seasonal produce, vibrant spices, and bold flavor — using minimal salt, olive oil, and no added sugar. With the support of technology and nutrition experts, we deliver truly customized meals that help people feel great.
Our clients are seeing real results, our community is growing, and we’re looking for a chef who’s as excited about nourishing people as we are.
About the Role
We’re seeking an experienced, passionate, and results-driven Kitchen Manager / Chef to lead our kitchen operations and help us build the best healthy meal delivery service in the US. This is an opportunity for a motivated leader to drive operational excellence, foster a strong and supportive team culture, deliver outstanding culinary experiences, and help scale an operation — all without restaurant-industry hours.
If you’re passionate about food, curious about nutrition, and excited to join a fast-growing startup that’s changing how people eat, this role is for you.
What You’ll Do
As Kitchen Manager / Chef, you will oversee all back-of-house operations, including:
- Plan and supervise all food production to ensure consistency in quality, taste, and presentation — and make sure the right quantities of food are prepared, properly labeled, and well organized.
- Ensure compliance with all health, safety, and sanitation regulations.
- Build, lead, and mentor the kitchen team, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and accountability over time.
- Participate in menu development (we create menus as a team).
- Cook whenever needed — we’re a hands-on environment.
- Manage food and labor costs within budget while maintaining quality and efficiency.
- Source, order, and track inventory; maintain vendor relationships; and minimize waste.
- Scale recipes for batch production while ensuring flavor and freshness.
- Document recipes, create production sheets, streamline workflows, and improve our production systems as we grow.
- Ensure all storage areas — walk-ins, dry storage, prep areas, and equipment shelves — are consistently clean, organized, and maintained to the highest standards.
- Jump in wherever needed — we’re a startup, and flexibility is essential.
What We’re Looking For
- Experience cooking in a professional or high-volume kitchen (3+ years preferred, but we value skill and enthusiasm over titles).
- Strong organization, efficiency, and attention to detail.
- A passion for healthy, delicious food — and curiosity about how nutrition impacts well-being.
- Leadership potential and a collaborative spirit; you enjoy mentoring and working alongside your team.
- Valid Food Handler’s License, or willingness to obtain one.
- Ability to lift 50 lbs and stand for extended periods.
Nice to Have
- Experience with menu development or recipe scaling.
- Familiarity with food cost control and inventory management.
- Knowledge of seasonal ingredients and local markets.
- Background in fine dining or Michelin kitchens — not required, but strong technique is always welcome.
Schedule
- 5 days per week, weekends required
- Some schedule flexibility for special events (and in general — we’re a startup!)
Why You’ll Love Working Here
- Competitive salary, based on experience
- Paid time off
- Free or discounted Square Fare meal plan
- Opportunities for professional growth and culinary development
- Equity options for long-term team members
- A creative, supportive team culture built around health, innovation, and collaboration
At Square Fare, you’ll have the freedom to be creative, the stability of predictable hours, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on how people eat and feel.
How to Apply
Send your resume and a brief note about why you’d love to cook with us — we’d love to hear what excites you about healthy, flavorful food.
