What do we do

Red Rabbit is the largest Black-owned School Food Management Company in the country. We work with hundreds of schools, districts, and food banks to uplift communities of color throughout the North East and Mid-Atlantic Regions.

Our professionally trained chefs create menus, source farm fresh ingredients, and cook delicious, thoughtful, and familiar food. School food matters not only because it’s integral to good health, but because what children eat is an essential part of their cultural identity and sense of self.

About the Role

Join a fast-paced, high-volume kitchen where your culinary skills make a difference every day! As the Lead Cook, you’ll be part of a 3–5-person team preparing over 1,000 fresh, made-from-scratch school lunches that meet Red Rabbit’s high standards for quality and consistency.

This role is perfect for an experienced cook who loves teamwork, thrives in a busy kitchen, and takes pride in serving nutritious meals to kids. You’ll gain hands-on experience in a large commissary operation and grow alongside a passionate, mission-driven culinary team.

If you thrive in a fast-moving kitchen, take pride in your craft, and want to be part of a team making a real impact on kids’ health, we’d love to have you join the Red Rabbit family.

What You’ll Do

• Take ownership of consistency, quality, and presentation for every batch prepared

• Work independently from prep lists while coordinating with the Kitchen Manager to prioritize production

• Read daily menus and production sheets to prepare, portion, and weigh food according to Red Rabbit recipes and NYS guidelines

• Cook, cool, plate, and pack meals with care and efficiency

• Maintain the highest DOH standards by keeping workstations and equipment clean and organized

What You Bring

• 3+ years of professional culinary experience in a high-volume kitchen, commissary, or cafeteria setting

• Proven ability to produce 500+ meals with speed and consistency

• Strong knowledge of food safety and sanitation practices (ServeSafe required within 90 days—reimbursement provided)

• Team-oriented, organized, and self-motivated with a positive attitude

• Passion for healthy food and improving nutrition in schools

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs regularly

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus

Job Type: Full Time
Typical Hours: Sunday - Thursday approx 6:00 am - 2:30 pm
Location: LIC, NY
Reports to: Chef
Compensation: $19.00 - 24.00 hr (plus benefits)
Benefits
Generous PTO
Most National Holidays Off
Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
401k Option
Professional Development
Education Reimbursement Opportunities

About Red Rabbit

Founded in 2005, Red Rabbit is a black-owned, MWBE Certified, K-12 school food management company that believes choosing to feed children diverse and nutritious food is an act of social justice. Red Rabbit celebrates all cultures in the urban school cafeteria by preparing meals that reflect the heritage of the kids they serve. The company places professionally trained chefs in the school cafeteria to create culturally relevant meals that become part of the school community. From our kitchens, Red Rabbit prepares and delivers thousands of heritage-based, scratch made meals to the Greater New York, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New Jersey regions.

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.