Corporate Executive Chef - Senior Living
About the Role
Creative Dining Services is seeking an experienced Corporate Executive Chef to provide culinary leadership, training, and operational support across multiple locations. This position will have a focus on supporting our Senior Living accounts, helping elevate dining experiences through culinary excellence, innovative menus, and strong operational practices.
You'll serve as a culinary expert and resource for field teams, providing hands-on coaching, troubleshooting operational challenges, developing talent, and ensuring consistent execution of company standards. This role is ideal for a seasoned culinary leader who enjoys working across multiple operations, developing other chefs, and finding creative ways to improve food quality, efficiency, and overall performance.
What You'll Do
- Provide Culinary Leadership: Serve as a culinary resource and subject matter expert for locations across the company, offering guidance and direction to culinary teams to maintain high standards of food quality, presentation, and execution.
- Support Daily Culinary Operations: Visit locations to assess kitchen operations, identify opportunities for improvement, and provide hands-on assistance with production methods, workflow, staffing challenges, and overall kitchen efficiency.
- Develop and Mentor Culinary Teams: Coach, train, and develop Executive Chefs, Kitchen Managers, and other culinary team members. Share best practices, strengthen technical skills, and help build confident, capable culinary leaders.
- Drive Menu Development and Innovation: Create and enhance menus, recipes, and culinary concepts that reflect current food trends, customer preferences, seasonal ingredients, and the needs of each dining environment.
- Improve Food Quality and Consistency: Establish and reinforce standards for recipe execution, portioning, flavor, presentation, and the overall dining experience across locations.
- Monitor Financial Performance: Partner with location leadership to manage food and labor costs, evaluate purchasing practices, review menu pricing, and identify opportunities to improve financial performance without compromising quality.
- Strengthen Production and Kitchen Processes: Evaluate food production systems, kitchen workflows, equipment utilization, and inventory practices. Recommend solutions that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and support consistent service.
- Maintain Food Safety and Sanitation Standards: Reinforce company policies and regulatory requirements related to food safety, sanitation, allergen awareness, and kitchen cleanliness. Provide guidance and training to help locations maintain compliance.
- Support New Business and Account Growth: Assist with new account openings, client presentations, menu development, culinary planning, and implementation of operational standards. Help establish strong culinary programs that support client expectations and company goals.
- Collaborate Across Departments: Work closely with operations, business development, purchasing, and account leadership to address challenges, share expertise, and support company-wide initiatives.
- Evaluate and Implement Improvements: Stay informed on culinary trends, industry practices, and emerging food concepts. Identify opportunities to introduce new ideas, improve existing programs, and enhance the overall dining experience.
- Travel and Provide On-Site Support: Travel extensively to company locations to provide hands-on training, operational assessments, culinary support, and guidance to local teams.
What You'll Bring
- Degree in Culinary Arts or a related field.
- 10+ years of professional culinary experience with a strong background in kitchen operations and culinary leadership.
- 5+ years of experience with Healthcare or Senior Living dining operations.
- Current ServSafe certification and formal allergen training.
- Certified Dietary Manager, Certified Food Protection Professional (CDM, CFPP)
- Extensive knowledge of food production, kitchen workflows, menu development, and culinary best practices.
- Strong financial acumen, including food cost management, menu pricing, sales analysis, purchasing, and forecasting.
- Experience supporting multiple locations or overseeing multi-unit culinary operations.
- Experience developing culinary concepts, standardizing recipes, and implementing operational improvements.
- Background supporting new account openings, client presentations, or business development initiatives.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, recipe management systems, and other business software.
Top Benefits
- Competitive compensation: $100,000-$110,000 annually + bonus opportunities
- Insurance: Medical, Dental, Vision
- 401(k) Retirement with company match
- Generous PTO policy
- DailyPay earned wage access
- Significant discounts with partner companies
- Access to pet insurance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Professional development and career growth opportunities
