Executive Chef

Job Summary

The Executive Chef leads culinary operations in a high-volume, fast-paced, multi-kitchen corporate dining environment and reports to the Culinary Director.

This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for culinary quality, menu development, team development, food safety and sanitation, purchasing, inventory, cost control, and consistent execution of Bon Appétit standards.

The Executive Chef is expected to develop Sous Chefs and culinary teams, maintain a strong presence in daily operations, solve problems proactively, plan ahead, and ensure the operation is organized, financially responsible, safe, and service-ready.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily culinary operations and maintain high standards for food quality, flavor, presentation, production, organization, and service.
• Lead, coach, and develop Sous Chefs and culinary employees through clear expectations, training, feedback, accountability, and opportunities for growth.
• Maintain a hands-on leadership presence and proactively resolve staffing, production, equipment, ingredient, and service challenges.
• Lead menu planning, menu engineering, and execution in partnership with the Culinary Director while ensuring menus are realistic for labor, equipment, production capacity, inventory, and purchasing.
• Manage food cost, purchasing, inventory, waste, and culinary expenditures while following approved Bon Appétit sourcing standards.
• Maintain appropriate inventory levels and minimize overproduction, waste, and unnecessary stock.
• Lead and reinforce food-safety, sanitation, allergen, workplace-safety, and audit-readiness standards.
• Support appropriate staffing, scheduling, labor deployment, timekeeping, meal-period compliance, and overtime management.
• Maintain the professionalism, responsiveness, culinary quality, and hospitality expected in a high-profile corporate environment.
• Collaborate effectively with the Culinary Director, Sous Chefs, FOH, catering, executive dining, pantry, and other campus teams.

Leadership Expectations

The Executive Chef should demonstrate excellent culinary skills, hands-on leadership, ownership, accountability, self-motivation, strong organization, problem-solving, planning, teamwork, financial awareness, and the ability to operate effectively with limited direct supervision.

Preferred Qualifications

• Culinary degree preferred or equivalent professional experience.
• Three to five years of progressive culinary-management experience.
• Experience leading Sous Chefs and culinary teams.
• High-volume, complex foodservice and catering experience strongly preferred.
• Strong experience with menu development, production planning, purchasing, inventory, food cost, safety, and sanitation.
• Corporate dining or multi-unit experience preferred.
• ServSafe certification is highly desirable.

Operational Expectations

• Must be comfortable working in an active, high-volume, multi-kitchen culinary environment.
• Must be prepared to work the hours necessary to successfully lead the operation and meet Bon Appétit management standards, business demands, and leadership responsibilities.
• Schedule flexibility may be required based on staffing, business volume, special events, and operational needs.