The Corporate Research and Development Chef manages culinary operations, including patient, retail, catering, and physician’s dining services. This role oversees the healthcare organization’s purchasing guide, vendor contracts, purchasing compliance, kitchen sanitation, safety, quality assurance, and food expense management. The Executive Chef develops corporate patient and retail menus, implements food production techniques, standardizes food costs and pricing, and manages the menu engineering platform for all hospitals. The role ensures high standards in kitchen sanitation, safety, and quality assurance while reviewing GPO contract portfolios, managing vendor contracts, and ensuring purchasing compliance. Additionally, the Executive Chef builds strategic relationships with corporate, division, and hospital leadership, including Food and Nutrition Services (FANS) Directors and Executive Chefs. Key qualifications include extensive culinary operations experience in a healthcare setting, strong knowledge of purchasing and vendor management, expertise in kitchen sanitation and safety standards, proven ability in food expense management and cost control, experience in menu development and standardization, and excellent communication and leadership skills.
What you will do in this role
Leadership
- Coordinate the development of patient, retail, and physician’s services menus, ensuring alignment with organizational standards and nutritional requirement
- Oversee food production, sanitation, and safety protocols to maintain high standards across all operations
- Provide assessment, coaching, and support to culinary teams at both the divisional and field levels, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence
- Manage supply expenses and food waste, implementing innovative and resourceful measures to advance the organization’s sustainability efforts
- Analyze data from various sources to make strategic recommendations and execute actions that enhance culinary performance and efficiency
- Develop, coordinate, and implement standardized policies and procedures related to FANS food production, sanitation, and safety
- Standardize order guides and purchasing compliance reports, ensuring consistency and cost[1]effectiveness across the organization
- Evaluate equipment and capital expenditure needs, ensuring investments align with organizational goals and budget constraints
- Implement best-in-class food quality and presentation standards, setting benchmarks for culinary excellence
- Standardize best practices for culinary operations throughout the healthcare organization, ensuring consistency and high standards
Customer Service
- Develop and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to understand and address culinary needs and challenge
- Coordinate the implementation and delivery of customer-focused solutions that enhance culinary operations and satisfaction
- Provide educational opportunities to patients, customers, and employees on culinary, nutrition, and health and wellness topics, promoting a culture of learning and awareness
- Build and maintain strong, effective working relationships with a variety of stakeholders, ensuring collaboration and support for culinary initiatives. Financial
- Establish and meet or exceed labor and supply expense management goals, driving cost savings and financial efficiency
- Collaborate with facilities across the organization to track and analyze financial data, identifying opportunities for improvement and cost control
- Develop, implement, and monitor purchasing trends, compliance, and vendor rebates, ensuring optimal value and adherence to organizational standards
- Create standardized documents, processes, and analytics to quantify FANS food cost savings and other improvement metrics, including inventory management
- Proficiently utilize the organization’s food services software and analytics tools for effective financial management
- Monitor industry consumer price index (CPI) changes to ensure appropriate pricing of retail and internal pass-through charges
General Knowledge/Competencies
- Provide effective communication through exceptional verbal, written, listening, and presentation skills, ensuring clarity and engagement across all levels of the organization
- Engage with a variety of stakeholders, from executives to field staff, demonstrating strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
- Demonstrate a track record of food production and financial performance results, showcasing expertise in managing large-scale culinary operations
- Exhibit effective problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail, using thought leadership in decision-making processes
- Maintain a continuous learning orientation, staying abreast of industry trends and best practices to drive innovation and improvement
- .Adhere to and practice the organization’s mission, vision, and value statements, embodying the principles and goals of the healthcare organization.
What qualifications you will need:
- Bachelor's degree in culinary arts, business, or hospitality management is required
- A minimum of five years in a retail or high volume commercial/healthcare food service operation as an Executive Chef. Experience in a profit and loss (P & L) environment preferred. Prior leadership experience required. Proven track record in culinary program development, menu design, execution and financial performance. Experience in group purchasing organization preferred. Excel, Word and Power Point skills required. Proficiency with Excel and spreadsheet data compilation, pivot tables, and analytical process is highly preferred.
- Food Safety (ServSafe) certification is required within 6 months of hire; Certified Executive Chef is highly preferred
