Culinary Specialist 12-18 Month Contract

Sysco Canada Inc.; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Sysco Canada Inc. is seeking an experienced culinary leader with a strong background in foodservice management and executive chef roles. You will develop strategic culinary initiatives, manage test kitchens, and collaborate with sales to drive customer growth across regions.

The role requires budgeting, strong communication, and the ability to lead events and vendor programs. You will work closely with the Director of Business Resources, oversee kitchen operations, and ensure food safety

Qualifications

• Five+ years in foodservice management, including executive chef experience.
• Post-secondary education; Red Seal Chef with diploma in Culinary/Restaurant Management preferred.
• Proficient in culinary operations and current food trends.
• Strong financial acumen and ability to plan and execute business plans.
• Track record in consultative selling and networking.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with stakeholders.
• Proven ability to build trust and secure new business.
• Self-directed, capable of weekly scheduling and meeting deadlines.
• Solid restaurant operations acumen for managing sophisticated customers.
• Willingness to learn proprietary CRM tools for planning and forecasting.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute targeted culinary strategies to achieve annual goals, delivering profitable sales growth.
• Coordinate with Director of Business Resources to identify top opportunities for business reviews.
• Collaborate with sales to identify customer needs and deliver solutions to grow business.
• Track activities and results; champion Salesforce-driven selling process.
• Leverage sampling in a solutions-oriented manner to close sales.
• Monitor market conditions, trends and competitors; share insights with customers.
• Facilitate internal/external food shows, catering and event planning activities.
• Coordinate kitchen logistics for internal/external culinary events.
• Lead, enable, and execute the Revolution Vendor program.
• Assist with employee training by working with sales to conduct demonstrations.
• Manage test kitchen/culinary center operations including sanitation and upkeep.
• Manage test kitchen costs within budget parameters.
• Support regulatory inspections of kitchen/culinary facilities.
• Enable and execute menu planning services.
• Uphold a Customers First Mindset in daily duties.
• Comply with Sysco Food Safety Policy and ensure quality and legality.
• Work safely with minimal environmental impact and report hazards.
• Play an integral role in personal and team safety and speak up on hazards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Foodservice management

Executive Chef

Culinary operations

Sales & business development

CRM tools (Salesforce)

Communication skills

Budgeting

Education

Red Seal Chef

Diploma in Culinary Management

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Job description

Sysco is the global leader in foodservice distribution. With over 71,000 colleagues and a fleet of over 13,000 vehicles, Sysco operates approximately 333 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 700,000 customer locations. We offer our colleagues the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, to contribute to the success of a dynamic organization, and to serve others in a manner that exceeds their expectations. We're looking for talented, hard-working individuals to join our team. Come grow with us and let us show you why Sysco is at the heart of food and service.

Role Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute targeted culinary strategies to achieve individual and region annual business goals, delivering profitable sales growth and penetration across categories, specialty segments, and Sysco brand.
• Coordinate with Director of Business Resources, leveraging data to identify top opportunities for business reviews.
• Collaborate with sales team partners to clearly identify customer challenges, needs, or opportunities and deliver creative and productive solutions to help grow customer business and drive case growth.
• Track activities and results, collaborate on opportunities, and champion the team selling process through use of Salesforce (Sysco's CRM tool).
• Leverage sampling in a solutions-oriented manner to close sales.
• Be informed of market conditions and trends, product innovations, and competitors' products, prices, and sales; share information with customers as part of value-added services provided.
• Facilitate internal/external food shows, catering and event planning activities.
• Coordinate kitchen logistics in support of internal/external culinary events.
• Lead, enable, and execute the Revolution Vendor program.
• Assist with employee training by working with sales to facilitate training sessions and complete demonstrations.
• Manage all operations of the test kitchen/culinary center including sanitation, product rotation, laundry service and the organization and upkeep of equipment, displays and the general appearance of the culinary facility.
• Manage test kitchen food and supply costs within budgetary parameters.
• Accompany and respond to regulatory agency kitchen/culinary center inspections.
• Enable and execute menu planning services.
• Supports a Customers First Mindset while carrying out daily duties.
• Complies with Sysco's Food Safety Policy and procedures to ensure food safety, quality and legality requirements are met.
• Is willing to work safely with minimal environmental impact and understands the importance of reporting all hazards, incidents, and environmental spills immediately to their Supervisor.
• Understands that they play an integral role in their own safety and that of their colleagues and is willing to speak out when hazards are present.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Skills/Job Requirements (About you):

• Minimum of five (5+) years of Foodservice management or equivalent combination including a minimum of three (3) years as Executive Chef.
• Completion of post-secondary education, Minimum: Red Seal Chef with preferred Diploma in Culinary Management or Restaurant Management.
• Proficiency in culinary, restaurant operations, and food trends required (Internal Certification & External Certification may be required).
• Strong financial acumen and ability to properly plan and execute business plans.
• Track record of success in the area of consultative selling and networking.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work with and influence a variety of key stakeholders.
• Experience building trust with prospective customers and securing new business.
• Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to structure a weekly schedule to be successful.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver against deadlines and produce high-quality results (accuracy, thoroughness in the deliverables they are producing).
• Strong business and restaurant operations acumen to manage sophisticated customers.
• Ability to learn the use of proprietary CRM tools for planning and forecasting sales growth.
• Proficient in Microsoft Applications Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).