Associate Director, Culinary Operations

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York (NY); On-site; USD 123,000 - 205,000; Full time

Job summary

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY, is seeking an Associate Director of Culinary Operations to provide strategic leadership for production and kitchen operations. The role partners with clinical, culinary and operational leaders to drive performance, optimize resources and deliver a best-in-class dining experience for patients, guests and staff.

Schedule: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST, located at 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY.

Qualifications

• Progressive leadership experience overseeing large-scale culinary production, food service, or kitchen operations.
• Professional culinary or chef experience with a strong understanding of food production systems and kitchen management.
• Demonstrated experience managing departmental budgets, labor expenses, productivity, and operational performance.
• Comprehensive knowledge of food safety regulations, sanitation standards, and quality assurance practices.
• Proven experience leading, developing, and mentoring managers and frontline culinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight of culinary production and kitchen operations across assigned areas.
• Lead and support culinary management teams in achieving operational, quality, and service excellence goals.
• Manage labor planning, staffing strategies, productivity metrics, and workforce optimization initiatives.
• Oversee departmental budgeting, financial performance, cost controls, and resource allocation.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, sanitation, regulatory, and organizational standards.
• Develop and implement operational processes that enhance efficiency, consistency, and quality outcomes.
• Partner with culinary leaders to establish and maintain high standards for food production and presentation.
• Drive staff training, coaching, succession planning, and professional development initiatives for culinary teams.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to support organizational objectives, continuous improvement efforts and exceptional customer experiences.

Skills

Leadership experience

Culinary/chef experience

Budget management

Food safety knowledge

Team development

Job description

About Us: The people of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are united by a singular mission: ending cancer for life. Our specialized care teams provide personalized, compassionate, expert care to patients of all ages. Informed by basic research done at our Sloan Kettering Institute, scientists across MSK collaborate to conduct innovative translational and clinical research that is driving a revolution in our understanding of cancer as a disease and improving the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. MSK is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians, who go on to pursue’our mission’at MSK and around the globe.

Exciting Opportunity at MSK: Associate Director, Culinary Operations

At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), our mission is to end cancer for life through exceptional patient care, research, and education. The Associate Director of Culinary Operations provides strategic leadership for culinary production and kitchen operations, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, safety, efficiency, and service. This role partners closely with clinical, culinary and operational leaders to drive performance, develop talent, optimize resources, and support a best-in‑class dining experience for patients, guests, and staff.

Role Overview

• Provide strategic oversight of culinary production and kitchen operations across assigned areas.
• Lead and support culinary management teams in achieving operational, quality, and service excellence goals.
• Manage labor planning, staffing strategies, productivity metrics, and workforce optimization initiatives.
• Oversee departmental budgeting, financial performance, cost controls, and resource allocation.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, sanitation, regulatory, and organizational standards.
• Develop and implement operational processes that enhance efficiency, consistency, and quality outcomes.
• Partner with culinary leaders to establish and maintain high standards for food production and presentation.
• Drive staff training, coaching, succession planning, and professional development initiatives for culinary teams.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to support organizational objectives, continuous improvement efforts and exceptional customer experiences.

Key Qualifications

• Progressive leadership experience overseeing large-scale culinary production, food service, or kitchen operations.
• Professional culinary or chef experience with a strong understanding of food production systems and kitchen management.
• Demonstrated experience managing departmental budgets, labor expenses, productivity, and operational performance.
• Comprehensive knowledge of food safety regulations, sanitation standards, and quality assurance practices.
• Proven experience leading, developing, and mentoring managers and frontline culinary teams.

Core Skills

• Strategic leadership with the ability to align operational priorities with organizational goals.
• Strong financial acumen and analytical skills to manage budgets, labor performance, and cost controls.
• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Talent development capabilities with a focus on coaching, engagement, and team performance.
• Continuous improvement mindset with the ability to implement efficient, scalable operational solutions.

Additional Information

• Schedule: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST, Monday - Friday
• Location: 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY
• Reporting To: Director, Food & Nutrition

Helpful Links

• Compensation Philosophy
• Benefits Pay Range: $124,000.00 - $204,700.00
• FSLA Status: Exempt
• Closing: At MSK, we believe in fair, competitive pay that reflects your job, experience, and skills.

MSK is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruiting and employment. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status or any other factor which cannot lawfully be used as a basis for an employment decision.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.

Our multi-disciplinary teams work together to provide exceptional patient care, develop innovative research, and deliver outstanding educational programs. Learn More The people of MSK make this an incredible place to work, grow and make a difference. Discover what makes us unique