Campus Executive Chef - Lead Culinary Innovation

Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services; Hamden (CT); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services in Hamden, CT is seeking an Executive Chef to lead culinary operations across resident dining, retail and catering services on campus. You will plan menus, oversee high-volume production, mentor kitchen staff, ensure food safety and quality, manage inventory and costs, and partner with dining leadership to deliver innovative, student-focused dining programs.

Flexibility to work evenings and weekends and a culinary degree or equivalent experience are

Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in culinary arts, including menu development, recipe creation, and execution of diverse cuisines.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with experience supervising, training, and scheduling kitchen staff.
• Proficiency in food safety, sanitation, and HACCP principles with a commitment to compliant and safe kitchen operations.
• Experience in high-volume foodservice or institutional dining, preferably in higher education or a similar environment.
• Ability to manage food and labor costs, inventory control, and vendor relationships to meet budgetary goals.
• Excellent organizational and time-management abilities, with capacity to handle multiple service areas and events.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills to work closely with dining services leadership, front-of-house staff, and clients.
• Culinary degree, formal culinary training, or equivalent professional experience; ServSafe or similar food safety certification preferred.
• Flexibility to work varied schedules, including evenings and weekends, based on campus dining needs.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute menus for resident dining, retail, and catering across campus.
• Supervise kitchen staff, including training, scheduling, and performance management.
• Ensure food quality, consistency, and presentation across all service lines.
• Monitor inventory, ordering, and cost controls to align with budgets.
• Lead training and mentoring of culinary team members and support events and promotions.
• Collaborate with dining services leadership and front-of-house teams to deliver student-focused programs.

Skills

Culinary arts

Leadership

Food safety

High-volume dining

Cost control

Organizational skills

Communication

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent

Tools

ServSafe certificate

Job description

Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services in Hamden, CT is seeking an Executive Chef to lead culinary operations across resident dining, retail and catering services on campus. You will plan menus, oversee high-volume production, mentor kitchen staff, ensure food safety and quality, manage inventory and costs, and partner with dining leadership to deliver innovative, student-focused dining programs.

Flexibility to work evenings and weekends and a culinary degree or equivalent experience are