Chef

Saint Luke's Health System; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Saint Luke’s Health System is seeking an experienced culinary leader to oversee all food production, culinary and kitchen operations for a high-volume healthcare environment, delivering exceptional food service to patients, retail dining outlets, cafeterias, and catering.

You will lead a diverse team, manage budgets, ensure food safety and regulatory compliance, develop menus, and drive operational excellence while balancing people leadership and strategic planning.

Qualifications

• Culinary degree required.
• 10-15 years of culinary experience.
• 3-4+ years of culinary management leadership experience.
• Previous experience as a Sous Chef or Executive Chef.
• Experience in high-volume, fast-paced food service environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to culinary leadership teams and staff.
• Oversee retail, patient meal production, and hospital catering.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and healthcare dietary regulations.
• Manage food and labor budgets for operational efficiency.
• Develop menus and offerings meeting patient dietary requirements.
• Delegate daily responsibilities across teams.
• Maintain sanitation standards across all areas.
• Manage purchasing to support rotations and needs.
• Conduct hiring, coaching, and staff development activities.
• Build staffing schedules based on volume.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Staff development

Budget management

Food safety

Menu development

Education

Culinary degree

Associate degree (related field)

Job description

Job Description Job Description We're seeking an experienced culinary leader to oversee all food production, culinary, and kitchen operations for a high-volume healthcare environment. This role is responsible for delivering exceptional food service to patients, retail dining outlets, cafeterias, and catering operations while leading a diverse team of culinary and support staff. This leader will be responsible for maintaining food quality, regulatory compliance, labor management, staff development, and operational excellence across all culinary functions. We're looking for a proven culinary leader who can see the big picture while remaining engaged in day-to-day operations. The ideal candidate is someone who can effectively balance people leadership, operational excellence, and strategic planning.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, training, and direction to culinary leadership teams, cooks, production staff, and dish teams.
• Oversee all retail culinary operations, patient meal production, and hospital catering services.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, sanitation, and healthcare dietary regulations.
• Manage food and labor budgets while maintaining operational efficiency.
• Develop menus, recipes, and food offerings that meet quality standards and patient dietary requirements.
• Delegate daily operational responsibilities and workload assignments across culinary and support teams.
• Maintain cleanliness and sanitation standards throughout all kitchen, preparation, and production areas.
• Manage purchasing and ordering processes to support menu rotations and operational needs.
• Conduct hiring, coaching, performance management, and employee development activities.
• Build staffing schedules and ensure adequate coverage based on business volumes.
• Provide leadership presence during off-hours and assist with staffing coverage as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Culinary degree required
• 10-15 years of culinary experience
• 3-4+ years of culinary management leadership experience
• Previous experience as a Sous Chef or Executive Chef
• Experience in high-volume, fast-paced food service environments
• Strong understanding of food production, catering, sanitation, and kitchen operations
• Proven ability to lead multiple workgroups and departments simultaneously

Job Requirements

• Applicable Experience: 2 years Associate Degree

Job Details

Full Time Swing (United States of America)

Saint Luke’s Health System includes 18 hospitals and campuses across the Kansas City region, home care and hospice, behavioral health care, dozens of physician practices, a life care senior living community, and more. Find out more about what Saint Luke’s offers: http://www.saintlukeskc.org/about-saint-lukes

Schedule Base schedule is Thursday through Monday Typical hours are 12:00 PM to 8:30 PM Must be willing to assist with staff call-offs, PTO coverage, and operational needs as they arise.