Chef de Cuisine: Full Time

The Highlands at Wyomissing; Wyomissing (Berks County); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Highlands at Wyomissing is seeking a Chef de Cuisine to lead kitchen operations, drive food quality, and enhance resident satisfaction in a fast-paced, service-focused environment.

Ideal for experienced Sous Chefs or culinary leaders ready to step up; you will oversee cooks, enforce Serv Safe standards, and mentor the culinary team while maintaining high standards of sanitation and efficiency.

Qualifications

• Serv Safe certification and safe food handling knowledge required.
• Experience leading kitchen teams in high-volume settings.
• Mentoring staff and enforcing safety and sanitation standards.
• Strong organizational and leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen operations for all dining areas, events, and bar.
• Maintain quality, presentation, and timing according to recipes and logs.
• Supervise Sous Chefs, Cooks, and kitchen helpers; open/close duties.
• Ensure sanitation and food safety standards are followed throughout the operation.
• Train and counsel staff; participate in ongoing training and certifications.
• Ensure timely service and proper storage, labeling, and dating of foods.

Skills

Proactive work ethic

MS Office proficiency

Performance-driven culture

Fast-paced environment

Analytical problem solving

Relationship building

Interpersonal communication

Education

High school Diploma or GED

2 year / associate degree in culinary arts or hospitality

Serv Safe Certificate

Completion of Highlands Hearthstone Ambassador training

Job description

Now hiring a Chef de Cuisine! Lead kitchen operations, drive food quality and resident satisfaction, and mentor culinary staff in a fast-paced, service-focused environment. Ideal for experienced Sous Chefs or culinary leaders ready to take the next step.

Summary of Responsibilities:

The Chef de Cuisine is responsible for all aspects of food preparation for all dining areas, catering events, and bar. This position ensures that all needed items are prepared focusing on quality, presentation, and schedule, and following production sheets, recipes, and temperature logs. This position assures meals service is satisfactory, following sanitation and Serv Safe procedures, observing and maintaining food storage, cooking temperatures, labeling and dating. In addition, this position oversees the Sous Chef, Cooks, Cook Helpers, and Utility Workers and performs opening and closing duties as assigned.

Essential Functions/Duties:

• Performs opening and closing procedures.
• Communicates to proper personnel through the correct channels when there are discrepancies with food items such as shortages, overages.
• Maintains, utilizes, and supervises proper use of production sheets and temperature logbooks.
• Trains, supervises, directs and counsels kitchen and utility staff.
• Conducts pre-meal meeting for staff / cook's helpers
• Prepares, sets-up and monitors daily food production, special functions, service and resident satisfaction through proper food handling guidelines and portion control.
• Prepares all food items according to Serv Safe procedures.
• Makes sure service times are followed in all areas.
• Ensures all walk-ins, reach ins and storage areas are organized and all food is properly wrapped, labeled, dated and use by dated, and enforces Use By dates
• Ensures all foods are served at proper temperatures.
• Responsible for keeping food waste to a minimum and utilizing leftovers.
• Ensures food quality and serving lines by accurately following Serv Safe procedures, plate presentation, portion control and using standardized recipes.
• Replenishes food items as required.
• Maintains kitchen, dish room, and all storage areas in a clean and sanitary manner.
• Ensures the completing of sanitation assignments and logs in compliance with food and safety standards.
• Demonstrates interest in learning additional aspect of the job and offers suggestions to improve workflow.
• Completes sanitation assignments, Checks sanitation assignments for completion for Sous Chefs, Cooks and Cooks helpers.
• Participate in and complete all required ongoing training, including monthly online and in-person training, annual skills competencies education, and role-specific certifications, to ensure continued competence and adherence to organizational and regulatory standards.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Strong proactive and efficient work ethic
• Comfortable and agile working with technology; Proficient in MS Office and other applications.
• Experience in and the ability to drive a performance-based culture
• Ability to function in a fast-paced environment, with competing priorities and deadlines
• Strong analytical, assessment, and problem-solving capabilities
• Strong relationship building and influencing skills
• Demonstrated interpersonal communication, verbal and written, across multiple levels of an organization

Supervisory Responsibility:

• This position carries direct supervisory responsibility for kitchen and utility staff, including Sous Chefs, Cooks, and Cook’s Helpers. Responsibilities include training, directing, and counseling team members; conducting pre-meal meetings; overseeing food preparation and service; and ensuring adherence to sanitation, safety, and quality standards. The role also includes monitoring the completion of sanitation assignments, verifying the proper use of production tools and logs, and maintaining organized and compliant food storage practices. The position plays a key role in fostering accountability, maintaining workflow efficiency, and upholding food safety protocols throughout the culinary operation.

Core Values:

• AMBASSADOR: Represents The Highlands at Wyomissing in a positive light with integrity. Takes pride in our community.
• COMMITMENT: Dedicated, adaptable, tolerant, dependable, focused, and passionate. Often does more than is required. Reports to work as scheduled and timely.
• COMPASSIONATE: Is empathetic, mindful, and kind.
• INNOVATIVE: Is curious. Identifies new methods and efficiencies.
• RESULTS-DRIVEN: Has a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and completing work. Exerts unusual effort over time to achieve a goal. Maintains commitment to goals in the face of obstacles and frustrations.
• TEAM ORIENTED: Works cooperatively and effectively with others to achieve common goals.

The Highlands' Traditions (Customer Service Expectations):

• SAFETY: Practices safe behaviors to ensure the safety of all.
• KINDNESS: Projects a positive image and energy. Courteous and respectful to all. Goes above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.
• SHOW: Takes pride in self-appearance. Stays in "character" and performs the "role in the show." Ensures work area is show-ready.
• EFFICIENCY: Performs role with consistency and efficiency. Uses time and resources wisely.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• This position may be full-time or part-time in a health care facility that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Rotating shifts as well as weekend, holiday and work during inclement weather will be required.

Travel:

• Some travel is expected for this position

Education and Experience Requirements:

• High school Diploma or GED (Required)
• Vocational / Technical Degree in Food Service (Preferred)
• 2 year / associate degree in culinary arts or hospitality (Preferred)
• 4-5 Years of high volume progressive, proven culinary/hospitality management experience in a variety of settings such as hotels, country clubs or retirement communities (Required)
• 1-3 Years Position as Sous Chef (Preferred)
• SERV Safe Certificate (Required)
• Completion of the Highlands Hearthstone Ambassador training within 30 days of employment (Required)

Work Authorization/Security Clearances:

• Medical Screening
• Criminal History Clearance
• FBI Fingerprint Clearance (Only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 2 years)
• Immigration and naturalization (I-9) Clearance
• Valid Pennsylvania Driver's License and acceptable MVR (if operating company vehicle)

Physical Requirements and Physical Demands:

• While performing duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Visual acuity must be adequate to perform job duties, including reading information from printed sources and computer screens.
• The position is continuously required to stand.
• This position frequently requires walking, bending, pulling with force, reaching above head, reaching above shoulder, lifting from floor level up, lifting from waist level up, lifting above shoulders/head, lifting 25 lbs., and occasionally lift and/or carrying objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
• This position occasionally requires sitting, climbing, crouching, squatting, crawling, kneeling, balancing, pushing/pulling (up to 350 lbs.), lifting 100 lbs. maximum, and frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
• This position seldomly requires lifting objects in excess of 100 lbs.

Safety Hazards and Physical Environment:

• May be exposed to blood borne pathogens - Low Risk
• May be exposed to communicable diseases
• May be exposed to extreme conditions, (i.e. heat or cold)
• May be exposed to high noise levels
• May be exposed to moving mechanical parts
• May be exposed to potential electrical shock
• May be exposed to toxic, caustic, chemicals, and / or detergents
• May be exposed to rare occasions during which it is necessary to interact with a resident exhibiting aggressive behavior.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.