CHEF MANAGER

Compass Group USA; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Personal Leave

Job summary

The CulinArt Group is seeking a Bench Chef Manager to oversee daily food service and culinary operations across multiple accounts. You will lead menu execution, food production, purchasing, inventory, and labor management while upholding the highest standards of quality, safety, sanitation, and guest satisfaction.

As a hands-on leader, you will recruit and develop frontline staff, build strong client relationships, monitor budgets, and drive continuous improvement in service delivery and

Qualifications

• Hands-on leader with strong culinary expertise.
• Effective communication skills across teams and clients.
• Financial acumen and budgeting experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily food service and culinary operations.
• Ensure compliance with all company, state, and local food safety and sanitation standards.
• Manage food production, ordering, inventory control, and vendor relationships.
• Monitor and achieve budgetary and financial goals, including food and labor cost management.
• Recruit, hire, train, coach, and develop frontline associates and supervisors.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships through regular meetings and communication.
• Lead by example with an active presence before, during, and after meal service periods.
• Drive employee engagement, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure exceptional customer service and a positive dining experience for all guests.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

Culinary expertise

Communication skills

Financial acumen

Client relationships

Job description

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CulinArt Group operates over 250 onsite corporate, higher education, private school, healthcare and destination recreation/leisure dining facilities in 18 states, including cafés, coffee bars, concessions, executive dining, catering and conference dining, social catering/special events, office coffee service and vending. CulinArt’s extremely diverse client portfolio affords great opportunities for career advancement within the company, across multiple industry segments and geographic regions.

Job Summary

The Bench Chef Manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of unit operations and providing leadership support across multiple accounts as business needs arise. This role ensures the successful execution of food service operations by maintaining the highest standards of food quality, safety, sanitation, customer satisfaction, and financial performance.

The Bench Chef Manager will lead all culinary and operational functions, including menu execution, food production, purchasing and inventory management, labor management, budgeting, and financial accountability. Responsibilities include recruiting, hiring, training, coaching, and developing team members while fostering a positive and productive workplace culture.

This position serves as a key liaison with clients, building strong relationships through regular communication, operational reviews, and exceptional service delivery. The Chef Manager is expected to maintain a visible leadership presence before, during, and after service periods, providing hands‑on support to team members and ensuring operational excellence at all times.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee daily food service and culinary operations.
• Ensure compliance with all company, state, and local food safety and sanitation standards.
• Manage food production, ordering, inventory control, and vendor relationships.
• Monitor and achieve budgetary and financial goals, including food and labor cost management.
• Recruit, hire, train, coach, and develop frontline associates and supervisors.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships through regular meetings and communication.
• Lead by example with an active presence before, during, and after meal service periods.
• Drive employee engagement, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure exceptional customer service and a positive dining experience for all guests.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on leader with strong culinary expertise, effective communication skills, financial acumen, and a passion for delivering outstanding hospitality and operational results.

CulinArt is a member of Compass Group USA

Associates at CulinArt are offered many fantastic benefits.

• Medical
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Personal Leave

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.