Director of Culinary Innovation & Operations (K-12)

Compass Group USA; Greenfield Manor (FL); On-site; USD 145,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401K

PTO

Job summary

Compass Group USA, in Jacksonville, FL, seeks a Director of Culinary Operations for K-12 Food Service. The role leads development, testing and rollout of innovative dishes and programs across locations, ensuring culinary excellence, training, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities include mentoring chefs, planning menus, and collaborating with divisions to drive new concepts while staying ahead of market trends and sustainability goals.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of progressive culinary experience in high-volume operations.
• Minimum of two years of menu development experience.
• Knowledge of budgets, food and labor costs, inventory controls.
• Comprehensive knowledge of international cuisines and catering trends.
• Ability to travel extensively.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and sets standards of culinary excellence.
• Plans menus for daily offerings and special events across locations.
• Develops and mentors senior chefs in various regions.
• Plans training opportunities with manufacturers and vendors.
• Stays current with market trends and customer demands.
• Leads culinary teams in opening new or remodeled accounts.
• Collaborates with Purchasing, Marketing, and Business Development.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Budgeting

Training & mentoring

Food safety

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

Recipe management software

Nutrition programs

Job description

Compass Group USA, in Jacksonville, FL, seeks a Director of Culinary Operations for K-12 Food Service. The role leads development, testing and rollout of innovative dishes and programs across locations, ensuring culinary excellence, training, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities include mentoring chefs, planning menus, and collaborating with divisions to drive new concepts while staying ahead of market trends and sustainability goals.