Director of Culinary Services

Ciel Senior Living; Vernon Hills (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Ciel Senior Living is seeking an experienced Director of Culinary to lead the culinary team, shape menus, set high standards, and ensure an exceptional dining experience for residents and families. The role oversees all culinary operations, including menu planning, kitchen management, and food quality.

The director will manage staffing, training, budgeting, and compliance, work across departments, and ensure safety and sanitation across shifts to deliver on the community's elevated dining

Qualifications

• Culinary degree preferred; ServSafe certification preferred.
• Minimum eight years in food service with supervisory experience.
• Experience in senior living or healthcare is a plus.
• Strong Excel and ordering platforms knowledge.
• Excellent communication and management skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all culinary operations including menu development and kitchen management.
• Staffing: post positions, interview, hire, onboard, and train Culinary staff.
• Plan and manage menus with nutrition and dietary needs in mind.
• Budget management: monitor spend, forecast expenditures, and approve orders.
• Ensure compliance with safety, licensing, OSHA, and company policies.
• Coordinate with other directors to elevate dining services and resident experience.

Skills

Team management

Budgeting

Menu planning

Staff training

Safety compliance

Education

Culinary degree

ServSafe certification

Tools

Excel

Job description

POSITION: Director of Culinary

REPORTS TO: Executive Director

FLSA: Exempt

OUR MISSION: We are united in our mission to offer seniors an elevated way of life, where comfort, connection, and joy thrive.

POSITION SUMMARY:

We are seeking an experienced and creative culinary professional to lead our culinary team as the director of culinary. And with the creative force behind her culinary offerings, it will play a key role in shaping our menu, culinary standards, and ensuring exceptional dining experience for our residents and family members. The director of culinary will oversee all culinary operations, including menu development, kitchen management, and food quality.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Staffing

• Coordinate with Business Office Director to post open positions, schedule interviews, and make hiring decisions in conjunction with Executive Director.
• Ensure that supervisors and hourly team members maintain a safe and sanitary environment, in addition to providing a nurturing and pleasurable dining experience.
• Onboard and train all team members in the Culinary Department, ensuring that any state and company-mandated training is completed in a timely manner and documented properly.
• Deliver coaching, motivation, and performance improvement plans on an as-needed basis to culinary team members.
• Communicate with team members any pertinent information regarding the company, building, and residents.
• Develop and maintain schedules for both front of house and back of house team members. Work with leads to ensure schedules meet budgets and provide the level of food quality and service outlined for our residents.

Menu Planning

• Communicate with line cooks to develop and maintain a pleasing and nutritious menu.
• Conduct monthly Food Committee meetings with community residents to plan for specials and additional menu modifications, ensuring that community preferences are incorporated into menus and events.
• Cost out menu options to ensure expected budget is met.
• Understand dietary needs of residents and coordinate with dieticians, nursing staff, and care managers to ensure proper selection, preparation, and delivery of meals.

Budget Management

• Understand all aspects of the culinary operating and staffing budget and ensure that financial goals are met.
• Meet with Executive Director weekly to update them on departmental spend and events.
• During budget season, assist Executive Director in planning next year expenditures in staffing and non-labor expenses. In addition, create 5-year capital expense forecast to monitor kitchen equipment needs.
• Approve food orders from selected food vendors and ensure a proper level of inventory to meet demand and minimize waste and cost.

Compliance

• Comply with all local, state, and/or federal licensing requirements, rules, regulations, OSHA, and company requirements.

Collaboration

• Work a variety of shifts on an as-needed basis. Must be willing and able to cook and serve shifts to ensure staffing needs are met. Routinely work different shifts for quality control, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Consult with Enrichment Director, Sales Director and Executive Director to determine ways in which Culinary can elevate services in their functional areas of the community.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Culinary degree is preferred.
• A minimum of eight years of progressive experience in the food service industry with at least three of those years in a responsible supervisory role of preparing food and serving customers. Experience to include management of food inventories and budgets.
• Experience in senior living or healthcare a plus.
• Current ServSafe Certification preferred. Obtain or hold any county and/or state required food handling/sanitation licenses or certificates.
• Good understanding of Excel and online food service ordering platforms.
• A strong communicator and proven manager who can work with a wide range and number of team members.
• Extensive knowledge of 24/7 food service preparations and federal, state, and local regulations regarding safety of food preparation and handling.

PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Walk/Stand – must be able to continuously walk and stand.
• Environment Condition – must be able to perform work both inside and outside
• Sit – sit infrequently
• Lift - constantly 0-10 pounds, frequently 11 – 50 pounds, occasionally 51 – 100 pounds
• Carry - constantly 0-10 pounds, frequently 11 – 50 pounds, occasionally 51 – 100 pounds
• Push - constantly 0-10 pounds, frequently 11 – 50 pounds, occasionally 51 – 100 pounds
• Climb – must be able to climb stairs on a frequent basis, with the opportunity to utilize the elevator as an alternate resource if available
• Bend – must be able to bend at the waist, knees, hips and spine on a frequent basis; may require frequently manipulating weights of 25 pounds or more.
• Squat – must be able to squat on a frequent basis to reach below the knee, may require lifting of 50 pounds or less.
• Twist or rotate – must be able to twist or rotate occasionally at the trunk, hips, knees, and neck, manipulating weights of 25 pounds or more.
• Reach– must be able to reach on a frequent basis. May occasionally reach overhead, requiring manipulation of weight of 10 pounds or less, and below waist manipulating weight of 25 pounds or more.
• Sensory Vision – must be able to read clearly with or without corrective lenses
• Hear - Must be able to hear telephone, audible alarms, bells and signals related to resident safety with or without hearing devices.
• Must be able to taste and smell.
• Speech/Language – must have strong command of English sufficient to read and write and interpret administration information.