Executive Chef

Covenant Retirement Communities & Covenant Care; Evanston (IL); On-site; USD 67,295 - 93,610; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off & holidays

403(b) retirement plan

Fitness center access

Job summary

Covenant Living and CovenantCare at Home is seeking an experienced Executive Chef to lead our high-volume kitchen operations in a senior living environment. You will oversee food production, menu planning, and staff supervision to ensure top-quality meals for residents, guests, and employees.

The role requires strong culinary leadership, extensive kitchen management experience, and a focus on food safety, HACCP, and cost control.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required.
• Culinary Arts degree preferred.
• Must hold current ServSafe sanitation certification or obtain within 6 months of hire.
• Minimum of three years supervisory experience as an Executive Chef or equivalent in a high-volume restaurant.
• 7+ years experience managing high-volume, fast-paced kitchens.
• 5+ years cooking in a fine dining environment; leadership role preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead food production and delivery following standard recipes, specifications, menus, and portion sizes.
• Supervise kitchen staff and ensure sanitation of work areas and safe handling of food, supplies, and equipment.
• Oversee menu planning, purchasing, ordering, inventory, and resources to meet goals and deadlines.
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, safety policies, ServSafe, and local regulations.
• Train chefs and kitchen staff; provide feedback and performance evaluations.
• Manage budget, labor, inventory, and cost controls to meet financial targets.
• Ensure proper storage, preparation, and presentation of foods and safe storage procedures.
• Schedule and coordinate kitchen operations, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Skills

Menu planning

Staff leadership

Food safety

Inventory management

Quality control

Cost control

Education

High school diploma

Culinary Arts degree

Tools

ServSafe certification

Sanitation certification

Job description

We Are Inspired to Serve. Join us! Responsible for maintaining a high level of quality and consistency in the timely preparation, production, and service of meals served to residents, guests, and employees of Covenant Living.

Responsibilities

• Contributes to account revenue and operating profit contribution through the implementation of services and creation of opportunities for growth.
• Responsible for the sanitation of the work area and for the safe and sanitary handling of food, supplies, and equipment, along with supervision of the cooks and dining staff.
• Leading Food Production and Delivery: Supervises and oversees the kitchen staff in the preparation and service of all food production following standard recipes, product specifications, menu planning, and portion sizes.
• Assists in the preparation and service of foods requested by other departments as well as those needed for special occasions.
• Assures that special diet orders are completed following menu extension guidelines.
• Directs daily operations of food production, including menu planning, purchasing, ordering, inventory and food preparation to ensure employees have appropriate equipment, inventory and resources to perform their jobs and meet goals and deadlines.
• Oversees the preparation, portioning, garnishing, presentation and safe storage of food and solves menu problems (e.g. recipe substitutions).
• Orders food and equipment.
• Ensures that kitchen, equipment, storage facilities and dining room are sanitary, neat and organized.
• Leading Staff: Trains other chefs in and outside of account on culinary skills and serves as technical expert.
• Supervises day-to-day work activities by delegating authority, assigning and prioritizing activities and monitoring operating standards.
• Ensures staff are up-to-date in certifications and training (such as ServSafe).
• Manages by providing positive and constructive feedback and performance evaluations to employees in order to reward, coach, correct and motivate.
• Kitchen Compliance and Sanitation: Ensures compliance with all federal, state and local regulations as well as policies and procedures (e.g. HACCP, quality assurance, safety, operations, ServSafe, personnel).
• Establishes a safe work environment for employees by providing safety-related training and equipment maintenance and by ensuring compliance with safety and loss prevention programs and with standards.
• Understands, complies, and promotes all policies regarding residents’ rights.
• Follows procedures regarding cleaners or hazardous materials or objects, and fire safety.
• Promptly reports any hazardous conditions, equipment, accidents, and incidents.
• Follows the most current sanitation and food safety procedures including personal hygiene, monitoring and documentation of temperatures, and food storage including labeling and dating.
• Ensures proper storage of foods and supplies at all times and adherence to daily, weekly, and monthly scheduled cleaning and sanitation tasks.
• Attends in-services as required by corporate, state, and federal mandates.
• Budget, Operations, and Cost Management: Manages the budget by controlling costs (e.g. labor, inventory, equipment, materials), complying with budget requirements and making adjustments when necessary.
• Establishes operating standards, implements quality improvements and communicates them to employees.

Education and Work Experience

• Required Degree: High school diploma
• Preferred Degree: Culinary Arts Degree
• Required to have current and approved sanitation certification or obtain certification within 6 months of hire. Safe Food Handling certification.
• Minimum of three years supervisory experience as an Executive Chef or equivalent role at a high-volume restaurant.
• 7+ years experience managing high volume and fast paced commercial kitchens.
• 5+ years experience cooking experience in a fine dining environment and experience in a culinary leadership role preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Ability

• Mastery of a wide variety of kitchen stations, positions, cooking methods, ingredients, equipment and procedures.
• Ability to not only think on feet but also create, produce and deliver excellent product on the fly.
• Demonstrate knowledge of current culinary/market trends and creative food presentation.
• Must be highly organized and proficient in time management.
• Proficiency with computers, online purchasing and inventory management, creating spreadsheets, checklists for cleaning, par level and food inventory.
• Excellent record of kitchen and staff management.
• Must have skill calculating figures and amounts and performing mathematical functions to meet the business needs.
• Ability to communicate clearly with managers, kitchen and dining room staff and guest.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Physical Requirements

• May be required to lift or carry equipment or supplies weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Standing for extended periods of time, sitting, twisting, bending, squatting, kneeling, or crouching while assisting others.
• Ability to work in a kitchen environment.
• Attention to detail and manual dexterity.
• Withstand exposure to temperature and humidity changes as in entering refrigerated storage area and working at ovens, ranges, dish-washing machines, and steam tables.
• May be exposed to unpleasant conditions and/or at risk of exposure to accident, infection, and/or blood-borne pathogens.

Compensation

• Pay Range: $67,295.00 - $93,610.25 per year
• Reasonable Pay Estimate: A reasonable estimate of the pay range for this position is $67,295.00 - $93,610.25 per year. There are numerous factors taken into consideration in determining the actual offered rate of pay, including but not limited to: job-related qualifications, experience, skills, education, geographic location, and consideration of internal and external equity.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Employer paid group term life and disability
• Paid Time Off (PTO) & six paid holidays
• 403(b) with a 3% employer match
• Fitness center use at most facilities.

Various Voluntary Benefits

• Life, AD&D
• Tuition assistance and scholarships
• Employee assistance program
• Legal services, home/auto insurance, discount purchasing program
• Pet Insurance

For more information about Covenant Living and CovenantCare at Home, please visit www.covliving.org or www.covenantcareathome.org.

Covenant Living and CovenantCare Home Health and Hospice are equal opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, marital status, pregnancy, protected veteran status, protected genetic information, or any other characteristics protected by local laws, regulations, or ordinances.

We believe we are a great place to work. Covenant Living & CovenantCare at Home are faith-based Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) & Home Health organization. From the establishment of our first community – Covenant Home of Chicago in 1886 – to becoming the fifth-largest not-for-profit CCRC sponsor in the LeadingAge Ziegler Top 150, our goal has been to provide outstanding care and services to senior adults. We believe we are inspired to serve.

We create joy and peace of mind for residents and their families by providing a better way of life. These are the standards of behavior we hold ourselves to in serving our residents.

• Safety: I learn & follow safety policies & procedures. I immediately report unsafe conditions for staff, residents, & guests and fix when possible. I protect residents, co-workers, & myself from unsafe conditions and practices by reporting unsafe conditions and fixing it or having it fixed.
• Courtesy: I smile & acknowledge everyone that I encounter. I carry myself in a manner that projects positivity, approachability, & respectfulness. I address the concerns of others by actively listening & seeking solutions.
• Responsiveness: I take initiative to respond to the needs of others in a timely manner to achieve resolution. I anticipate the needs of others and respond in a timely manner. I communicate to others who need to join me in responding to the needs of others. I return phone calls within 24 hours. I identify action steps and communicate them to all vested parties.
• Image: I ensure our environment is professional, welcoming, & clean. I follow CL policies, procedures, & all regulations. We believe in making a difference in other’s lives.

We have approximately 3,200 employees serving more than 5,000 residents in our nationwide family of continuing care retirement communities and home health. Construction and development continues on several of our 14 campuses, ensuring ever more exciting opportunities for employees to serve residents.