Executive Chef

Covenant Living Communities and Services; Northbrook (IL); On-site; USD 67,295 - 93,610; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Employer-paid group term life and disability

Paid Time Off (PTO)

403(b) with a 3% employer match

Fitness center use at most facilities

Job summary

Covenant Living Communities and Services is looking for an Executive Chef in Northbrook, Illinois, responsible for supervising and training kitchen staff while maintaining quality and safety standards in food preparation. The ideal candidate has over 7 years of experience in culinary roles and a strong understanding of food safety regulations.

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 403(b) plan with a 3% employer match, and paid time off. Salary ranges from $67,295 to $93,610 annually.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; Culinary Arts degree preferred.
• Current sanitation certification required or to be obtained within 6 months.
• Safe Food Handling certification.

Responsibilities

• Supervises kitchen staff in preparation and service of all food.
• Trains chefs in culinary skills and monitors performance.
• Ensures compliance with HACCP and other regulations.

Skills

Culinary mastery

Time management

Food safety knowledge

Staff management

Education

High school diploma

Culinary Arts degree

Tools

Inventory management software

Food service equipment

Job description

Job Overview

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. Contributes to account revenue and operating profit through implementation of services and creation of growth opportunities. 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 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 and 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 such as recipe substitutions.
• Orders food and equipment.
• Ensures that kitchen, equipment, storage facilities and dining room are sanitary, neat and organized.

Leading Staff

• Trains chefs in culinary skills and serves as a technical expert.
• Supervises day‑to‑day work activities by delegating authority, assigning and prioritizing tasks 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 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 by providing safety-related training and equipment maintenance and by ensuring compliance with safety and loss prevention programs and standards.
• Understands, complies with and promotes all policies regarding residents’ rights.
• Follows procedures for cleaners or hazardous materials, fire safety, and promptly reports any hazardous conditions, equipment, accidents and incidents.
• Follows the most current sanitation and food safety procedures including personal hygiene, temperature monitoring and documentation, 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 (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

• High school diploma required; Culinary Arts degree preferred.
• Required to have current and approved sanitation certification or obtain certification within 6 months of hire.
• Safe Food Handling certification.

Experience

• 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 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 think on feet and create, produce and deliver excellent product on the fly.
• Demonstrate knowledge of current culinary/market trends and creative food presentation.
• Highly organized and proficient in time management.
• Proficient with computers, online purchasing and inventory management, creating spreadsheets, checklists for cleaning, par level and food inventory.
• Excellent record of kitchen and staff management.
• Skilled in calculating figures and amounts, performing mathematical functions to meet business needs.
• Ability to communicate clearly with managers, kitchen and dining room staff and guests.
• 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, 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 such as 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. This estimate considers job‑related qualifications, experience, skills, education, geographic location and internal and external equity.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Employer‑paid group term life and disability
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and 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.