Executive Chef, Production

Home Chef; Bedford Park (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401k program

Paid holidays

Job summary

Home Chef is seeking a culinary production expert to lead kitchen operations for the Tempo Ready to Heat brand. You will oversee mass production quality, train and develop a team, and collaborate with R&D on recipe improvements.

The role requires 6+ years in a commissary/high-volume kitchen, strong food safety knowledge, and hands-on leadership. Travel about 5% may be required; base salary offered with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in a commissary kitchen with high-volume food prep.
• High school diploma or GED required.
• ACF chef certification preferred.
• Familiar with USDA/FDA guidelines.
• Knowledge of HACCP, FSMA, SQF and USDA regulations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee product quality in a mass production kitchen.
• Train, coach and develop sous chef staff with weekly sessions.
• Collaborate with R&D chefs on recipe improvements.
• Document lot information, CCPs and sensory results; sign production sheets.

Skills

High-volume kitchen operations

Team leadership

Food safety standards

Quality control

Project coordination

Education

High School Diploma or GED

American Culinary Federation chef certification preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are.

In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo ! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved.

Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We’re eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next-level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef’s offerings.

We are seeking a culinary production expert to lead kitchen operations for Home Chef’s Ready to Heat brand, Tempo. The ideal candidate will have strong attention to detail, an obsession with providing customers the highest-possible quality meals, and the ability to train and lead a team of associates to be able to consistently execute the culinary vision.

Detailed Responsibilities

Oversee product quality in a mass production kitchen

• Validate consistent, premium taste, appearance, and performance of every meal leaving our high-volume kitchen
• Implement and adhere to gold standards of food quality and food safety
• Prepare weekly cook schedules and review/approve payroll in collaboration with HR
• Consistently maintain standards of quality, cost, eye appeal, and flavor of foods
• Check all processes before production time and inspect the presentation of food items to ensure quality standards are met
• Coordinate with RTH production manager to ensure all ingredients are available when needed

Train and lead team members through the prep, cooking, and cooling processes

• Train, coach, and develop sous chef staff, including weekly 1:1 sessions for their growth and development
• Supervise, evaluate, and train employees, ensure sanitation and safety, menu planning, and related production activities
• Develop training programs and provide professional development opportunities for all kitchen staff

Work with Corporate R&D chefs on ingredient and menu continuous improvement opportunities

• Ensure the execution of new recipes, training and oversight of kitchen staff to implement new recipes, and collaborate with the R&D team to improve existing recipes
• Attend weekly meetings with R&D chefs in order to give feedback on recipes or ingredient specifications
• Review meal ratings weekly and assess areas for performance improvement

Documentation and Progress Tracking

• Ensure proper documentation and record keeping of lot information, CCP’s, sensory results, and yieldsSign off on Assembly Production Sheets, ensuring that meal plating is visually appealing
• Ensure batches are properly recorded in Progress Tracker

This position requires 5% travel.

Qualifications

• 6+ years’ experience in a commissary kitchen and high-volume food preparation
• High School Diploma or GED or related work experience
• American Culinary Federation chef certification preferred
• Fluent in Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications
• Familiarity with USDA/FDA guidelines
• Skills in planning, organizing, prioritizing, and executing projects and activities
• Passion for helping people achieve their goals and improve themselves
• Knowledge of HACCP, FSMA, SQF, and USDA regulations

More About Us

Perks and Benefits

• Candidates can experience Home Chef as a customer - enter promo code PEOPLE30 for $30 off your first order!
• Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance available
• Paid holidays, sick time and vacation time
• 401k program
• Flexible spending accounts for qualified medical, dependent care, parking, or transit expenses

How We Work Together

We are humble team players.
We are warm and gracious with team members and customers. We seek feedback to improve ourselves - and respectfully listen to and accept input.

We are pragmatic next-level thinkers.
We come up with novel and unique ideas. We explore new strategies to avoid being constrained by conventional thinking.

We take ownership.
We approach ambiguous problems, prepared to dive in, get curious, and learn more. We are results-driven, always challenging ourselves to exceed goals.

We all show up authentically at Home Chef. Our team includes individuals with a variety of identities, backgrounds, and perspectives. You can trust that you’ll be able to bring your whole self to an inclusive and enjoyable workplace.

We welcome people of all races, colors, religions, national origin or ancestry, sex (including sexual identity), age, physical or mental disabilities, pregnancy, veteran or military status, unfavorable discharge from military service, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, order of protection status, citizenship status, arrest record or expunged/sealed convictions, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local law.

Home Chef is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Home Chef will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our People team at [e-mail] .

Home Chef offers the base salary range as posted below, with the exact offer depending on factors such as geographic location, experience, skills, and internal equity. While compensation is within the provided range, it is not typical for offers to be made at the upper end. In addition to base salary, Home Chef provides a comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare coverage, 401k match, and paid time off.