Executive Chef - Senior Living

HumanGood; Los Altos (CA); On-site; USD 102,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental and Vision plans

Paid time off

401(k) with employer match

HSA option

Tuition Reimbursement

Cell phone plan

Cell phone stipend

Employee assistance program

Job summary

HumanGood is seeking an Executive Chef to lead culinary production at The Terraces at Los Altos, driving food quality, menu execution, and kitchen operations for residents across care levels.

The role partners with the Director of Dining Services to elevate dining with consistent culinary standards, strong presentation, resident feedback, and disciplined menu execution.

Qualifications

• Current ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification, Food Handler certification, or ability to obtain required certification within timeframe.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP principles, safe food handling, storage and safety requirements.
• Ability to supervise, coach, and direct culinary staff in a fast-paced service environment.
• Strong communication with residents, team members, managers, vendors, and other departments.
• Ability to use basic computer systems, menu software, ordering platforms, email, and standard business applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily culinary production and kitchen operations ensuring meals are prepared safely, accurately, and attractively.
• Establish and reinforce standards for quality, taste, freshness, temperature, doneness, presentation, and portion control.
• Supervise, schedule, train, coach, and evaluate culinary staff including sous chefs and cooks.
• Provide hands-on culinary leadership during meal periods, events, or shortages.

Skills

ServSafe certification

Food Handler certification

Staff supervision

Communication

Computer skills

Education

Culinary degree preferred

Tools

Menu software

Ordering platforms

Email / standard apps

POS systems

Job description

Description

At HumanGood, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to live their best life. As one of the largest nonprofit senior living housing providers in the U.S., we are dedicated to inspiring well‑being and purpose every day, for our residents and our team members.

We’re looking for an Executive Chef to lead culinary production and kitchen operations at The Terraces at Los Altos (TLA), a vibrant Life Plan Community known for its beautiful campus, engaged and accomplished residents, and culture of connection, well‑being, and lifelong purpose. This role is responsible for food quality, menu execution, presentation, sanitation, inventory practices, kitchen workflow, and supervision of assigned culinary and kitchen team members.

The Executive Chef partners with the Director of Dining Services to deliver a high‑quality, hospitality‑centered dining experience for residents across applicable levels of care. The role supports HumanGood’s efforts to elevate dining through consistent culinary standards, attractive food presentation, resident feedback, team development, and disciplined execution of menus, recipes, food safety requirements, and service expectations.

Pay Range

$102,000 - $125,000 annually depending on experience

Responsibilities

• Leads daily culinary production and kitchen operations to ensure meals are prepared safely, accurately, attractively, and consistently according to approved menus, recipes, portion guidelines, production standards, and resident dietary needs
• Establishes and reinforces standards for food quality, taste, freshness, temperature, doneness, presentation, garnish, portion control, and service readiness
• Supervises, schedules, trains, coaches, and evaluates assigned culinary and kitchen team members, including sous chefs, cooks, utility, dishwashing, storeroom, trayline, and related kitchen support staff
• Provides hands‑on culinary leadership when needed, including preparing, cooking, plating, garnishing, expediting, and supporting service execution during meal periods, special events, staffing shortages, or operational needs
• Plans and organizes daily production, including production sheets, recipe scaling, preparation timelines, leftovers utilization, future menu preparation, and coordination of kitchen workflow
• Partners with the Director of Dining Services on menu execution, purchasing, inventory control, labor planning, budget adherence, culinary standards, resident satisfaction, and dining experience improvement
• Collaborates with dining room leadership to support timing, plate presentation, communication, special requests, service recovery, and coordination between kitchen production and dining service
• Assists with recruitment, onboarding, performance management, corrective action, and retention of culinary team members in partnership with the Director of Dining Services and Human Resources

Required Qualifications

• Current ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification, Food Handler certification, or ability to obtain required certification within the timeframe required by the organization and applicable law
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP principles, safe food handling, temperature controls, storage practices, and commercial kitchen safety requirements
• Ability to supervise, coach, train, and direct culinary and kitchen staff in a fast‑paced service environment
• Ability to communicate effectively with residents, team members, managers, vendors, and other departments
• Ability to use basic computer systems, menu software, ordering platforms, email, and standard business applications

Preferred Qualifications

• Culinary degree preferred
• Three to five years of culinary management experience
• High volume production and catering experience is essential
• Experience in a Life Plan Community, continuing care retirement community, healthcare dining, or similar environment serving residents with varied dietary, nutritional, and service needs
• Desire to learn and grow with a top‑notch foodservice company

Benefits

• Health, Dental and Vision Plans (start the 1st of the month following your start date)
• 20 days of paid time off (increases with years of service), plus 7 company holidays
• 401(k) with up to 4% employer match and no waiting on funds to vest
• HSA option with employer contribution
• Tuition Reimbursement and continuing education programs
• $25/line unlimited cell phone plan (plus taxes and fees)
• Cell phone stipend
• 5-star employer-paid employee assistance program

At HumanGood, we’re driven by purpose—reimagining senior living and creating communities where older adults can thrive. When you join us, you’re part of something bigger, making a meaningful impact in the lives of residents every day. Build your future where you’re supported—you’ll have the total rewards you need to build a confident, secure life for you and your family. Count on a compensation package that maximizes your health, wealth and well‑being, and adds 40% in value to your base compensation.

And as team members support residents, HumanGood supports team members. Here, you'll have the benefits and compensation you need to build a secure life for your family, and real opportunities to grow in your career, gain leadership skills and develop personally. Join us. You'll make a difference by helping our team members and our residents realize their full human potential.

Learn more at www.HGcareers.org