Executive Chef, Traveling Support

Compass Group USA; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Benefit Package

Job summary

Compass Group USA is seeking a Traveling Support Executive Chef to provide hands-on culinary leadership across a portfolio of accounts. The role reports to the Regional VP and supports transitions, openings, and operational challenges in diverse environments.

You will elevate food quality, mentor culinary teams, and reinforce standards while traveling extensively to meet business needs. A chef with proven multi-site leadership and strong food-safety knowledge will thrive here.

Qualifications

• Experience leading culinary operations in high-volume settings.
• Experience supporting leadership transitions and multi-site launches.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP, and kitchen operations management.
• Ability to travel extensively and manage across accounts.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive chef leadership and operational support across multiple accounts during transitions, openings, or critical needs.
• Assess kitchen operations and implement practical solutions to improve food quality, consistency, and guest satisfaction.
• Champion culinary excellence with high standards for food quality, presentation, and dining experiences.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, HACCP, allergen management, and regulatory requirements.
• Support new account openings, including kitchen readiness, menu implementation, and team training.
• Mentor chefs and culinary teams through coaching and hands-on leadership.
• Contribute to culinary standards, recipes, and training resources across the portfolio.
• Build strong client and operations relationships and promote a collaborative culture.

Skills

Executive chef leadership

High-volume operations

Food safety HACCP

Leadership across transitions

Multi-site operations

Travel readiness

Strong communication

Cost management

Education

ServSafe Manager Certification

Certified Executive Chef (CEC)

Job description

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Position Title: Executive Chef, Traveling Support

Other Forms of Compensation: Comprehensive Benefit Package

Our Passion is Food!
At Bon Appetit Management Company we are committed to two things, great food and outstanding service! At Bon Appetit you won't find our managers referring to a corporate recipe book or our chefs microwaving the lunch special. We do not have standardized recipes or central commissaries, instead, our chefs and managers are expected to stay abreast of current culinary trends and bring cutting edge food into their cafes. We are a restaurant company that operates in contract food service. That means you will have the freedom to be creative, take risks, and truly shine. We are committed to our staff growing, trying new things, and learning all that they can. Our rapid growth and breadth of accounts translates into exciting opportunities for our people!

Job Summary

The Traveling Support Executive Chef is a hands-on culinary leader who provides executive chef-level support across a portfolio of accounts. Reporting to the Regional Vice President, this role is deployed to locations experiencing leadership transitions, new openings, operational challenges, business growth, or other situations requiring experienced culinary leadership.

Success in this role comes from the ability to quickly assess operations, build trust with teams, strengthen culinary execution, and create stability in diverse environments. The Traveling Support Executive Chef partners closely with culinary and operations teams to elevate food quality, support team development, reinforce operational standards, and deliver exceptional guest experiences.

This position is ideal for a chef who enjoys variety, thrives in dynamic environments, and is energized by helping teams achieve their full potential.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide executive chef leadership and operational support across multiple accounts during leadership transitions, staffing gaps, new openings, and other business-critical needs.
• Assess kitchen operations and implement practical solutions that improve food quality, consistency, efficiency, and guest satisfaction.
• Champion culinary excellence by maintaining high standards for food quality, presentation, recipe execution, and dining experiences.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, HACCP, allergen management, and regulatory requirements while promoting a culture of accountability and safety.
• Support new account openings, including kitchen readiness, menu implementation, team training, operational setup, and launch execution.
• Partner with culinary and operations leaders to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Support food cost management, inventory controls, purchasing practices, and waste reduction initiatives that contribute to financial performance.
• Mentor and develop chefs, managers, and culinary team members through coaching, training, and hands‑on leadership.
• Contribute to culinary innovation, recipe development, standard operating procedures, and training resources that support consistency across the portfolio.
• Build strong relationships with clients, operational leaders, and culinary teams while fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture.
• Travel extensively to support locations across the region and portfolio as business needs require.

What We're Looking For

• Experience leading culinary operations in high-volume foodservice, hospitality, restaurant, catering, or contract dining environments.
• Demonstrated success as an Executive Chef or comparable culinary leader.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP principles, and kitchen operations management.
• Experience supporting operational improvement initiatives, leadership transitions, or multi-unit foodservice environments.
• Ability to quickly assess challenges, prioritize effectively, and implement solutions in fast-paced environments.
• Strong communication, relationship‑building, and coaching skills.
• Financial acumen with experience managing food cost, purchasing, inventory, and labor considerations.
• Ability to travel extensively, approximately 85% of the time.
• Residence within reasonable commuting distance of a major airport.
• Experience supporting new account openings, renovations, or culinary program launches.
• Background in corporate dining, hospitality, higher education, restaurant, or contract foodservice environments.
• Experience working across multiple culinary concepts and service models.
• ServSafe Manager Certification, Certified Executive Chef (CEC), or similar professional credential.
• Experience developing culinary standards, training programs, recipes, or operational tools.

Bon Appetit is a member of Compass Group USA.

Associates at Bon Appetit are offered many fantastic benefits.

• Medical
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Personal Leave

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Bon Appetit maintains a drug-free workplace.