Lead Cook

Watermark Retirement Communities, Inc; Oceanside (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Great benefits

Excellent national and regional care

Great opportunity to grow with a large

Extraordinary company culture

Job summary

Watermark Retirement Communities, Inc. is seeking a dining services leader to oversee the full operation of our dining program within a senior living community.

You will train and mentor dining services staff, supervise back-of-house and front-of-house activities, and strive to deliver a five-star dining experience for residents. Candidates should have 3–5 years line cook experience in a full-service restaurant, a high school diploma, knowledge of culinary techniques and food safety, and a track

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of line cook experience in a full-service restaurant.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Knowledge of culinary techniques and food sanitation.
• Ability to supervise and coordinate with others.
• Outstanding customer service experience.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Train and mentor dining services staff.
• Supervise back-of-house and front-of-house operations.
• Maintain high resident satisfaction.
• Ensure food safety and quality standards.

Skills

Line cook experience

Supervising others

Customer service excellence

Organizational skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

At Watermark Retirement Communities, we've been a trusted leader in senior living for over 30 years, driven by our commitment to building an innovative, compassionate culture for both residents and associates. When you step into one of our communities, you’ll immediately feel the difference—a genuine atmosphere of connection, care, and belonging. We call it "Creating Ripples".

Join our forward-thinking team where every day you’re empowered to slow down, find purpose in each moment, and make meaningful impacts that ripple across lives. At Watermark, we celebrate life, stories, and the incredible human connections that make us stronger together. We take pride in our talented, compassionate associates and value the unique contributions each person brings. Be part of something bigger — help us shape culture, one story at a time.

We are looking for the individual that believes the dining experience for our residents would nourish their souls! For us this is about running a finely tuned operation that would be the envy of any 5-star restaurant. In this position you will train and mentor the dining services talent, run a smooth back of the house and front of the house and keep resident satisfaction high.

If you have experience in food service management, you are looking for a career opportunity in an industry that provides amazing services for our senior population then we would like to meet you!

What you will need for this position:

• 3-5 years prior experience as a line cook in a full service restaurant, preferred
• Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent
• Must have knowledge of proper culinary techniques and food sanitation and safety
• Must have the ability to supervise and coordinate with others
• Outstanding customer service experience
• Good organizational skills and ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

What you can expect from us:

• Great benefits
• Excellent national and regional support
• Great opportunity to grow with a growing senior housing company
• An extraordinary company culture

Watermark Retirement Communities, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran/LBGTQ – proudly embracing diversity in all of its manifestations.

Watermark Retirement Communities, Inc. is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by search firms to any associate at Watermark or its affiliates via-email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of Watermark Retirement Communities, Inc. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Watermark as a result of the referral or through other means.