Culinary Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Culinary Manager
Department: Chef Program
Reports To: Director of Volunteer Services and External Relationships
FLSA Status: Exempt
Date Revised: August 2026

Job Purpose
The Culinary Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the kitchens and meal programs for the families served by Ronald McDonald House Atlanta. The Culinary Manager creates balanced menus and establishes nutritional and operational food standards, while executing an enjoyable and educational experience for meal volunteers.

This position plays a key role in cultivating relationships with meal volunteers, local resources, and restaurants to enhance our culinary program contributions to the Houses while maintaining consistent operations and adhering to nutrition goals, actual and expected guest counts, and all food safety and handling protocols. The Culinary Manager ensures compliance with local, state and federal laws, regulations, safety, and sanitation procedures.

In the absence of a meal group, the Culinary Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining a no-waste policy; establishing and implementing ‘grab-n-go’ meals for departing families, or for a future needed meal.

Working with the Director of Volunteer Services and External Relationships, this position will plan and execute all aspects of the Chef led meal program; including creating healthy and inclusive meals based on current guest family needs, providing cooking classes to educate and engage guest families, and leading additional cooking demonstration’s with meal donors during select times of the year.

Primary work hours are 11:00am – 7:30pm; this is an exempt position. Primary location, North Druid Hills House This position must be flexible and able to work weekend hours, when necessary.

Qualifications and Job Requirements
These requirements represent minimum levels to perform the job on a satisfactory basis. Employees must have the ability to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job.

• Associate degree or equivalent experience in culinary arts program management, food science, nutrition, or related area. Must have a broad range of professional experience.
• Believe in the core values of Ronald McDonald House Atlanta, and be driven by the mission.
• Minimum of two years’ experience working in a restaurant, health coaching, nutrition, food service, human services, health services, administration, or related field
• Extensive knowledge of health and safety rules and regulations of commercial food establishments including sanitation and maintenance regulations. Current SERVSAFE certification preferred.
• Ability to plan and prepare balanced meals. Understanding of nutrition, dietary restrictions, food costs, food sourcing, meal production, and planning.
• Ability to understand and manage budget.
• Partner with internal teams and outsourced culinary vendors to evaluate proposals and ensure event services are priced fairly and aligned with organizational standards.
• Ability to lead and instruct volunteers through a meal service; food safety and food preparation.
• Demonstrate a positive attitude toward guests, donors, volunteers, and others who come in contact with the House.
• Excellent communication, time management, problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and sound judgment.
• Must tactfully conduct oneself while working with families and volunteers to be successful in this position.
• Develop procedures used to order, receive, store, and inventory food and supplies.
• Maintain accurate schedules and records.
• Must be dependable, and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Flexibility in scheduling as evenings and/or weekends will be necessary.
• Enthusiasm for nutrition and wellness education, customer service, and human services.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with people from a variety of backgrounds, especially families in crisis.
• Demonstrate respect for the privacy and confidentiality of all guests.
• Experience in crisis management, ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Demonstrated initiative, decision-making, assertiveness skills, and resourcefulness.
• Responsible, dependable, flexible, organized, trustworthy, and able to function with minimal direct supervision.
• Team-oriented personality.
• Experience in training & collaborating with donors and volunteers preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills and empathy are required.
• Demonstrated ability to function effectively as a work team member.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing the differences in others, fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
• Experience with online scheduling, calendars, and social media related to meal programs.
• Ability to express ideas clearly, concisely, and logically; orally and in writing.
• Able to design, implement and assess a varied, structured program of group and individual activities.
• Working knowledge of computers with competency in Microsoft Office and database software.
• Able to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.

Essential Functions
• Work closely with the Director of Volunteer Services and External Relationships in all aspects of program development and implementation.
• Develop and execute a safe and healthy food service program that will deliver value for guests, volunteers and staff.
• Build and manage balanced menus with a focus on food transparency, demonstrating cultural sensitivity and equity.
• Knowledge of current guest families to create nutritional programs as well as assess feedback from Guest surveys to develop menus that honor allergy protocols, personal preferences, and various religious customs.
• Plan and direct the implementation of awareness and informational programs by networking with community for nutrition and wellness services.
• Create and arrange grocery needs, supply orders and deliveries.
• Maintain clean and organized kitchens, ensuring that all equipment is in proper working order and supply inventory is appropriate.
• Maintain pantries and kitchens; keeping kitchens organized and appropriately stocked.
• Develop and maintain a no waste policy; establish and implement ‘grab-n-go’ meals for
departing families or for a future needed meal.
• Develop and encourage nutritional meal menus suggestions to Legacy Meal Groups/ meal groups who choose to plan their meals.
• Work closely with Volunteer Services to provide coordination, direction, supervision and training to volunteer meal groups.
• Work closely with Volunteer Services to establish key meal volunteers to help support meal service and experience for donors.
• Oversee volunteers and meal groups to ensure they are creatively involved with the meal service.
• Manage and comply with Ronald McDonald House Global standards regarding food safety.
• Adhere to confidentiality standards and enforce all organizational, state, and federal regulations.
• Maintain records, work within established budgets, gather data and provide program evaluation reports regarding participation levels and all other relevant outcomes.
• Develop and manage meal program policies and procedures manual including COVID-19 protocols.
• Build relationships with food vendors to best manage expenditures.
• Stay current in the food service field by pursuing opportunities for professional development.
• Work with Volunteer Services, Operations and Development teams to develop and implement creative programming to meet the needs and expectations of A Ronald McDonald House Atlanta families and partners.

Physical Demands
• Visually inspect building/program locations for cleanliness and necessary repairs.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods.
• Ability to lift 40 lbs. and transport such weight from one location to another
• Ability to climb multiple levels of stairs and ladders.
• Ability to demonstrate and lead cooking related activities.
• Ability to recognize potential hazards/unsafe conditions and respond appropriately.
• Obtains and manage training certifications related to kitchens and culinary standards.
• Ability to observe and promote safety and security procedures.

Other Functions:
• Receive certification in Food Safety/SERVSAFE Manager Training immediately upon hire and manage staff and volunteers’ annual certifications required by the Department of Health.
• Provide cooking ‘classes’ to educate and engage in House families, and Meal Donors during select times of the year.
• Be able to articulate the mission and vision of the organization including the history and current statistics; give appropriate House tours, as needed.
• Promote community awareness of Ronald McDonald House Atlanta. Be an active and a supportive member of the Operations team; participating in meetings and related activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Disclaimer

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current position, management reserves the right to revise the position or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (i.e. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush job, or technological developments).

Reporting Responsibility

The Culinary Manager is directly responsible to the Director of Volunteer Services and External Relationships of Ronald McDonald House Atlanta and is evaluated annually.