EXECUTIVE CHEF

Job Details: Job Location: Dameron Hospital - Stockton, CA, Position Type: Full Time, Salary Range: $36.00 - $42.00Hourly, Job Shift: Day, POSITION SUMMARY: The Executive Chef is a key leader in the Food & Nutrition Services Department and is responsible for all culinary operations at Dameron Hospital, including patient tray service, the retail café, and catering. Working under the Food Services Director and alongside the Clinical Nutrition Manager and Registered Dietitians, the Executive Chef sets the standard for food quality, safety, and presentation for patients, staff, and visitors, while managing costs efficiently and building a strong kitchen team. This is a hands-on leadership role. The Executive Chef leads menu development, directs daily production, and mentors and develops the culinary team and works alongside staff on the line when needed. The right person brings culinary skill and operational discipline and understands the role food plays in patient health and recovery. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION Culinary Operations & Production Direct day-to-day kitchen operations for patient tray services, the retail café, and catering, including production, service and sanitation. Lead the production process, including forecasting, production sheets, and consistent use of standardized recipes, portion control, plating and tray presentation standards. Maintain scratch-cooking standards, emphasizing fresh, seasonal ingredients and quality presentation. Coordinate cook coverage across the AM, mid, and PM shifts with the Lead Cook and FNS Supervisors so patient meal periods, café service, and catering orders are ready on time. Work alongside the team on the line as needed; taste products and check trays and café items for quality, temperature, and accuracy before service. Oversee the care and cleaning of kitchen equipment; report repairs to Facilities and put workarounds in place so service continues during equipment failures. Menu Development & Clinical Nutrition Build and execute menus with the Clinical Nutrition Manager / Lead RD and dietitians that meet therapeutic diet requirements (cardiac, renal, diabetic, texture-modified/IDDSI, allergen-free, and others). Make sure therapeutic and modified diets are prepared and served as ordered, with dietitian consultation, and that culinary staff know the approved substitutions. Make sure patient meals are nutritionally appropriate, comforting, and culturally relevant to the community Dameron serves. Maintain standardized recipes, menu items, and allergen and nutrition information in the diet office / menu management system (currently DFM) so patient orders, tray tickets, and food labels are accurate. Refresh café and catering menus to keep up with trends, seasonality, and customer feedback. Make sure menus are written and posted in advance and that menus as served are kept on file, as required by California Title 22 Food Safety & Compliance Maintain the HACCP program, food safety logs, temperature controls, labeling and dating, and sanitation standards. Keep the kitchen survey-ready at all times for The Joint Commission, CDPH, CMS, and county Environmental Health; take part in surveys and inspections and complete corrective action plans. Follow all Dameron Hospital policies and applicable regulations, including the CMS Conditions of Participation for food and dietetic services (42 CFR 482.28) and California Title 22 dietetic service requirements. Enforce safe receiving, storage, and rotation (FIFO) practices, allergen controls, chemical safety (SDS), hand hygiene, and infection prevention practices. Conduct routine kitchen sanitation audits and report results through the department's quality and performance improvement program. Protect patient information seen in diet orders, allergy lists, and tray tickets in line with HIPAA and hospital confidentiality policies. Financial Management, Purchasing & Inventory Manage food and labor costs to budget, including purchasing, vendor relations, receiving, inventory, and waste reduction. Keep purchasing aligned with contract and GPO requirements; check deliveries for quality, quantity, pricing, and credits. Direct the procurement and receiving function, including par levels, ordering, storeroom organization, and month-end inventory. Track food cost, production waste, café and catering performance, and labor productivity, and recommend improvements to the Food Services Director. Leadership & Team Development Hire, train, schedule, coach, and evaluate cooks and culinary staff, including the Lead Cook, cooks, catering, procurement, and dishwashers. Build schedules that cover seven-day operations and absorb PTO and call-offs, using per diem staff where available. Develop the Lead Cook and senior cooks into future leaders, and make sure a senior cook is designated to lead production when the Lead Cook is off (for example, on weekends). Complete orientation, annual competencies, and required training for culinary staff (food safety, knife and equipment safety, therapeutic diets, and allergen handling). Encourage a respectful, safe, service-focused kitchen culture and hold staff to Dameron's policies and standards. Collaboration & Customer Service Work closely with hospital leadership, nursing, and patient experience teams. Partner with FNS Supervisors, the Patient Service Lead, and Dietary Aides on tray line accuracy, meal delivery times, and late or special trays. Track patient and customer satisfaction and follow up on feedback. Support special events, physician and board catering, and hospital initiatives. Emergency Preparedness Maintain the emergency food and water supply and disaster menus, rotating stock before it expires. Take part in emergency preparedness drills and lead kitchen operations during system downtime, surge, or disaster events. Other Perform other duties as assigned Human Resources/Performance Improvement / Information Management Maintains awareness and participates in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) to ensure a safe patient environment. Attends and actively participates in team conferences and staff meetings, as assigned. Participates actively in orientation of new employees and on-the-job training of assigned personnel, as assigned. Adheres to all Dameron Hospital Association policies and procedures including but not limited to, the hospital Code of Conduct and Corporate Compliance Program, safety rules, Joint Commission standards, California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regulations and any other regulatory agency. Provides methodology for dissemination of information providing opportunities for discussions of division problems, and orientation of new projects or procedures, as assigned. Performs all tasks demonstrating service excellence to both staff and customers. Demonstrates, supports, and models the mission, vision, values and code of conduct for Dameron Hospital Association. Communicates appropriately and effectively to support the department mission. NON-ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Willingly perform other duties as assigned or requested. Qualifications: POSITION QUALIFICATIONS Education Culinary degree or college degree preferred Experience 5-7 years of progressive culinary and kitchen management experience, with the exact amount depending on formal culinary training or degree; including three (3) years as an Executive Chef or in senior culinary leadership Hands-on scratch-cooking experience is required Healthcare or other high-volume, complex food service experience is strongly preferred Licenses & Certifications Current ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification or the ability to obtain within 30 days of hire Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Working knowledge of therapeutic and texture-modified (IDDSI) diets, food allergens, HACCP, food cost control, and sanitation Familiarity with healthcare compliance standards (The Joint Commission, CMS, CDPH) and patient-centered service delivery Proven ability to lead teams, manage operations, and uphold high standards Strong leadership, communication, and computer skills. Experience with food management systems such as DFM or CBORD is a plus A service-oriented mindset and a desire to make an impact through food Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus #J-18808-Ljbffr