Executive Chef

Job Type


Full-time

Description

PURPOSE/SUMMARY

The Executive Chef EL/IL is responsible for leading the Enriched Living and Inspired Living culinary operation with a resident-centered, hospitality-forward, and compliance-minded approach. This role ensures meals are safe, consistent, attractive, nutritionally appropriate, and aligned with resident preferences, physician diet orders, company standards, regulatory expectations, and Holbrook's elevated dining culture.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Area of Responsibility - Essential Functions

• Lead daily EL/IL kitchen operations, including production, texture-modified needs, diet preferences, dining service support, snacks, special events, resident programming, and family-facing hospitality.

• Ensure meals are prepared and served according to approved menus, resident preferences, physician orders, diet needs, allergens, texture requirements, and company standards.

• Partner with Wellness, nursing, dining leadership, and the General Manager to ensure resident dietary needs, dignity, confidentiality, and resident rights are protected.

• Maintain accurate diet communication, resident preference systems, tray/service accuracy, nourishment standards, food committee follow-up, and written records for concerns or grievances.

• Maintain a holistic approach to resident dining, including no added salt, no concentrated sweets, mechanical soft, texture-modified items, hydration, snacks, and resident-specific accommodations as directed.

• Ensure consistent food quality, plate presentation, temperature control, flavor, freshness, and appetizing appearance across EL and IL service periods.

• Maintain strong sanitation, infection control, Universal Precautions, food safety, cleaning, labeling, dating, cooling, reheating, storage, and HACCP standards.

• Use approved menu tools, production sheets, ordering systems, spenddown controls, TOAST/technology resources where applicable, and operational data to manage consistency and cost.

• Inspect storage rooms, utility rooms, walk-ins, freezers, dry storage, equipment, smallwares, production areas, and service areas to ensure inspection readiness.

• Manage vendor quality, receiving, substitutions, local product opportunities, inventory levels, credits, and product availability to maintain service without interruption.

• Attend and participate in community meetings, resident food committees, QA meetings, care-related discussions as appropriate, and leadership meetings.

Area of Responsibility - Human Resources

• Recruit, hire, train, schedule, supervise, coach, document, and develop EL/IL culinary and dietary team members.

• Train team members on resident dignity, confidentiality, infection control, diet communication, allergy awareness, sanitation, proper service standards, and kitchen professionalism.

• Delegate authority appropriately to ensure daily dietary services continue without interruption during absences, call-outs, vacations, holidays, and special events.

• Hold team members accountable for attendance, production accuracy, resident service, cleaning standards, communication, and safe food handling.

Area of Responsibility - Administration

• Purchase food, supplies, equipment, and smallwares according to budget, approved vendors, quality standards, and company purchasing expectations.

• Manage food cost, labor cost, spenddown, ordering, inventory, waste, controllable expenses, credits, and financial documentation.

• Maintain required documentation, including diet records, temperature logs, cleaning logs, production records, staff training, schedules, resident concern follow-up, and regulatory readiness materials.

• Recommend operational improvements, menu refinements, equipment needs, staffing changes, and resident experience enhancements to leadership.

Requirements

Position Requirements:

• Minimum of 5 years of related culinary or dietary leadership experience, preferably in senior living, healthcare, hotel, club, or high-volume hospitality operations.

• Strong cooking proficiency, production planning, knife skills, recipe execution, and ability to train all stations at a high level.

• ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification required or ability to obtain within company-required timeframe.

• Knowledge of resident diets, allergens, texture-modified foods, sanitation, infection control, food safety, and regulatory expectations preferred.

• Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English.

• Patience, tact, enthusiasm, hospitality, and a positive attitude toward older adults, residents with changing needs, families, and team members.

• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office, ordering tools, scheduling systems, and culinary documentation systems.

• Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and financial management skills.

• Ability to work calmly under pressure while maintaining compassion, urgency, and professional standards.

COMPETENCIES

• Building Trust

• Collaboration

• Communication

• Delivering Results

• Problem Solving

• Taking Initiative

• Service to Others / Resident and Guest Focus

• Personal Accountability

• Operational Excellence

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to walk, sit, stand, reach, bend, stoop, push, pull, and safely lift up to 50 lbs.

• Must be able to work in hot, cold, wet, and fast-paced kitchen environments for extended periods.

• Must be able to use hands, arms, and manual dexterity to operate kitchen tools, equipment, and service items safely.

• Must be able to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events as business needs require.