Chef Manager - Retail Operations

Creative Dining Services•Grand Rapids, MI

About The Position

Creative Dining Services is looking for a Chef Manager to lead and elevate our growing retail portfolio. This is a rare opportunity to shape the culinary identify of an exciting and expanding dining program - driving sales, inspiring creativity, and delivering exceptional guest experience across our West Campus retail locations. As the culinary leader for retail operations, the Chef Manager ensures that our teams work professionally and collaboratively, while producing outstanding results in a fiscally responsible manner. This role is central to strengthening our retail sales portfolio and supporting the continued growth of our ready-to-eat and micro-market programs. Come lead a retail culinary program where creativity, consistency, and customer satisfaction come together! You will provide hands-on culinary leadership and strategic oversight across a diverse and vibrant set of retail venues including: Peet's Coffee - A specialty coffee & Cafe operation Johnny's - A short order cooking restaurant/retail/breakfast Grab & Go - Fresh grab-and-go programming Concessions - Campus-wide concessions menus FoodSpot - Automated vending and smart retail Meal Equivalencies - Flexible meal plan integration.

Requirements

Culinary degree or equivalent professional experience
Proven leadership in retail or multi-unit food service
Strong menu development and food costing skills
Passion for hospitality and guest experience
Experience with sales strategy and revenue growth
Excellent communication and team-building ability
Strong knowledge of food safety regulations and standards.
Collaborative spirit and growth mindset.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Retail Manager to execute culinary objectives and drive measurable sales growth across all retail locations.
Lead menu development, food quality standards, and culinary innovation across Peet's, Johnny's, grab-and-go, and concessions outlets.
Develop and diversity sales strategies to strengthen the retail portfolio and maximize revenue potential.
Implement OKRs and performance metrics to track success and drive continuous improvement
Support FoodSpot vending and automated retail initiatives with thoughtful, high-quality menu curation
Ensure food safety, sanitation, and quality standards are consistently upheld across all retail areas.
Collaborate with and report to the West Campus Director, with full support from the Executive Chef team
Champion a culture of creativity, hospitality, and culinary excellence across the entire retail team.
Trains and develops retail culinary staff to ensure maximum productivity, strong sanitation practices, and high morale. Develops and maintains systems to measure and evaluate personnel in compliance with company policy and applicable laws.
Oversees all phases of employment process, scheduling, timekeeping, and performance management for retail culinary members.
Ensures adherence to company and account purchasing policies; through correct menu planning, receiving, storage, and production, maximizes utilization of company resources while maintaining qualify specifications and sustainability efforts.