Chief Operating Officer

Thomas Cuisine • Chicago, IL

12d

About The Position

We’ve built something special at Thomas Cuisine: an amazing culture, teams that care deeply, and a mission that actually means something. Our commitment to REAL food, genuine service, and enduring relationships isn’t just a tagline—it’s how we work. Now it’s time to scale. We’re looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) who can take our strong foundation and help us grow while staying true to who we are. You’ll lead a talented operations team across corporate dining, healthcare, senior living, education, and professional sports. You’ll also guide the development of scalable systems and help evolve our operating models to meet what’s next. This role is about building the right systems and playbooks—smart, scalable, and values-aligned—without turning us into something rigid or generic. We believe in structure and standards, but we also believe in flexibility, creativity, and doing what’s right for our people and those we serve. We’re looking for someone who thrives in complexity, leads with clarity, and brings energy and high expectations to the table. If you’re fired up about REAL food that fuels people and operations that scale with purpose, we want to meet you.

Requirements

• A multi-unit operations leader with 10+ years of experience in food service, hospitality, or contract services
• Comfortable in the boardroom, the kitchen, and the field
• A systems thinker who understands the balance between consistency and flexibility
• Financially fluent and results-driven, with a strong grasp of KPIs and P&Ls
• A creative problem-solver, who imagines solutions beyond what’s been done
• Passionate about food that nourishes and connects people
• A clear communicator who leads with both candor and respect
• A natural coach who develops talent and builds strong teams
• Excited by growth and ready to help shape what’s next
• Willing and able to travel 50-75% to support our teams and clients
• Ideally resides in one of our core markets: Boise ID, Salt Lake City UT, Denver CO, Dallas TX, San Francisco CA, Los Angeles CA, Seattle WA, Phoenix AZ, or Chicago IL

Responsibilities

• Oversee operations across our national footprint, ensuring consistency, quality, and exceptional experiences in every location through exceptional team and client relationships.
• Design and implement systems, tools, and processes that enable growth while protecting what makes Thomas Cuisine unique.
• Operationalize our REAL food values. Support culinary and procurement leaders to ensure these standards are reflected in every order guide, every dish, and every location.
• Lead innovation in how we serve. Develop new operating models and services that meet evolving client needs and create long-term value.
• Ensure our teams deliver consistently excellent food and service.
• Strengthen client relationships by showing up with solutions, follow-through, and care.
• Develop and support high-performing, mission-aligned operations leaders. Create a culture of excellence, accountability, and personal growth.
• Lead with discipline and data. Ensure operational decisions reflect strong financial management for both Thomas Cuisine and our client partners.
• Align our supply chain strategy, REAL food commitments, and operational practices.

Benefits

• We’re privately held, mission-driven, and growing with purpose.
• Our teams believe in REAL food, in building meaningful relationships, and in doing things the right way.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed