Corporate Executive Chef

Creative Dining Services•Zeeland, MI

4h•Hybrid

About The Position

At Creative Dining Services, food is how we connect people, inspire communities, and elevate experiences. As our Corporate Executive Chef for Colleges & Universities, you’ll be the architect of culinary excellence, building scalable standards and systems that support strong performance while empowering local teams to execute with pride and creativity. This is a highly visible, hands‑on leadership role for a seasoned culinary professional who thrives on influence and impact. With approximately 75% travel, the role is designed for someone located near a major national airport who loves being on the move, mentoring chefs, jumping into kitchens, and championing consistency and creativity across campus dining operations.

Requirements

Culinary Arts degree (or related) and 10+ years of progressive culinary experience.
Experience in higher education and across multiple sectors preferred.
Proven ability to lead culinary operations at scale with strong financial acumen (food cost, labor, pricing, forecasting)
Deep understanding of hospitality operations, guest experience, and evolving consumer trends
Exceptional coaching and teaching skills with an eye for detail and consistency
Strong analytical mindset with ability to assess systems, workflows, and performance
Proficiency with MS Office, recipe management systems, and business software
ServSafe and allergen certifications
Valid driver’s license and comfort with frequent travel

Nice To Haves

Experience in higher education and across multiple sectors preferred.

Responsibilities

Champion and uphold enterprise-wide culinary standards, food safety practices, and quality expectations across all locations
Serve as the culinary subject matter expert to guide technique, flavor profiles, sustainable sourcing, and wellness‑focused solutions
Travel regularly to client accounts, ensuring concepts are executed with precision and brand integrity
Partner with operations teams to improve ordering, prep, production efficiency, and cost controls
Diagnose culinary and operational challenges, create corrective action plans, and deliver hands‑on training
Provide leadership and support for high‑profile catering events and special initiatives
Contribute to enterprise‑wide menu planning that balances consistency, scalability, and market relevance
Develop, test, and standardize new recipes that drive guest satisfaction and sales
Design and evaluate new dining concepts, including presentation standards and production workflows
Collaborate on redesigns of existing venues and launches of new food concepts
Play a key role in new business development, start‑ups, and openings from sales discovery through post-launch
Build culinary strategies for assigned market segments, identifying capability gaps and growth opportunities
Create innovative culinary plans that enhance client engagement, employee satisfaction, and brand differentiation
Deliver culinary training, demonstrations, and hands‑on coaching nationwide
Develop chefs and field teams in culinary fundamentals, retail trends, and emerging food innovations
Mentor incumbent chefs and support Certified Sous Chef Apprentices through the American Culinary Federation partnership
Partner with Marketing to develop culinary standards guides and maintain brand consistency
Work closely with Operations and shared services to ensure adoption of systems, tools, and best practices
Align culinary strategies with organizational goals and client commitments