Culinary Lead

The Emily Program • Dunwoody, GA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Culinary Lead provides a positive, professional work environment and leads a culinary team in preparing high-quality, wholesome food that supports therapeutic meals for clients, staff, and guests. This position acts as shift lead when the Culinary Manager is absent, supporting ingredient provision, cooking, and catering operations where applicable. The Culinary Lead maintains kitchen, storage, and culinary spaces in accordance with nutrition and culinary policies, procedures, and regulatory sanitation and safety standards.

The role partners with the Culinary Manager to support efficient kitchen management, communicate personnel and performance concerns, and identify meal-planning challenges and solutions that meet clients’ therapeutic needs. When the Culinary Manager is absent, the Culinary Lead oversees food production and service, coordinates with the Dietetic Technician on dietary accommodations and prescribed meal plans, and represents culinary operations to staff, clients, vendors, and others. The position requires maintaining therapeutic boundaries with clients and their support communities and ensuring culinary employees adhere to HIPAA regulations.

The schedule includes rotating weekday and weekend shifts, holidays as assigned, and hours of 1:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The position is located at 41 Perimeter Center East, Dunwoody, GA 30346. The starting hourly pay range is $20–$24, with final compensation based on qualifications and experience.

Requirements

• Associate degree in culinary arts or culinary management, or a combination of similar education and experience.
• At least 3–5 years of cooking experience in a medium-volume kitchen.
• At least 1–2 years in a culinary leadership or management position.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Must be willing to travel to multiple sites for delivery of internal catered meals.
• ServSafe Manager Certification or ability to obtain it upon hire.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a healthcare, hospital, or mental health setting.
• Catering experience.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the culinary team in providing high-quality, wholesome food that supports the therapeutic supported-meal process for clients, staff, and guests.
• Act as shift lead in the Culinary Manager’s absence and support ingredient provision, cooking, and catering operations where applicable.
• Maintain kitchen, storage, and culinary spaces according to nutrition and culinary policies and procedures and regulatory sanitation and safety standards.
• Partner with the Culinary Manager to support efficient and functional kitchen management.
• Keep the Culinary Manager informed of personnel and performance issues.
• Work with the Culinary Manager to identify meal-planning challenges and propose solutions that meet clients’ therapeutic needs.
• In the Culinary Manager’s absence, oversee food production and service in accordance with the approved cycle menu and standardized recipes, including accurate food portioning.
• Partner with the Dietetic Technician to ensure meals and snacks meet dietary accommodations and prescribed meal-plan needs.
• Represent culinary operations to staff, clients, vendors, and culinary production and service teams.
• Maintain appropriate therapeutic boundaries with clients and their support communities and ensure culinary employees adhere to HIPAA regulations.
• Travel to multiple sites to deliver internally catered meals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Health insurance plans, including HSA and PPO options, with HSA or FSA options through Blue Cross Blue Shield.
• Dental insurance through Delta Dental.
• Vision insurance through EyeMed.
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Company-paid life insurance.
• 401(k) plan available two months after start date.
• Company 401(k) matching for up to 50% of the employee’s contribution, up to 6% of compensation.
• Paid time off that accrues annually and begins with the first whole pay period.
• Seven paid holidays and one floating holiday for eligible employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree