Culinary Services Director

INSIGHT LIVING•West Linn, OR

2d•$65,000 - $70,000

About The Position

The Culinary Services Director (CSD) is the department head responsible for the overall leadership, financial performance, culinary quality, hospitality, staffing, regulatory compliance, and day-to-day operation of Culinary Services. This is a hands-on working leadership position, with most working time spent actively supporting culinary operations through cooking, food preparation, training, coaching, and team development. Administrative responsibilities support, rather than replace, active operational leadership. The CSD is accountable for front-of-house and back-of-house operations, maintains a visible presence during meal periods, and steps into production and service as needed. The director leads daily culinary operations and the Culinary Services team, ensuring consistent meal quality, service, sanitation, and compliance. Responsibilities include team staffing and development; financial and operational performance; execution of the corporate menu program; resident engagement; coordination of special diets; food safety; administrative systems and reporting; community leadership; and purchasing, vendor, and equipment oversight.

Requirements

Minimum of 3–5 years of progressive culinary or food-service leadership experience.
Previous supervisory or management experience.
Demonstrated experience in hands-on food production, cooking, culinary training, and kitchen leadership.
Experience managing staffing, scheduling, food cost, labor, inventory, food safety, and daily culinary operations.
Strong culinary fundamentals and the ability to teach, coach, and develop the culinary skills of others.
Strong communication skills with residents, families, culinary team members, community leadership, and business partners.
Working knowledge of professional cooking techniques, food preparation, recipe execution, production planning, presentation, and kitchen organization.
Ability and willingness to cook and work alongside the culinary team regularly.
Ability to teach culinary techniques and translate company recipes and standards into consistent team execution.
Understanding of both front-of-house and back-of-house operations.
Understanding of food safety, sanitation, infection prevention, allergen management, and applicable regulatory requirements.
Ability to manage departmental budgets, labor, food costs, inventory, and operational performance.
Ability to analyze operational results and implement corrective action.
Ability to build, coach, develop, and hold culinary teams accountable.
Ability to manage operational and administrative priorities while maintaining a strong daily presence in the kitchen.
Commitment to hospitality and resident satisfaction.

Nice To Haves

Culinary degree or formal culinary education.
Senior living, healthcare, hospitality, or high-volume food-service leadership experience.

Responsibilities

Maintain a visible, hands-on presence in kitchen and dining operations, regularly assisting with preparation, cooking, plating, training, and meal service.
Demonstrate culinary techniques, recipe execution, presentation, sanitation, organization, and efficient kitchen workflow; coach team members during daily production.
Oversee daily culinary operations and ensure consistent meal quality, taste, presentation, recipes, portions, production, and service standards.
Lead, mentor, coach, and develop culinary employees, including cooks, sous chefs, servers, and dishwashers; provide training, feedback, evaluations, accountability, and growth opportunities.
Recruit, interview, onboard, schedule, train, and retain staff while maintaining staffing levels appropriate to operational needs and approved labor targets.
Develop the Sous Chef and emerging leaders to support succession and operational coverage.
Oversee front-of-house and back-of-house operations, including kitchen production, dining service, sanitation, dishwashing, opening and closing, and meal-period readiness.
Accommodate resident preferences and support excellent service for residents and guests; establish and maintain department-wide service expectations.
Manage departmental financial performance, including food and labor costs, productivity, overtime, inventory, purchasing, waste, operating expenses, maintenance, and budget compliance.
Review performance indicators and financial and operational results, identify trends and corrective actions, and maintain inventory while minimizing waste and unnecessary spending.
Execute the standardized corporate menu program, including approved seasonal rotations, resident feedback, dietary needs, recipes, portions, presentation, and production requirements.
Engage residents to gather feedback about food, menus, service, dietary needs, and dining satisfaction; respond to concerns and take corrective action.
Organize and participate in food preparation for special events, holidays, themed meals, and other culinary initiatives using approved resources and guidelines.
Coordinate with community leadership, clinical teams, residents, families, and dietitians to ensure dietary requirements are correctly followed.
Ensure accurate execution of therapeutic diets, texture modifications, food allergies, resident preferences, allergen procedures, cross-contact prevention, and resident-safety practices.
Lead food safety, sanitation, infection prevention, and regulatory compliance; maintain inspection readiness and ensure required documentation is completed.
Inspect kitchens, storage and dining areas, equipment, and sanitation practices; address concerns and ensure employees receive food-safety training and maintain required certifications.
Use company technology platforms for menus, recipes, production, ordering, inventory, financial tracking, food safety, POS, training, and reporting; ensure accurate, timely records and submissions.
Participate in the community leadership team, communicate regularly with the Executive Director, attend meetings and operational reviews, and raise challenges proactively.
Partner with other department heads to support community operations and resident experience.
Follow purchasing standards and use approved vendors, products, contracts, and programs; maintain appropriate ordering and inventory practices.
Monitor kitchen and dining equipment, report failures, and coordinate repairs through established procedures.