An Executive Chef holds a position at the very top of the kitchen management structure. Executive chefs are often responsible for the operation of multiple outlets of food service. Usually larger establishments have an executive chef, and it is primarily for a management role rather than manual cooking.
The Culinary Operations Manager of Akron Children's Hospital functions as the primary culinary leader for all Food Service operations throughout the enterprise. Key responsibilities include enterprise culinary leadership across food safety and HACCP oversight, menu and product strategy, production planning, food quality standards, and departmental food purchasing operations.
Responsibilities:
1. Provides enterprise culinary leadership by planning, directing, and overseeing all kitchen and food production operations across Food & Nutrition Services. 2. Develops and maintains menus, recipes, and production standards to ensure food quality, consistency, nutritional alignment, and customer satisfaction. 3. Leads food safety and regulatory compliance, including HACCP plans, ServSafe standards, allergen management, and adherence to all local, state, and federal regulations. 4. Manages department financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, expense control, and alignment with business and strategic goals. 5. Oversees food purchasing and specifications, including vendor selection, product standards, and collaboration with leadership on sourcing decisions. 6. Ensures proper use, maintenance, and repair of kitchen equipment, coordinating work orders and facility needs as appropriate. 7. Supports people leadership and performance management by coaching managers, assessing culinary competencies, supporting corrective action plans, and participating in performance evaluations. 8. Leads development and execution of retail food concepts, ensuring offerings align with customer needs, business plans, and budgetary parameters. 9. Monitors and enforces food quality standards using sales trends, menu performance, and customer and patient feedback to guide continuous improvement. 10. Partners with Clinical Nutrition to incorporate healthy eating principles into patient menus and retail food operations. 11. Other duties as required. Technical Expertise 1. Experience in culinary operations across high-volume or complex food service environments required. 2. Experience in food presentation, menu development, purchasing, and inventory control required. 3. Experience in short-order cooking and room service operations in restaurants, hospitals, or comparable settings required. 4. Experience in creative menu design and culinary innovation required. 5. Experience in quantity or large-batch food production required. 6. Experience working effectively with stakeholders at all organizational levels required. 7. Healthcare food service experience preferred. 8. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Excel, Word) or comparable software tools required Other information: Technical Expertise Experience in Culinary is required. Experience in food presentation, menu development, purchasing, and inventory control is required. Experience in short order cooking, preparation for room service such as restaurants, other hospital room service experience is required. Experience in creative cooking and design experience is required. Experience in quantity cooking is required. Experience working with all levels within an organization is required. Experience in healthcare is preferred. Proficiency in MS Office [Outlook, Excel, Word] or similar software is required. Education and Experience 1.
Education:
Associate degree in Culinary Arts with a minimum of three (3) years of relevant culinary or food service experience required. A bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts is preferred. A bachelor's degree in Hospitality, Business, or a related field may also be accepted with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant culinary or food service experience. 2.
Certification:
ServSafe is required. Certified Executive Chef (CEC) or Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC) preferred 3.
Years of relevant experience:
3 required. 4.
Years of experience supervising:
3 years is required. 5. Possesses a valid State driver's license and ability to obtain and maintain insurability as determined by the ACH insurance carrier's requirements. 6. An annual physical is required to be completed with the Akron Children's Hospital Employee Health Department.
