Culinary Specialist

The Culinary Specialist is an experienced, hands-on culinary leader who supports communities during Executive Chef vacancies, leadership transitions, new openings, and other periods of operational need. The Specialist quickly assesses culinary operations, stabilizes department performance, and ensures ESL’s culinary philosophy, hospitality standards, policies, and processes are consistently demonstrated.

Working in partnership with community and divisional leadership, the Culinary Specialist strengthens food quality, dining service, team performance, sanitation, regulatory compliance, purchasing, inventory management, and financial results while preparing the department for a successful transition to permanent leadership.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following essential functions are fundamental job duties of the position and are to be performed with or without appropriate reasonable accommodation(s).

Interim Leadership and Department Stabilization

• Provide temporary day-to-day leadership of a culinary department during Executive Chef vacancies, leaves, leadership transitions, new openings, or other operational needs.
• Assess food quality, dining service, sanitation, staffing, scheduling, purchasing, inventory, food and labor costs, resident satisfaction, and regulatory compliance.
• Identify immediate risks and resource needs and develop prioritized action plans with the Executive Director and designated culinary or divisional leader.
• Establish clear operating procedures, communication practices, performance expectations, and accountability for front-of-house and back-of-house teams.
• Provide regular progress updates, including accomplishments, unresolved concerns, financial performance, and recommendations.
• Maintain effective operations until permanent leadership is hired and provide a documented transition plan, onboarding, training, and support to the incoming Executive Chef.
• Adapt to each community while consistently applying ESL’s culinary standards, hospitality expectations, policies, and processes.

Culinary Operations and Quality

• Lead daily kitchen and dining operations while serving in an interim Executive Chef capacity.
• Ensure meals are prepared, presented, stored, and served according to ESL standards and applicable health and food-safety requirements.
• Evaluate food quality, taste, consistency, presentation, portioning, service timing, cleanliness, and overall dining-room execution.
• Ensure front-of-house and back-of-house teams work together to provide a consistent and elevated dining experience.
• Maintain appropriate sanitation, temperature, storage, labeling, cleaning, equipment, and documentation practices.
• Provide hands-on support in kitchen and dining operations when needed, including the ability to support various culinary stations.
• Identify inefficient processes and implement practical improvements that can be maintained after the assignment concludes.

Team Member Leadership and Development

• Assess staffing levels, team capabilities, schedules, communication practices, and department culture.
• Participate in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, scheduling, coaching, counseling, performance management, and retention efforts.
• Provide hands-on training in culinary techniques, food safety, sanitation, service standards, hospitality, and department procedures.
• Lead department meetings, shift communications, and required in-services.
• Strengthen communication and collaboration between kitchen and dining teams.
• Model servant leadership by maintaining a visible presence, supporting the team during service, and promoting a positive, accountable, and resident-focused culture.

Financial Purchasing and Inventory Management

• Manage department performance against approved food, supply, and…