Director of Culinary Services

The Director of Culinary Services leads the dining experience across Independent Living Assisted Living and Memory Care providing culinary leadership operational excellence and cultural stewardship. This role ensures that dining is not only nutritious and safe but also meaningful engaging and reflective of each residents preferences traditions and lifestyle.

Living Life Together the Director of Culinary Services creates an environment where meals are moments of connection comfort and joy. By blending culinary expertise with hospitality and person-centered care this leader ensures residents feel at home respected and valued through every dining experience.

The Director of Culinary Services is responsible for overseeing kitchen operations team development and regulatory compliance while championing a culture where food nourishes both body and spirit.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Culinary Leadership & Whole-Person Dining:

Oversee all dining services to ensure meals are nutritious appealing and aligned with resident preferences and dietary needs.
Develop and implement menus that reflect resident tastes cultural traditions and seasonal variety while meeting nutritional and regulatory standards.
Partner with a Registered Dietitian to ensure dietary needs are met and continuously improved.
Maintain and develop standardized recipes to ensure consistency quality and ease of preparation.
Ensure snacks and hydration options are consistently available and support resident wellness.
Honor resident choice by adapting offerings based on feedback preferences and evolving needs.
Promote dining as an essential component of dignity independence and daily enjoyment.

Resident Experience & Purposeful Living:

Foster a dining environment that encourages connection conversation and community.
Lead efforts to make dining an engaging and meaningful experience-not just meal service.
Partner with Life Enrichment and Operations teams to support special events celebrations and themed dining experiences.
Actively engage with residents during meals to build relationships and understand their preferences.
Conduct and lead monthly food committee meetings ensuring resident voices shape the dining experience.
Ensure dining services support residents independence routines and personal choices.
Create moments of joy comfort and familiarity through food presentation service and atmosphere.
Reinforce that excellent dining and exceptional resident experience are
inseparable.

Team Leadership & Culture Building:

Lead mentor and develop kitchen staff through coaching training and daily support.
Oversee hiring scheduling and performance management for culinary team members.
Promote a positive collaborative work environment focused on teamwork respect and accountability.
Provide ongoing training in food safety culinary skills customer service and person-centered dining.
Ensure staff understand their role in creating meaningful resident experiences- not just preparing meals.
Encourage professional growth engagement and pride in service.
Uphold high standards for staff appearance professionalism and hospitality.

Operational Excellence & Resource Management:

Oversee purchasing inventory management and vendor relationships to ensure quality and efficiency.
Manage food and supply costs through effective planning waste reduction and responsible resource utilization.
Monitor food production to prevent overproduction waste and improper use of leftovers in accordance with guidelines.
Ensure proper storage labeling and rotation of food and supplies.
Maintain equipment and kitchen operations for efficiency and safety.
Support budget adherence while maintaining high-quality dining experiences.

Regulatory Compliance & Food Safety:

Ensure compliance with all federal state and local health sanitation and safety regulations.
Maintain readiness for inspections and audits; lead corrective actions when needed.
Conduct routine inspections to ensure cleanliness sanitation food quality and safety standards.
Implement and monitor food safety protocols including proper handling preparation and storage.
Ensure accurate documentation related to dietary services and compliance.
Report and address incidents in accordance with company policy.

Collaboration & Community Partnership:

Partner with nursing and care teams to ensure dietary needs restrictions and changes are communicated and implemented.
Coordinate meal planning and accommodations for residents with specialized diets or changing conditions.
Support special events family gatherings and community functions with highquality culinary service.
Build relationships with residents families and team members to enhance satisfaction and trust.
Communicate openly with leadership regarding opportunities for improvement or innovation.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must comply with all company policies procedures and safety standards.
Must maintain confidentiality of resident and organizational information.
Ability to work flexible schedules including weekends and holidays as needed.
Participate in meetings training and professional development opportunities.
Ability to lead in a fast-paced environment while maintaining quality and service standards.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum of five (5) years of progressive culinary or kitchen management experience.
Hands-on food preparation experience including institutional or batch cooking.
Comprehensive knowledge of food trends menu planning production sanitation and food cost control.
Experience in senior living hospitality or healthcare dining strongly preferred.
SERV Safe certification required (or ability to obtain within required timeframe).

KEY COMPETENCIES:

Person-centered and hospitality-driven approach to dining services.
Ability to connect culinary excellence with resident experience and engagement.
Leadership coaching and team development skills.
Strong organizational and operational management abilities.
Knowledge of food safety sanitation and regulatory compliance.
Creativity adaptability and attention to detail.
Commitment to mission-driven culture and meaningful resident experiences.

HME Care is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity or expression national origin disability or status as a protected veteran. Applicants who would like to request reasonable accommodation to the application or interview process should call the Director of Human Resources at 1- or email

Required Experience:

Director