Chef Manager

About the role

Aramark Healthcare+ is seeking a Chef Manager to join their team at Baylor Scott and White Lakeway Hospital in Lakeway, TX. The Chef Manager functions as a key operational leader within the hospital Food & Nutrition Services Department, supporting the Food & Nutrition Director in maintaining a safe, efficient, patient‑centered operation. The position provides daily oversight of culinary operations while remaining hands‑on in both patient and retail production.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate production around patient census and meal periods, ensuring therapeutic diets, allergies, modified textures, standardized recipes, portions, temperatures, and presentation requirements are followed.
• Support tray‑line readiness and on‑time meal service.
• Maintain regulatory, food‑safety, sanitation, infection‑prevention, and departmental standards.
• Participate in inspections and survey readiness.
• Manage staffing and workflow during call‑outs or unexpected volume changes.
• Monitor food waste, labor productivity, inventory, and food cost.
• Collaborate with clinical nutrition, nursing, diet office, retail, purchasing, and other hospital departments.
• Serve as the culinary leader on the floor, responding to operational issues in real time and ensuring patient production remains the priority while maintaining strong retail quality and service.
• Develop staff, reinforce accountability, identify process improvements, and maintain consistent standards across all shifts.

Qualifications

• Culinary degree, associate degree, or equivalent combination of culinary education and progressive food‑service experience preferred.
• 3–5 years of progressive culinary/food‑service experience, with previous supervisory or management experience required.
• Strong knowledge of large‑volume food production, standardized recipes, batch cooking, portion control, food presentation, inventory management, and food‑cost control preferred.
• Working knowledge of therapeutic diets, food allergies, modified‑texture diets, patient meal service, and healthcare food‑service requirements preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to be a hands‑on working leader who can cook, train, coach, troubleshoot, and supervise simultaneously.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, HACCP principles, sanitation, temperature control, cross‑contamination prevention, and regulatory compliance.
• ServSafe Manager certification or equivalent food‑protection manager certification required or to be obtained within the organization’s required timeframe.
• Ability to lead employees across patient and retail operations, manage competing priorities, and make effective decisions in a fast‑paced hospital environment.
• Strong communication, organizational, leadership, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on operational needs, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as required.
• Ability to meet the physical demands of a working kitchen environment, including prolonged standing and routinely lifting/moving food, supplies, and equipment within organizational safety requirements.

About Aramark

Rooted in service and united by our purpose, we strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. At Aramark, we believe every employee should enjoy equal employment opportunity and be free to participate in all aspects of the company. The people of Aramark proudly serve millions of guests every day through food and facilities in 15 countries worldwide. We believe a career should develop your talents, fuel your passions, and empower your professional growth.