Corporate Chef

Culinary Leadership & Product Development

Develop, test, standardize, and document recipes, production methods, product specifications, and yield expectations.

Maintain master recipe books, ingredient lists, costing systems, retail pricing, schematics, build sheets, and production guides.

Lead menu development and product innovation based on customer feedback, sales trends, seasonality, and business opportunities.

Ensure consistency in product taste, appearance, packaging, quality, and execution across all locations.

Monitor product performance and recommend assortment changes, product introductions, and menu enhancements.

Develop and oversee product sampling and tasting programs to drive customer engagement, product awareness, and sales growth.

Commissary Kitchen & Deli Operations

Oversee the efficient operation of the Commissary Kitchen.

Serve as the primary liaison between the Commissary Kitchen and Deli Departments to ensure seamless communication and execution.

Partner with Deli Managers and Store Leadership to align production schedules with sales forecasts, promotional activity, and operational needs.

Establish operating standards for production, merchandising, packaging, inventory rotation, freshness, and product presentation.

Assist Deli Managers with assortment planning, merchandising strategies, tasting programs, food handling practices, and product movement.

Travel regularly between locations to support operations, coach department leaders, monitor standards, and maintain operational consistency.

Partner with Stores and Corporate Leadership to manage all Commissary and Prepared Foods SKUs, including assortment planning, item setup, pricing, product launches, and product discontinuations.

Financial Management & Business Performance

Develop and manage annual budgets and business plans for Kitchen and Deli operations.

Monitor and manage:

• Sales performance
• Gross margin performance
• Food costs
• Labor costs
• Inventories
• Production yields
• Shrink and spoilage
• Utilize BR data and other reporting tools to analyze sales trends, item performance, margins, promotional effectiveness, and category opportunities.

Achieve target sales and margin goals through effective operational planning and execution.

Maintain accurate recipe costing, retail pricing, and profitability reporting systems.

Create pricing and assortment strategies that support profitability objectives while remaining competitive in the marketplace.

Create and maintain business plans for prepared foods venues including Service Case, Hot Bar, Salad Bar, Grab & Go, and future concepts.

Partner with Store Leadership to identify cost-saving opportunities and improve departmental profitability.

Develop corrective action plans when budgets, margins, sales goals, or operational targets are not being achieved.

Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) including sales growth, labor cost, food cost, margin performance, customer satisfaction, waste, shrink, inventory turns, and production efficiency.

Waste Reduction & Inventory Management

Measure, monitor, and manage waste within acceptable standards.

Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management of company waste and spoilage reduction programs.

Establish policies, procedures, accountability measures, reporting standards, and management sign-off processes related to waste reduction initiatives.

Partner with Kitchen and Deli leadership to forecast production needs, optimize inventory levels, minimize spoilage, and improve product availability.

Food Safety, Quality Assurance & Compliance

Ensure compliance with all applicable:

• California Retail Food Code requirements
• Local Health Department regulations
• Cal/OSHA regulations
• Food safety and sanitation requirements
• Company food safety policies and procedures

Maintain ServSafe certification and ensure food safety training is conducted and documented.

Conduct routine food safety audits and operational inspections.

Oversee quality assurance programs to ensure consistency, freshness, product quality, and proper food handling.

Ensure all food production, storage, transportation, cooling, heating, sanitation, and temperature-monitoring procedures meet regulatory and company standards.

Develop corrective action plans when food safety or quality standards are not met.

Lead a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and customer service excellence.

Leadership & Team Development

Recruit, hire, train, coach, and develop Kitchen and Deli leadership teams.

Oversee the performance and development of Commissary Kitchen staff.

Build a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and customer service excellence.

Provide ongoing coaching and development to Kitchen Managers, Deli Managers, and department leadership.

Conduct regular department visits, operational reviews, and performance assessments.

Partner with Human Resources on onboarding, workforce planning, performance management, and employee development initiatives.

Develop and implement training programs focused on food safety, production consistency, merchandising, leadership development, and operational excellence.

Labor Management & Employment Compliance

Manage departmental labor budgets and staffing plans.

Support scheduling practices that balance operational needs, labor budgets, productivity, and employee development.

Partner with Human Resources to ensure compliance with company policies, California labor laws, safety regulations, and employment practices.

Participate in coaching, employee relations matters, investigations, corrective action, and performance management as needed.

Vendor & Supply Chain Management

Develop and maintain strong relationships with vendors and suppliers.

Evaluate product offerings, negotiate pricing opportunities, and identify improvements that enhance quality and profitability.

Monitor purchasing trends, supply availability, and cost fluctuations.

Collaborate with vendors on new products, equipment, promotional programs, and operational improvements.