Director of Culinary Experience
About the role
Director of Culinary Experience leads all culinary operations for Trulee Evanston, a 9‑story Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care community in Evanston, 13 miles north of Chicago and steps from the Purple Line. The culinary program runs three venues: Dean's Room (main restaurant with exhibition kitchen), Emerson Street Club (private dining room), and The Prohibition Lounge. The menu is homemade, seasonal and locally sourced, and service standards are modeled on a full‑service hotel. This role owns menu development, food preparation, service standards, sanitation, budgeting, inventory control, and team development while ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations. Partners closely with the Executive Director, Dining Manager, and interdisciplinary team to align dining services with resident preferences, clinical needs, and Modena hospitality standards.
Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Development
- Hire, train, schedule, supervise, and evaluate culinary team members across all venues
- Partner with the Dining Manager on the development, training, and performance of front‑of‑house staff
- Provide coaching, performance feedback, and disciplinary recommendations as needed
- Conduct in‑service training and ongoing education for culinary staff
- Ensure appropriate coverage and continuity of service at all times
- Build a bench: develop line‑level talent into leadership roles