Amtrak Culinary Development - Executive Chef

Job Overview

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Employment Type

Full-time
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Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Paid Time Off
Retirement Plan
Employee Discounts
Professional development opportunities
Travel reimbursement

Job Description

Aramark is a global leader in food and facilities services, proudly serving millions of guests daily across 15 countries. Established with a strong commitment to service and purpose, Aramark focuses on delivering exceptional experiences to its clients, employees, and communities. The company’s operations span various industries including education, healthcare, sports and entertainment, and business dining. With a workforce dedicated to service excellence, Aramark values diversity, inclusion, and professional growth, ensuring that every employee enjoys equal opportunities and is empowered to realize their full potential. As a company, Aramark is deeply rooted in creating a positive impact not only for its customers but also for the communities and environments in which it operates. This dedication is reflected in its mission to foster supportive work environments, promote sustainability, and uphold ethical business practices across all facets of operation.

The Senior Executive Chef / Culinary Development Chef role at Aramark is a strategic and influential position that supports Amtrak Food & Beverage operations. This role requires a culinary leader with substantial expertise in high-volume food production, culinary innovation, multi-unit foodservice operations, and institutional or transportation dining environments. The appointed chef will be responsible for spearheading menu innovation, culinary strategy, and the development of scalable recipes that ensure consistency, quality, and operational efficiency across diverse service locations.

This position is characterized by its collaborative nature, requiring close partnership with various internal departments including Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Marketing, and Culinary teams, as well as external chefs and client stakeholders. The ideal candidate will possess strong culinary creativity balanced with practical operational understanding, capable of developing and implementing culinary programs that optimize guest experience while maintaining financial performance. A key attribute for success is the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, demonstrating exceptional organizational skills and client-facing communication.

Notably, this role demands approximately 50% travel throughout the Northeast region, reflecting the hands-on approach to supporting field teams, conducting culinary evaluations, tastings, and training sessions. The Senior Executive Chef is instrumental in launching new menu items, updating seasonal offerings, and leading culinary innovation initiatives that align with current food trends and consumer preferences.

This opportunity is well-suited for a seasoned culinary professional with a proven track record in recipe development, large-scale production, and multi-unit foodservice management. Candidates with experience in airline catering, transportation dining, commissary operations, or hospitality sectors will find their expertise highly relevant. Additionally, proficiency with culinary management systems and Microsoft Office enhances the ability to maintain standardized recipes and production documentation effectively.

Aramark promotes a dynamic work environment where continuous skill development and adaptability are essential. The Senior Executive Chef role is pivotal to Aramark’s commitment to excellence in culinary service and operational execution, helping to deliver superior dining experiences to Amtrak customers while fostering innovation and collaboration across the organization.

Job Requirements

  • AOS Culinary degree
  • 7+ years progressive culinary leadership experience
  • Experience in recipe development for large-scale production
  • Ability to lead multi-unit foodservice operations
  • Strong understanding of food costing and labor analysis
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills
  • Willingness to travel approximately 50% in the Northeast
  • Highly organized and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously

Job Qualifications

  • AOS Culinary degree required
  • Bachelor’s degree preferred
  • 7+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience required
  • Experience in recipe development and large-scale production environments required
  • Experience with airline, transportation, hospitality, or flight kitchen operations is a plus
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office and recipe/production management systems preferred
  • Strong collaboration and leadership skills required

Job Duties

  • Lead culinary innovation and menu strategy for Amtrak Food & Beverage operations
  • Develop new menu concepts, recipes, and product offerings for large-scale production environments
  • Create scalable recipes and operational standards that support consistency across multiple service locations
  • Evaluate food trends, consumer preferences, and regional culinary opportunities
  • Support seasonal menu updates, product launches, and culinary refresh initiatives
  • Ensure recipe scalability, operational feasibility, portion consistency, and cost efficiency
  • Partner with field operations teams to support successful culinary implementation
  • Conduct tastings, operational reviews, and culinary evaluations across locations
  • Support labor optimization, yield management, and food cost controls
  • Maintain standardized recipes, procedures, and production documentation within culinary systems
  • Collaborate with Culinary, Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Marketing, and external vendor partners
  • Present culinary concepts and tasting outcomes to senior leadership and client stakeholders
  • Support supplier partnerships, product evaluations, and sourcing initiatives
  • Participate in workshops, food trend research, and culinary innovation sessions
  • Support culinary training initiatives for field teams and onboard service crews
  • Provide rollout support for new menu items and operational culinary programs
  • Travel throughout the Northeast Corridor and nationally as needed to support field engagement and operational execution

Job Criteria

Experience

Expert Level (7+ years)


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