Chef Manager

Culinour is a specialty company under the umbrella of Phoenix3 Collective, headquartered in Boston. Phoenix3 Collective acts as a strategic growth partner, focusing on accelerating distributive and lifestyle service companies within the healthcare, behavioral health, senior living, and corporate markets. With a team composed of business builders, disruptors, entrepreneurs, and seasoned operators, Phoenix3 Collective brings decades of successful leadership and experience, providing direction, resources, and capital to help businesses grow and succeed in demanding markets. This distinctive approach positions Culinour as an innovative and dedicated provider of nutrition and food services specialized for healthcare and behavioral health facilities, committed to enhancing patient care and overall client satisfaction through culinary excellence and hospitality.

The role of Chef Manager within Culinour is a critical leadership position responsible for overseeing the Food and Nutrition Services Department at a Behavioral Healthcare Facility. This role is accountable for managing all culinary operations and human resource functions in the department, ensuring a high standard of service delivery, patient safety, and team performance. The Chef Manager drives the creation and maintenance of a culture of hospitality, focusing on patient-centered care and continuous improvement in the quality and presentation of food services.

In this role, the Chef Manager is expected to implement and uphold stringent food safety standards by ensuring compliance with HACCP plans and conducting quality assurance checks regularly. The position involves direct interaction with patients and nursing staff to collect and address patient feedback, documenting findings and ensuring timely communication and resolution of any issues related to food service or patient dietary needs. Furthermore, the role emphasizes strong team leadership by managing training programs that reinforce core competency and hospitality skills across the team. The Chef Manager conducts daily meetings, known as Daily Spark sessions, and organizes monthly in-service training to maintain consistent educational engagement among staff.

From a culinary perspective, the Chef Manager is tasked with delivering high-quality food prepared and served across all shifts aligned with the established food philosophy of Culinour. This includes overseeing production systems to ensure outstanding food quality and presentation, guaranteeing that food is packaged with care and accurate labeling, and fostering a welcoming environment where guests are greeted warmly, promoting a sense of wellbeing throughout each location.

Leadership responsibilities further extend to education and accountability. The Chef Manager ensures that all team members receive hospitality training and job-specific competency development, maintaining accurate job flows and timekeeping. Documenting training and development plans plays a key role in building an accountable and motivated team culture, where every role is valued equally, and collaboration is emphasized.

Quality compliance and complaint resolution are also pivotal aspects of the Chef Manager’s duties. They oversee the reporting on healthcare facility quality assurance projects and results, ensuring that all regulatory requirements set by CMS, The Joint Commission, local health departments, and state departments of health are met or exceeded. This regulatory compliance guarantees that the nutrition services department operates not only efficiently but also safely and ethically, maintaining the highest standards in patient care and operational excellence.

Candidates interested in this role should have a Serve Safe Certification or an equivalent qualification. Preferred qualifications include an associate degree or higher in nutrition or food science, or credentials such as Registered Dietitian, Certified Dietary Manager, or Dietary Technician, Registered. Experience requirements include 3 to 5 years in food service leadership roles, preferably within healthcare sectors such as acute care or senior living, although experience may be substituted for educational background.

The Chef Manager reports directly to the Regional Director of Operations. Essential skills for this position include strong communication abilities encompassing public speaking and conflict resolution, the capacity to communicate effectively both up and down the organizational hierarchy, and proficiency in team building and internal team development. Additionally, computer competency, data analysis, and reporting skills are necessary to perform effectively in this leadership role.

Core competencies for the ideal candidate include empathy, compassion, hospitality, strategic thinking, adaptability, the ability to engage in productive conversations with team members, and a solid commitment to patient-centered care. This role offers a unique opportunity to lead a specialized food and nutrition department within a behavioral healthcare setting, influencing patient outcomes, staff development, and organizational success through culinary expertise and compassionate service.