Executive Chef - Residential Dining Hall

Tufts Dining is a self-operated, mission-driven food service organization that proudly serves the Medford/Somerville and SMFA/Fenway campuses of Tufts University. Renowned for its commitment to delivering exceptional dining experiences, Tufts Dining caters to a diverse community comprising approximately 6,500 undergraduates, 2,100 graduate students, 2,300 staff members, 1,038 faculty, administrators, and numerous guests. As a leader in campus dining, Tufts Dining maintains a progressive residential dining program that prioritizes culinary excellence, nutrition, and sustainability. This is supported by a central kitchen that facilitates consistent quality across multiple dining venues. Alongside this, Tufts Dining innovates with retail dining concepts that mirror the most current global food trends and the evolving preferences of students. Additionally, the university's catering program is distinctive for its creativity, attentive service, and flawless execution, catering to a variety of special events across campus.

The organization upholds a strong commitment to culinary diversity, sustainability, and fiscal responsibility. Its thoughtfully designed menus celebrate the cultural traditions and lived experiences of its community while accommodating varied dietary needs. Joining Tufts Dining means becoming part of a collaborative, mission-driven team that embraces innovation, inclusivity, and outstanding service as core values.

The role of Executive Chef at Tufts Dining is a pivotal leadership position responsible for managing all food production, culinary operations, and special event preparations within a high-volume residential dining environment. This senior culinary leader embodies the vision, mission, and standards of Tufts Dining by providing hands-on leadership, staff development, and fiscal stewardship. The Executive Chef ensures strict compliance with food safety, sanitation, and relevant regulatory requirements while leading a unionized culinary team to deliver an exceptional, student-centered food program. The focus is on maintaining operational, financial, and sustainability goals that support and enrich the residential campus experience.

In this key leadership role, the Executive Chef oversees daily meal service execution by coordinating food production tailored to a diverse student body. They manage multiple meal periods with accuracy, consistency, and timeliness while ensuring that allergen labeling and special diet protocols are meticulously followed to maintain safe dining environments for students with allergies or medically necessary dietary restrictions. The Executive Chef works closely with the Corporate Executive Chef and Unit Manager to develop seasonal, cycle, and special menus that reflect student tastes, cultural inclusiveness, nutritional standards, and current food trends. The role involves innovating menu concepts that accommodate special diets without compromising food quality or guest experience.

A critical aspect of the Executive Chef’s duties is the management of inventory, food cost control, and implementing systems such as the FoodPro menu and inventory management platform. This includes forecasting, conducting weekly inventory audits, maintaining accurate allergen information, and sourcing specialty products responsibly within budget constraints. The Executive Chef also assists in budget development and labor management by monitoring staffing patterns, productivity, and overtime. This ensures that labor needs, including those associated with allergy-safe cooking and special diet support, are aligned with operational and financial objectives.

Leadership responsibilities extend to managing a diverse, unionized culinary workforce, fostering an inclusive and positive work culture that values accountability, fairness, and ongoing training. The Executive Chef is deeply involved in recruitment, onboarding, staff coaching, and performance management processes. They lead training initiatives focused on allergy awareness, cross-contact prevention, and proper meal preparation protocols for those with dietary restrictions.

Another essential component of the role is compliance with health, safety, and regulatory standards at all levels, including adherence to HACCP, Environmental Health & Safety, and University policies. The Executive Chef maintains thorough documentation related to allergen management and safe food handling practices. In addition, the position emphasizes sustainability and continuous operational improvement through waste reduction initiatives, responsible sourcing, and the integration of allergy-safe considerations within these efforts.

This is an on-site position anticipating a work schedule of 50 hours per week, typically structured within five days with weekends, evenings, and holidays included based on operational needs. Flexibility in scheduling and occasional travel for professional development training are required. Compensation ranges from a minimum of $72,500 to a maximum of $108,900, with salary placement dependent on experience, expertise, and internal equity.