Culinary Director

Allegria Village | Dearborn, Michigan

Allegria Village is seeking an experienced and dynamic Culinary Director to lead the culinary operations for our Independent Living community in Dearborn, Michigan. This position provides overall leadership and oversight for two dining areas and their respective kitchens, ensuring exceptional food quality, service, safety, efficiency, and resident satisfaction.

The Culinary Director will oversee the Executive Chef, who manages the day-to-day kitchen operations, while providing direction and accountability for the overall culinary department. This position is responsible for menu development, food purchasing and ordering, inventory and cost management, culinary standards, staffing, and the continued development of a high-performing culinary team.

We are looking for a seasoned culinary professional who combines a passion for exceptional food with strong leadership, organization, financial awareness, and people-management skills.

• Provide overall leadership, direction, and oversight for culinary operations across two Independent Living dining areas and kitchens.

• Supervise, coach, and support the Executive Chef and culinary team.

• Develop, review, and maintain menus that are appealing, nutritious, seasonally appropriate, and responsive to resident preferences.

• Oversee all food purchasing and ordering, ensuring appropriate inventory levels, product quality, and cost-effective purchasing practices.

• Monitor food costs, labor costs, inventory, waste, and departmental expenses.

• Establish and maintain appropriate inventory par levels and purchasing controls.

• Ensure consistent food quality, presentation, portion control, taste, and execution across both dining operations.

• Develop and maintain standardized recipes, production procedures, and culinary standards.

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop culinary staff while fostering a positive, professional, and accountable work environment.

• Participate in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training, scheduling, performance management, and corrective action as needed.

• Ensure appropriate staffing levels and effective labor utilization across both kitchens.

• Plan and oversee special events, themed meals, holiday menus, and other community dining experiences.

• Work closely with Dining Services leadership to enhance the overall resident dining experience.

• Solicit and respond to resident feedback regarding menus, food quality, and dining preferences.

• Ensure proper food storage, rotation, preparation, sanitation, and handling in accordance with applicable regulations and company standards.

• Conduct regular kitchen inspections and ensure both kitchens remain clean, organized, safe, and operationally efficient.

• Ensure compliance with health department regulations, food safety requirements, and company policies.

• Identify opportunities to improve culinary quality, operational efficiency, resident satisfaction, and financial performance.

• Maintain open and effective communication with culinary staff, dining service teams, residents, and community leadership.

• Lead by example and promote a culture of teamwork, accountability, professionalism, and hospitality.

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive culinary experience, with significant experience in a supervisory or management role.

• Demonstrated experience leading and managing an entire culinary or kitchen staff.

• Experience overseeing multiple kitchens, dining venues, or a high-volume food service operation strongly preferred.

• Strong knowledge of menu planning, food production, purchasing, inventory management, and food-cost control.

• Proven ability to recruit, train, motivate, develop, and hold culinary staff accountable.

• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards of quality and service.

• Thorough understanding of food safety, sanitation, and applicable health regulations.

• Culinary degree, formal culinary training, or equivalent professional experience preferred.

• Experience in senior living, healthcare, hospitality, hotel, country club, or other high-volume dining environments preferred.

The ideal candidate is a strong culinary leader and experienced manager who understands that exceptional dining is about more than the foodit is about creating an experience residents look forward to every day.

You are comfortable leading a team, managing two kitchen operations, making purchasing decisions, controlling costs, developing menus, and holding others accountable to high standards. You are equally comfortable working with an Executive Chef and stepping into the kitchen when leadership or support is needed.

If you are passionate about culinary excellence, developing people, and creating memorable dining experiences for residents, we invite you to join the Allegria Village team.