Chef de Cuisine - Travel Chef

Job Description

This is a traveling culinary role. The Traveling Chef de Cuisine is based at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, and travels regularly to support other Aramark accounts and venues ? major sporting events, venue openings, high-profile client functions, and operations running at peak demand.

This position travels approximately 60% of the year. When not on assignment, it provides hands-on culinary leadership at the Convention Center, supporting daily production across high-volume banquet, convention, employee dining, and special-event operations. The position reports to the Chef de Cuisine.

Travel is a core requirement of this position, not an occasional opportunity. Candidates must be able and willing to travel on short notice, work in unfamiliar kitchens with teams they have not met, and deliver Aramark standards from the first shift. Travel expenses are covered in accordance with Aramark policy.

Expected travel: Approximately 60% of the year, primarily to nearby Aramark accounts and venues, with occasional assignments further out.

Compensation Data

COMPENSATION: The Salaried rate for this position is $80,000.00 to $85,000.00. If both numbers are the same, that is the amount that Aramark expects to offer. This is Aramark's good faith and reasonable estimate of the compensation for this position as of the time of posting.

BENEFITS: Aramark offers comprehensive benefit programs and services for eligible employees including medical, dental, vision, and work/life resources. Additional benefits may include retirement savings plans like 401(k) and paid days off such as parental leave and disability coverage. Benefits vary by location and are subject to any legal requirements or limitations, employee eligibility status, and where the employee lives and/or works. For more information about Aramark benefits, click here Aramark Careers - Benefits & Compensation

There is no predetermined application window for this position, the position will close once a qualified candidate is selected. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all applicable laws, including, but not limited to all applicable Fair Chance Ordinances and Acts. For jobs in San Francisco, this includes the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Job Responsibilities

Travel and Event Support

- Travel to other Aramark accounts and venues as assigned to support major events, venue openings, and high-demand culinary operations, often on short notice.

- Step into unfamiliar kitchens and integrate quickly with teams, facilities, menus, equipment, and operating models that differ from the home account.

- Deliver Aramark culinary, food safety, and quality standards consistently regardless of location, and act as a representative of the Convention Center team while on assignment.

- Contribute to the execution of major sporting events and other high-profile experiences under compressed timelines and heavy volume.

- Build working relationships with Aramark chefs, managers, operators, and support teams across accounts, exchange best practices, and bring useful methods back to the Convention Center.

- Provide written handoff and debrief notes after each assignment so lessons and improvements are captured for both the host account and the home team.

Culinary Production at the Convention Center

- Lead high-volume, from-scratch culinary production across hot and cold food operations while maintaining a visible, active presence in the kitchen.

- Execute and oversee batch cooking, roasting, braising, grilling, sauce production, vegetable cookery, composed salads, grains, soups, and other scratch-prepared menu components.

- Convert menus, BEO requirements, recipes, and event timelines into practical production plans, prep lists, assignments, and service-ready quantities.

- Develop, test, scale, refine, and document recipes for consistent convention-scale execution, including ingredients, methods, yields, portions, allergen information, critical control points, and production notes.

- Partner with the Chef de Cuisine on menu development, tastings, seasonal features, client requests, and culinary presentations.

- Supervise, coach, and train cooks and culinary associates in scratch-cooking techniques, recipe execution, knife skills, equipment use, portion control, sanitation, and efficient work habits.

- Monitor food quality, yields, waste, substitutions, and product usage throughout preparation, holding, transport, plating, and service.

- Coordinate daily production with purchasing, receiving, stewarding, banquet operations, and other departments to align ingredients, equipment, smallwares, and labor with event needs.

- Maintain clean, organized, service-ready kitchens and enforce Aramark SAFE, Quality Assurance, HACCP, allergen-control, sanitation, occupational-safety, and environmental standards.

- Ensure production coverage and clear handoffs at the Convention Center before departing on any travel assignment.

- Comply with all applicable policies, regulations, and wage-and-hour requirements.

At Aramark, developing new skills and doing what it takes to get the job done make a positive impact for employees and customers. In order to meet business commitments, job duties may change or new responsibilities may be assigned without formal notice.

Qualifications

Required

- Ability and willingness to travel approximately 60% of the year, including on short notice. This is a condition of the role. Candidates must hold a valid driver's license and be able to obtain or hold valid identification for air travel.

- Minimum of 3 years of progressive culinary experience in high-volume banquet, convention, hotel, sports and entertainment, catering, or comparable foodservice operations.

- Demonstrated expertise in from-scratch cooking and large-batch production, with the ability to maintain flavor, texture, appearance, yield, and consistency at scale.

- Proven ability to walk into an unfamiliar kitchen and produce to standard quickly, with equipment, staff, and product that differ from what the candidate is used to.

- Hands-on experience developing, testing, scaling, and standardizing recipes for operational use.

- Experience leading cooks or production teams in a fast-paced kitchen environment.

- Ability to read event documents, menus, recipes, production sheets, and prep schedules and translate them into clear team assignments.

- Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation, allergen controls, proper food handling, and kitchen safety.

- Clear communication, organization, time-management, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to direct production under pressure.

- Ability to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended event schedules as business needs require.

Preferred

- Culinary degree or equivalent professional training and hands-on experience.

- Prior experience supporting multiple accounts, venues, or locations rather than a single kitchen.

- ServSafe Manager certification.

About Aramark

Our Mission

Rooted in service and united by our purpose, we strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet.

At Aramark, we believe that every employee should enjoy equal employment opportunity and be free to participate in all aspects of the company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by applicable law.

About Aramark

The people of Aramark proudly serve millions of guests every day through food and facilities in 15 countries around the world. Rooted in service and united by our purpose, we strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. We believe a career should develop your talents, fuel your passions, and empower your professional growth. So, no matter what you're pursuing - a new challenge, a sense of belonging, or just a great place to work - our focus is helping you reach your full potential. Learn more about working here at http://www.aramarkcareers.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.