Executive Chef - Aramark Nexus

Job Description

Aramark Nexus is hiring an Executive Chef to lead culinary operations for a new, large-scale food service operation near Hereford, Texas, within driving distance of both Hereford and Amarillo.

This is a senior culinary leadership opportunity for an experienced Executive Chef, Culinary Director, Executive Sous Chef, or senior culinary leader who has successfully led high-volume food service operations, managed multiple dining concepts, and developed strong culinary teams.

The Executive Chef will provide overall culinary leadership across multiple food and dining concepts, overseeing chef managers, sous chefs, and hourly culinary teams. This leader will be responsible for culinary strategy and execution, food quality, menu development, production standards, labor and food cost performance, safety, training, and the overall dining experience.

This is not simply a kitchen management position. We are looking for a leader who can build and develop teams, establish standards across multiple operations, create consistency at scale, and still maintain a strong connection to the food and the guest experience.

The ideal candidate combines strong culinary expertise with the operational and leadership skills required to manage a complex, high-volume food service environment. Experience leading multiple restaurants, dining facilities, institutional dining operations, hospitality concepts, catering operations, or other large-scale culinary environments is highly valued.

This is an opportunity to join Aramark Nexus during a period of significant growth and help build a culinary operation and team from the ground up.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide overall culinary leadership across multiple dining concepts and food service operations.
• Lead and develop a culinary organization that may include chef managers, sous chefs, culinary supervisors, cooks, and hourly kitchen employees.
• Establish and maintain culinary standards for food preparation, production, presentation, service, and guest experience.
• Ensure consistent execution and quality across multiple kitchens, concepts, and service environments.
• Develop, implement, and maintain menus, recipes, production standards, and culinary programs that meet operational and guest needs.
• Train and develop culinary leaders and hourly employees using consistent food production, preparation, and leadership practices.
• Coach culinary leaders and employees by establishing clear expectations, providing feedback, and creating accountability for results.
• Build a strong leadership pipeline through training, development, recognition, and succession planning.
• Lead culinary team meetings, leadership meetings, daily huddles, and operational communication.
• Maintain appropriate training records, opening and closing procedures, performance documentation, and operational standards.
• Develop strong relationships with clients, guests, operational leaders, and other key partners.
• Maintain a visible presence within the operation and regularly interact with guests and culinary teams.
• Monitor culinary, consumer, ingredient, and food trends and identify opportunities to enhance the dining experience.
• Own food and labor performance across the culinary operation.
• Use operational data, financial performance, inventory trends, production information, and other metrics to improve performance and control costs.
• Maintain a consistent focus on food cost, labor productivity, waste reduction, inventory management, and margin improvement.
• Ensure efficient execution and delivery of culinary products across all dining concepts and service periods.
• Maintain the integrity of Aramark culinary programs, menus, recipes, ingredients, and food quality standards.
• Oversee food ordering, inventory, requisitions, forecasting, and appropriate food consumption levels.
• Understand and support the end-to-end supply chain and procurement process, including the use of authorized suppliers and products.
• Ensure proper use, operation, cleaning, and maintenance of culinary equipment.
• Ensure compliance with Aramark food safety, quality assurance, occupational safety, environmental safety, sanitation, and kitchen operating standards.
• Maintain compliance with applicable safety, health, wage and hour, and operational policies and regulations.
• Partner with food service and operational leadership to support staffing, scheduling, procurement, financial performance, special events, and changing business needs.
• Create a positive, accountable, and performance-driven culinary culture focused on teamwork, safety, quality, consistency, and service.

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

Qualifications

• Requires at least 4 years of progressive culinary experience.
• At least 2 years of culinary management or leadership experience preferred.
• Previous experience as an Executive Chef, Culinary Director, Executive Sous Chef, Chef Manager, or senior culinary leader is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing multiple dining concepts, kitchens, restaurants, or food service operations is highly valued.
• Experience leading other culinary managers, chefs, supervisors, and hourly culinary teams.
• Culinary degree preferred, or equivalent combination of professional culinary training and experience.
• Advanced knowledge of culinary principles, cooking techniques, food production, menu development, kitchen operations, and food service standards.
• Strong understanding of high-volume food production and the ability to maintain consistency and quality at scale.
• Demonstrated ability to develop culinary teams, coach leaders, establish expectations, and create accountability.
• Experience managing food cost, labor, inventory, purchasing, waste, and other operational performance measures.
• Strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, quality assurance, and kitchen safety requirements.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, simplify complex operational needs, and provide clear direction to the team.
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making skills.
• Strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to build effective relationships with guests, clients, culinary teams, operational leaders, and other departments.
• Experience in high-volume dining, institutional food service, hospitality, restaurants, residential dining, catering, corporate dining, or similar large-scale culinary operations is preferred.
• Schedule flexibility is required and may include days, evenings, weekends, and holidays based on business needs.