Director of Culinary Operations

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The Role

We’re looking for a creative, mission-driven leader to guide our culinary operations and teaching kitchen — someone who brings vision, heart, and structure to our social enterprise. This is not your typical hospitality job — it’s a dynamic blend of entrepreneurship, program leadership, and mentorship.

You’ll be responsible for the overall food quality, creativity, and consistency, while teaching and training residents in a trauma-informed environment. Your work will help create meaningful economic opportunities for women.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary

• Oversee food production and sourcing with a focus on quality and consistency
• Maintain relationships with vendors and verify order accuracy
• Ensure compliance with all DHEC, food safety, and ServSafe standards
• Oversee recipe development and document all recipes in the shared drive
• Maintain inventory systems and proper storage/labeling of all food items
• Schedule BOH team members to ensure full coverage
• Coordinate with Kitchen Manager for special events and catering
• Create and assign daily prep lists to support kitchen efficiency and flow
• Test and refine new recipes regularly
• Oversee kitchen cleaning protocols and equipment maintenance
• Plan and prepare the annual fundraiser luncheon menu
• Manage the Sous Chef to implement best practices in safety, quality, and operations

HR & Team Culture

• Foster a trauma-informed, inclusive, and supportive work environment
• Assess hiring needs; post jobs, review resumes, and interview candidates
• Ensure HR best practices are followed throughout hiring and onboarding
• Create and manage BOH training modules
• Review job descriptions, performance, pay rates, and schedules with direct reports
• Build a committed, mission-focused team that works collaboratively and compassionately
• Conduct annual performance reviews with direct reports
• Consult with the CEO and Business Manager on promotions and compensation
• Collaborate with the Kitchen Manager to coordinate facility maintenance (e.g., pest control, grease trap, etc.)

Occupational Therapy / Professional Development

• Integrate soft-skill development (e.g., time management, communication, teamwork) into daily training
• Review resident performance monthly with VP of Programs & Operations and Kitchen Manager
• Coordinate monthly professional development groups
• Lead bi-monthly BOH team meetings to foster communication and cohesion

Finance & Sustainability

• Track BOH labor costs and staffing efficiency to remain within budget
• Ensure catering and special events are priced to meet margin goals
• Collaborate with the CEO and Business Manager to create annual budgets
• Monitor food and packaging costs through recipe costing
• Review monthly financials with the Business Manager

Competencies

• Culinary degree or equivalent experience
• Strong teaching and instruction skills
• 5+ years of experience in a leadership role within a high-volume commercial kitchen
• Experience working with underserved female populations preferred
• Passion for social enterprise and trauma-informed care
• Commitment to working at a drug-free workplace is a must
• Excellent collaboration and mentoring skills
• Comfortable navigating culinary, HR, and program responsibilities

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Employer-paid life and short-term disability insurance
• Generous PTO and holiday pay
• Additional paid time off during restaurant closures (Christmas week and Independence Day week)

At Goodwin Recruiting, we are committed to our core values and providing world class customer service. We are committed to helping our clients navigate and comply with the complex and ever-changing labor laws as well as help ensure that in every hiring decision, internally and with our client partners, that all viable candidates are considered, and the most qualified candidate is offered the role. We evaluate the knowledge, skills, and abilities that meet the requirements of the position and aim to open doors and change lives. We value all people, understanding that uniqueness and diversity foster a stronger team that is innovative and brings varying perspectives to the table. We put our money where our mouth is and are proud of our efforts to identify a broad slate of candidates, with many hiring success stories to share.

JOB ID: 164364

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Denise Pino

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