Vice President, Culinary - Corporate Services

ence, a strong strategic mindset, and deep expertise in operational execution, culinary talent development, and delivering luxury-level food quality.

This is a remote role with national travel

What You'll Do

Culinary Strategy & Vision

• Define and execute a long-term culinary strategy aligned with brand positioning and growth goals.

• Lead menu innovation, seasonal menu cycles, tastings, and R&D for all concepts.

• Ensure creativity, excellence, and consistency across all units.

Operational Leadership

• Establish culinary operating standards, recipes, procedures, and quality benchmarks.

• Partner with Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain to drive profitability, food cost optimization, and efficiency.

• Oversee kitchen design, equipment standards, and workflow optimization for new and existing locations.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop regional chefs, executive chefs, R&D chefs, and culinary managers nationwide.

• Build a strong pipeline of culinary talent through succession planning and ongoing training.

• Foster a culture of craftsmanship, accountability, and performance excellence.

Quality Assurance & Guest Experience

• Ensure world-class food quality, presentation, and consistency.

• Implement culinary audits, kitchen evaluations, and performance assessments.

• Maintain the highest food safety and sanitation standards.

Menu & Product Innovation

• Lead innovation for new dishes, seasonal concepts, chef specials, and elevated dining experiences.

• Analyze culinary trends, guest insights, and competitive data to inform development.

• Balance brand authenticity with progressive, forward-thinking creativity.

Vendor, Sourcing & Supply Chain

• Oversee sourcing strategy for premium ingredients and specialty products.

• Build strong partnerships with national and local purveyors to ensure quality, continuity, and cost optimization.

• Secure product availability and high standards across all markets.

Financial & Business Leadership

• Manage culinary budgets, forecasts, food cost targets, labor productivity, and capital investments.

• Support RFPs, new openings, and brand extensions while safeguarding culinary standards.

• Serve as a key culinary representative in new business presentations.

• Partner with Marketing on menu rollouts, brand storytelling, and culinary PR.

What We Offer

Compensation is fair and equitable, partially determined by a candidate's education level or years of relevant experience. Salary offers are based on a candidate's specific criteria, like experience, skills, education, and training. Sodexo offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Care and Wellness Programs

• 401(k) Plan with Matching Contributions

• Paid Time Off and Company Holidays

• Career Growth Opportunities and Tuition Reimbursement

More extensive information is provided to new employees upon hire.

What You Bring

• 10+ years of progressive culinary leadership, including roles such as Corporate Chef, Executive Chef, or Culinary Director within national or high-volume fast casual and fine dining environments.

• Proven experience leading multi-unit, multi-state culinary teams.

• Expertise in luxury, chef-driven, or Michelin-influenced dining.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance creativity and profitability.

• Deep knowledge of culinary trends, premium sourcing, global influences, and modern cooking techniques.

• Exceptional leadership, communication, and team development skills.

• Ability to travel nationally as needed.

Who We Are

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone and build a better life for all. We believe in improving the quality of life for those we serve and contributing to the economic, social, and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Sodexo partners with clients to provide a truly memorable experience for both customers and employees alike. We do this by providing food service, catering, facilities management, and other integrated solutions worldwide.

Our company values you for you; you will be treated fairly and with respect, and you can be yourself. You will have your ideas count and your opinions heard because we can be a stronger team when you're happy at work. This is why we embrace diversity and inclusion as core values, fostering an environment where all employees are valued and respected. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to individuals regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you need assistance with the application process, please complete this form.

Qualifications & Requirements

Minimum Education Requirement: Bachelors degree or equivalent experience
Minimum Management Experience: 10 years
Minimum Functional Experience: 10 years