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Director of Culinary Innovation- Chicagoland Area

Berkely, IL, USA

Requisition Number

14105

Location

Berkely Il

Job Description

School Culinary Innovation Specialist – Ignite Creativity, Culture & Culinary Excellence!

Do you dream of designing menus that students get excited about? Are you a seasoned culinary professional with a flair for training, innovation, and leadership? Join Whitsons as a School Culinary Innovation Specialist, where you’ll drive forward-thinking, flavor-forward meals that fuel the next generation—and coach a team to culinary excellence across multiple schools.

What You’ll Do:

+ Lead the creation, costing, and presentation of new and existing menu items that reflect student preferences and nutritional standards

+ Train and support chef managers, cooks, and culinary staff on recipe execution, food safety, and Whitsons/USDA/State compliance

+ Oversee culinary execution at school sites; mentor teams to maintain high standards of sanitation, presentation, and efficiency

+ Drive innovation through seasonal tastings, trend-forward menu items, and exciting student promotions (Guest Chef Days, Catering Events, etc.)

+ Partner with purchasing and operations teams to ensure proper portioning, ordering, and cost controls

+ Ensure recipe adherence and station consistency through coaching and kitchen visits

+ Support new kitchen manager openings and contribute to the onboarding of culinary leadership

+ Log visits, insights, and performance updates in Salesforce to ensure visibility and follow-through

+ Lead and coach culinary support and presentation teams

+ Reinforce kitchen sanitation, HACCP documentation, and compliance protocols across locations

+ Bring creative flair and cultural versatility to menu design—think sushi, ancient grains, vegan/vegetarian offerings, and more

What We’re Looking For:

+ Culinary degree or certification from an accredited culinary program

+ 5+ years of experience in a professional kitchen, preferably in school nutrition or corporate dining

+ 2+ years of leadership experience in managing kitchen teams

+ Strong understanding of USDA, State, and NSLP meal program standards

+ ServSafe certification (required)

+ Proficient in Microsoft Office; comfortable with digital tools for reporting and communication

+ Ability to train and lead with positivity, professionalism, and culinary excellence

+ Comfortable with hands-on coaching, exhibition cooking, and high-energy kitchen environments

+ Creative thinker who keeps up with food trends and brings fresh ideas to the table

+ Must be willing to travel across multiple school sites; reliable transportation required

Why Join Whitsons?

+ Competitive pay and performance-based growth opportunities

+ Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision

+ 401(k) with company match

+ Paid Time Off and school-aligned schedule

+ High-impact, mission-driven role shaping healthy habits for life

+ Culture of wellness, teamwork, and continuous innovation

At Whitsons, we don’t just serve meals—we create experiences that nourish bodies and inspire minds. As our School Culinary Innovation Specialist, you’ll help drive creativity, compliance, and consistency in school kitchens across the district.

Ready to inspire, lead, and innovate? Apply today and Be part of a mission-driven team that’s Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time™

Starting at 65K annually

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:

Education :

+ Culinary degree or certification from accredited Culinary Institute

Certifications :

+ ServSafe certification

Computer Skills :

+ Knowledge of Microsoft office suite

+ Ability to learn new computer programs.

+ Proficient in recipe procedures and cooking techniques

Other Qualifications, Experience and Competencies :

+ Minimum 5 years’ experience in professional corporate dining kitchen required .

+ Experience in school nutrition programs preferred.

+ 2 Years’ e xperience managing kitchen and team required .

+ English language and excellent communications skills are required .

+ Must have very strong leadership skills.

+ Ability to take direction, offer direction, and to work in a team environment.

+ The ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure .

+ Must have problem solving abilities, be self-motivated, and organized.

+ Commitment to quality service, and food and beverage knowledge.

+ Must be willing to travel.

+ Hands on Exhibition cooking experience and Chef/customer interaction is necessary. Knowledge of marketing and display of the exhibition cooking station.

+ Must be Versatile in Ethnic cuisines and be familiar with various forms of ingredient preparation. Examples are Made to Order Sushi, Cooking of Ancient Grains, Vegan & Vegetarian meal preparation.

+ Stay up to date on the Latest Food Trends continually bringing new ideas to the team.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is frequently required to:

+ Sit, walk, talk and hear

+ Use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms.

+ Be standing on feet majority of the workday in addition to walking back and forth.

+ Lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Lifting while turning side to side is sometimes necessary.

+ Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

+ The work is performed primarily in the kitchen and on the serving line

+ Standing 95% of the workday is required .

+ Work requires movement in and out of storerooms , near ovens and freezers

+ Exposure to extreme temperatures (hot and cold) due to cooking and refrigeration equipment.

+ The noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work and duties that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position, and Whitsons reserves the right to add additional duties or modify existing duties.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the Company and employee and is subject to change by the Company as the needs of the Company and requirements of the job change.

Work Schedule

Monday thru Friday- follows school calendar

Supervisor

Danielle Berg

Salary Target

Starting at 65K