Kitchen / Food Production Manager

Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)
Full-Time | Management Position

We are seeking an experienced, highly organized Kitchen / Food Production Manager to oversee back-of-house culinary operations within a busy Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). This position is responsible for the day-to-day management of food production, kitchen staff, purchasing, receiving, inventory, sanitation, and operational execution across multiple levels of care.

The ideal candidate is a strong hands-on leader who understands high-volume food production and can effectively balance quality, consistency, efficiency, food safety, and resident satisfaction.

Our dining operation supports residents throughout the continuum of care, including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing.

Key Responsibilities

Kitchen & Food Production Operations

• Direct and coordinate daily food production and back-of-house kitchen operations.

• Ensure meals are prepared according to established menus, standardized recipes, production schedules, portion standards, and presentation expectations.

• Coordinate production to support multiple dining venues and levels of care, including Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing.

• Monitor production quantities to ensure adequate food availability while minimizing overproduction and waste.

• Ensure food is prepared, held, transported, and served at appropriate temperatures and according to established food safety standards.

• Work closely with culinary and food service leadership to ensure smooth execution of daily meal periods, special events, catering functions, and resident programs.

• Maintain consistent food quality, taste, appearance, and portion control.

Staff Leadership & Scheduling

• Provide direct supervision and leadership to back-of-house employees, including cooks, prep cooks, utility/dishroom employees, and other assigned kitchen staff.

• Develop and maintain employee schedules based on operational needs, census, meal volumes, events, and approved labor budgets.

• Manage daily staffing needs, call-outs, shift coverage, assignments, breaks, and overtime.

• Train, coach, and develop employees in proper production techniques, standardized recipes, sanitation, safety, and department procedures.

• Monitor employee performance and productivity and address performance or attendance concerns appropriately.

• Foster a professional, respectful, team-oriented kitchen environment.

Purchasing, Receiving & Inventory

• Manage food and supply ordering based on menus, production needs, inventory levels, census, and anticipated volume.

• Maintain appropriate par levels while controlling excess inventory and unnecessary purchases.

• Oversee receiving procedures to ensure products meet established specifications for quality, quantity, temperature, and condition.

• Verify deliveries and resolve shortages, substitutions, damages, or other vendor issues.

• Ensure proper storage, labeling, dating, rotation, and organization of food and supplies using FIFO principles.

• Conduct and accurately document monthly physical inventories.

• Monitor food costs, inventory levels, purchasing trends, waste, and other key operational indicators.

• Identify opportunities to improve purchasing practices, reduce waste, and control costs without compromising quality.

Food Safety, Sanitation & Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain high standards of sanitation, cleanliness, organization, and food safety throughout all kitchen, storage, receiving, and production areas.

• Ensure compliance with HACCP principles, local and state health regulations, company policies, and applicable healthcare food service requirements.

• Ensure proper documentation of food temperatures, equipment temperatures, cooling procedures, sanitation activities, and other required records.

• Conduct routine inspections of kitchen and storage areas and immediately address deficiencies.

• Ensure employees follow proper handwashing, glove use, food handling, chemical safety, and infection prevention practices.

• Maintain readiness for health department, regulatory, client, and internal inspections.

Healthcare & Resident Dining Support

• Work collaboratively with culinary leadership, dining services, clinical nutrition staff, nursing, and other departments to support resident needs.

• Ensure proper production and handling of regular and modified-texture foods, therapeutic diets, and other specialized meal requirements as directed by the clinical nutrition team.

• Maintain appropriate procedures to prevent cross-contamination and ensure accuracy of specialized food production.

• Support resident-centered dining and recognize the importance that food quality, consistency, and service have on the overall resident experience.

• Respond promptly and professionally to operational concerns involving food quality, availability, production, or service.