Creative Dining Services is seeking a Chef Manager to lead the culinary heartbeat of Geneva Camp - a vibrant, community-centered environment where hospitality and guest experience comes together. This role partners closely with the on-site food service director and oversees the day-to-day dining operations with a focus on culinary excellence, team development, and operational precision.
The Chef Manager is a hands-on culinary leader who brings creativity, consistency, and strong kitchen management to a dynamic camp setting. You'll shape menus, elevate food quality, coach a diverse team, and ensure that every guest enjoys memorable, well-executed meals.
This role is both hands-on in the kitchen and strategic in leadership- overseeing daily operations, developing strong team culture, and ensuring the dining program reflects quality, consistency, and hospitality at every level.
Why this role is unique
This is a year-round culinary leadership opportunity in a camp and retreat setting with an established team already in place. The Chef Manager will join a two-person management team and work alongside dedicated staff who understand the operation, guests, and service expectations. Rather than stepping into a constantly changing seasonal environment, this role offers the opportunity to build on existing strengths, support team development, and create consistent, welcoming dining experiences for campers, retreat guests, and staff.
Schedule: Hours will vary based on guest reservations and will include evenings and weekends.
Core Responsibilities:
- Deliver an exceptional guest experience through thoughtful planning, organized execution, and a service mindset that builds strong relationships and supports long-term account success.
- Championing culinary quality by implementing and maintaining high standards across all food production, presentation, and service areas.
- Lead, train, and develop the culinary team, fostering a positive, high-performance culture.
- Ensure full compliance with all federal, state, and local health and safety regulations.
- Steward resources responsibly, through smart menu planning, accurate forecasting, proper receiving and storage, and adherence to purchasing policies, sustainability goals, and quality specifications
The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
- Two years of chef experience; culinary degree preferred
- Two years of supervisory or kitchen leadership experience
- Strong foundational skills in basic math, including yields, conversions, and recipe scaling
- Comfort with Microsoft Office and basic administrative systems
- A passion for hospitality, a commitment to quality, and the ability to lead with both confidence and humility
We offer these fantastic benefits:
- Early access to pay, performance bonus opportunities, paid time off, and holiday pay
- Your choice of health insurance, including dental and vision, or a health savings account with a company match up to $1,500 for you and your family
- Medication discount programs, diabetes management program, company-paid life insurance
- 401(k) or Roth retirement plan with employer match (100% of the first 3% you contribute and 50% of the next 2%)
- Employee Assistance Program for you and your family with free health, emotional, financial, and legal support
- Employee discounts
- Professional development, industry certifications, and tuition reimbursement program
About Creative Dining Services Creative Dining Services partners with colleges, universities, Fortune 100 companies, senior living communities, conference centers, K-12 schools, and camps to deliver hospitality that is fun, innovative, and deeply community-focused. We believe food should bring people together - and we build dining experiences that do exactly that. Creative Dining Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Veteran-Friendly.
