Culinary Training & Support Specialist
Position: Culinary Training & Operations Support Specialist
Department: Operations
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Summary of Position
The Culinary Training & Operations Specialist supports dining operations across Assisted Living (AL) and Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) communities by providing hands-on training, operational support, and technology implementation guidance. This role ensures that front of house and back of house teams consistently deliver high quality service, exceptional food presentation, and a dining experience aligned with organizational standards. front of house and back of the house teams consistently deliver high quality service, exceptional food presentation, and a dining experience aligned with organizational standards. This position reports to the National Director of Culinary Operations.-of-house and back-of-house teams consistently deliver high-quality service, exceptional food presentation, and a dining experience aligned with organizational standards.
Essential Job Functions
Training & Coaching – Front of House (FOH)
- Provides comprehensive training for servers and other FOH personnel to ensure exceptional service execution.
- Coaches FOH team members on hospitality best practices, service standards, workflow efficiency, and resident engagement.
- Supports onboarding and continuous competency development for all FOH roles.
- Supports culinary mentorship program development.
Back of House (BOH) Support & Quality Assurance
- Works in collaboration with Culinary Director and BOH employees in proper food preparation in alignment with approved menus, recipes, and nutrition guidelines.
- Ensures food presentation meets high-quality standards and aligns with organizational expectations.
- Conducts routine kitchen walkthroughs to identify training needs, food safety concerns, and opportunities for operational improvement.
- Partners with culinary leaders to reinforce systems that promote consistency, quality, and compliance.
Technology Rollout, Support, & Training
- Assists with the implementation, training, and ongoing support of culinary and dining-related technologies (e.g., menu platforms, ordering systems, production tools).
- Ensures FOH and BOH teams understand and effectively use assigned technology to support workflow and service quality.
- Communicates updates, provides troubleshooting support, and reinforces proper usage of digital tools.
Resident Satisfaction Monitoring
- Monitors resident satisfaction through direct feedback, observation, and formalized survey tools.
- Collaborate with community leadership, Regional Directors of Culinary Operations and National Director of Culinary Operations and Sales to identify trends, address concerns, and implement service improvements.
- Uses resident feedback to reinforce service standards and adjust training priorities for FOH and BOH teams.
Knowledge and Critical Skills
- Strong understanding of AL and SNF food service operations and regulatory requirements.
- Ability to train, coach, and motivate diverse team members.
- Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to make independent decisions while maintaining alignment with organizational standards.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, or equivalent.
- Certified Food Protection Manager certification and or applicable state certification requirements or willingness to obtain within 2 months.
- Must meet all applicable state and federal requirements for healthcare dining operations.
- Prior experience in senior living, healthcare dining, or hospitality training is strongly preferred.
Supervisory Responsibility
- This position may have direct or indirect supervisory responsibilities depending on project or community assignment.
Travel Requirements
- Extensive travel will be required for up to 3 weeks a month minimum.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
Tasks assigned to this position may involve potential and/or direct exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious diseases, air contaminants, and hazardous chemicals.
Physical Requirements - The Physical activities of this position involve
Must be able to frequently lift/carry 30 lbs. and occasionally lift/carry 50 lbs. at times.
Must be able to frequently push/pull up to 30 lbs. and occasionally push/pull up to 50 lbs.
Bending/twisting/stooping
Reaching at or below the shoulder
Frequently standing or walking
This position will require extensive travel, walking, standing, etc.
Cognitive Requirements - The Cognitive activities with or without prosthetics of this position are:
Execute tasks independently.
Ability to express yourself clearly and effectively.
Environmental Requirements - An individual in this position may be exposed to:
May be exposed to heat from kitchen equipment and cold from kitchen freezer.
Other Requirements -
n/a
Platinum Service
Platinum Service is characterized by a high level of responsiveness delivered in a flawless, timely, and caring way. Employees commit to providing courteous, responsive, and quality service to our residents by following the principles of our Platinum Service program.
Conclusion
All employees are expected to follow all policies and procedures. These policies and procedures can be found in the employee handbook, department policy, and procedure manuals and with your supervisor. This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position, and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with the position. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time.
Acknowledgement
I understand this job description and its requirements, and that I am expected to complete all job-related duties as assigned. I understand the essential functions may be altered from time to time.
By signing below, I acknowledge that I can perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodation. If I require reasonable accommodation, I will inform the recruiter/hiring manager, my manager, or Human Resources and agree to participate in the interactive process to discuss accommodations.