Amtrak Culinary Development - Executive Chef

Amtrak Culinary Development - Executive ChefAramark is seeking a highly experienced Senior Executive Chef / Culinary Development Chef to lead menu innovation, culinary strategy, and large-scale recipe development supporting Amtrak Food & Beverage operations. This role is ideal for a culinary leader with strong experience in high-volume food production, culinary development, multi-unit foodservice operations, transportation dining, hospitality, or institutional dining environments. The position plays a key role in developing scalable culinary programs that balance operational execution, guest experience, food quality, and financial performance. The Senior Executive Chef partners closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Marketing, Culinary teams, external chefs, and client stakeholders to create innovative menu solutions that can successfully execute across regional and national operations. This is a highly collaborative, client-facing leadership role requiring creativity, operational discipline, and the ability to scale culinary concepts for large-volume service environments. Please note: This role requires approximately 50% travel throughout the Northeast region.What We're Looking ForStrong culinary leadership experience in high-volume foodservice environmentsExpertise in menu development, recipe scaling, and culinary innovationExperience supporting multi-unit operations, transportation dining, hospitality, airline catering, commissary, or institutional foodservice environments preferredStrong understanding of food costing, labor analysis, yield management, and operational executionAbility to balance culinary creativity with operational practicalityStrong presentation, communication, and client-facing skillsHighly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects and timelines simultaneouslyJob ResponsibilitiesCulinary Innovation & Menu DevelopmentLead culinary innovation and menu strategy for Amtrak Food & Beverage operationsDevelop new menu concepts, recipes, and product offerings for large-scale production environmentsCreate scalable recipes and operational standards that support consistency across multiple service locationsEvaluate food trends, consumer preferences, and regional culinary opportunitiesSupport seasonal menu updates, product launches, and culinary refresh initiativesOperational & Production SupportEnsure recipe scalability, operational feasibility, portion consistency, and cost efficiencyPartner with field operations teams to support successful culinary implementationConduct tastings, operational reviews, and culinary evaluations across locationsSupport labor optimization, yield management, and food cost controlsMaintain standardized recipes, procedures, and production documentation within culinary systemsCross-Functional CollaborationCollaborate with Culinary, Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Marketing, and external vendor partnersPresent culinary concepts and tasting outcomes to senior leadership and client stakeholdersSupport supplier partnerships, product evaluations, and sourcing initiativesParticipate in workshops, food trend research, and culinary innovation sessionsTraining & Field EngagementSupport culinary training initiatives for field teams and onboard service crewsProvide rollout support for new menu items and operational culinary programsTravel throughout the Northeast Corridor and nationally as needed to support field engagement and operational executionQualificationsAOS Culinary Degree requiredBachelor's degree preferred7+ years of progressive culinary leadership experience requiredExperience in recipe development and large-scale production environments requiredExperience with airline, transportation, hospitality, or flight kitchen operations is a plusProficiency with Microsoft Office and recipe/production management systems preferredStrong collaboration and leadership skills requiredAbout AramarkOur Mission Rooted in service and united by our purpose, we strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. At Aramark, we believe that every employee should enjoy equal employment opportunity and be free to participate in all aspects of the company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by applicable law.The people of Aramark proudly serve millions of guests every day through food and facilities in 15 countries around the world. Rooted in service and united by our purpose, we strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. We believe a career should develop your talents, fuel your passions, and empower your professional growth. So, no matter what you're pursuing - a new challenge, a sense of belonging, or just a great place to work - our focus is helping you reach your full potential.