Director Nursing Home Kitchen Assistant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Crystal Lake – Bayville, New Jersey

We are looking for an experienced and hands-on Food Service Director / Kitchen Manager to oversee the daily operations of our nursing home kitchen and food service department.

This is a leadership position responsible for ensuring that our residents receive fresh, nutritious, safe, properly prepared, and appealing meals every day, while maintaining a clean, organized, sanitary, and fully compliant kitchen.

The ideal candidate must have direct nursing home kitchen management experience and a strong understanding of New Jersey Department of Health regulations, kitchen sanitation, food safety, and nursing home dietary requirements.

• Oversee the complete day-to-day operation of the nursing home kitchen and food service department.

• Supervise, train, and schedule kitchen and dietary staff.

• Oversee food preparation, cooking, portioning, plating, and meal service.

• Ensure meals are prepared according to residents’ individual dietary needs and therapeutic diets.

• Work closely with the Registered Dietitian, nursing staff, and facility leadership.

• Ensure special diets, modified-texture diets, allergies, and other dietary requirements are followed correctly.

• Maintain the highest standards of kitchen cleanliness, sanitation, food safety, and infection control.

• Ensure proper food storage, temperature control, labeling, dating, and inventory rotation.

• Manage food ordering, inventory, supplies, and kitchen expenses.

• Monitor food costs and minimize waste while maintaining meal quality.

• Ensure the kitchen complies with New Jersey Department of Health regulations and applicable federal nursing home requirements.

• Maintain all required kitchen and food-service documentation and records.

• Prepare the department for state and regulatory inspections and promptly address any deficiencies.

• Ensure residents receive meals that are not only compliant and nutritious, but also fresh, appealing, and enjoyable.

• Maintain a professional, efficient, clean, and positive kitchen environment.

• Lead by example and ensure kitchen staff consistently follow all food-service and sanitation standards.

These are mandatory requirements for the position:

• Must have previous nursing home experience working in a food service, dietary, or kitchen management position.

• Must have proven experience as a Food Service Director, Kitchen Manager, or Director-level kitchen leader in a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF).

• Must have strong knowledge of New Jersey Department of Health regulations governing nursing home food service and kitchen operations.

• Must have a thorough understanding of kitchen hygiene, sanitation, infection control, and food safety requirements in a nursing home environment.

• Must be able to maintain and enforce a clean, sanitary, and inspection-ready kitchen at all times.

• Must have experience ensuring compliance with state and federal nursing home regulations related to food service and dietary operations.

• Must have experience supervising, training, and scheduling kitchen and dietary staff.

• Must have experience overseeing food preparation, meal service, food storage, temperature control, labeling, and inventory rotation.

• Must understand therapeutic diets, special diets, modified-texture diets, allergies, and individual resident dietary requirements.

• Must be comfortable working in a hands-on kitchen management role and taking responsibility for the daily operation of the department.

• Must have strong leadership, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Relevant food-service or dietary certification is a plus.

We are looking for a strong leader who knows nursing home kitchens and understands the importance of quality, cleanliness, compliance, and resident satisfaction.

The right candidate will be someone who can:

• Lead and manage a dietary team.

• Maintain a spotless and sanitary kitchen.

• Ensure full compliance with New Jersey regulations.

• Understand and properly manage therapeutic and special diets.

• Control food costs and inventory.

• Maintain proper food safety procedures and documentation.

• Ensure residents receive high-quality, fresh, nutritious, and enjoyable meals every day.

If you have hands-on nursing home kitchen management experience, understand New Jersey Department of Health requirements, and take pride in maintaining a high-quality and compliant dietary department, we would love to hear from you.

Hourly Rate: $42/hour

Schedule: 5 days per week × 8 hours per day

Annual Salary: $87,360

Apply today!