Executive Chef Jobs in Oak Ridge, TN (NOW HIRING)

Sodexo Independent Schools is seeking a talented and passionate Executive Chef to lead the culinary program at Webb School of Knoxville, a premier private coeducational day school in Knoxville, TN. Webb School enrolls approximately 1,200 students from PreK through 12th grade and employs about 200 faculty and staff members, creating a vibrant and closeknit campus community. The Executive Chef will oversee a highvisibility dining program that primarily prepares and serves weekday lunch for approximately 1,400 members of the Webb community, while also supporting a robust catering program that may include evening and weekend events.

At Webb, dining is not viewed as a vendor partnership-it is an integral part of the Webb community.  The team has built a strong, inclusive culture where collaboration, shared purpose, and service to students come first. The Executive Chef is expected to embrace this mindset, working as one community alongside faculty, staff, and leadership to support the student experience. This role is ideal for an innovative, handson culinary professional who thrives in a highly engaged, clientfacing environment and enjoys daily interaction with students, faculty, and staff. The Executive Chef will manage the entire culinary operation, delivering high-quality food, creativity, and exceptional service in a private school setting.

At Sodexo, we deliver food, nutrition, environmental and facilities management solutions to partnered K-12 schools. Joining us at one of our school sites means fostering healthy learning environments and positively influencing the students' well-being and performance.

• Lead and oversee all culinary operations, ensuring high-quality food production, presentation, and consistency.
• Develop and execute innovative, trend-forward menus using fresh ingredients while maintaining food safety, sanitation, and HACCP compliance.
• Manage budgets, food and labor costs, inventory, purchasing, and overall kitchen financial performance.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop kitchen staff to support operational excellence and team growth.
• Partner with leadership on operational, financial, and client initiatives while maintaining strong relationships with students, faculty, and staff.
• Coordinate catering services for school events and participate in ongoing training on company policies, menu programs, and culinary innovations.

Compensation is fair and equitable, partially determined by a candidate's education level or years of relevant experience. Salary offers are based on a candidate's specific criteria, like experience, skills, education, and training. Sodexo offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Care and Wellness Programs
• 401(k) Plan with Matching Contributions
• Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
• Career Growth Opportunities and Tuition Reimbursement

More extensive information is provided to new employees upon hire.

• Proven experience as an Executive Chef or senior culinary leader with strong hands-on kitchen management expertise.
• Demonstrated success in menu development, food production, and incorporating fresh ingredients and emerging culinary trends.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, HACCP compliance, inventory control, purchasing, and back-of-house operations.
• Experience managing food and labor costs, budgets, and food service contract requirements.
• Effective leader with a track record of training, supervising, and developing culinary staff.
• Customer-focused professional with strong communication, organizational, and multitasking skills; ServSafe certification and culinary degree preferred.

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone and build a better life for all. We believe in improving the quality of life for those we serve and contributing to the economic, social, and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Sodexo partners with clients to provide a truly memorable experience for both customers and employees alike. We do this by providing food service, catering, facilities management, and other integrated solutions worldwide.

Our company values you for you; you will be treated fairly and with respect, and you can be yourself. You will have your ideas count and your opinions heard because we can be a stronger team when you're happy at work. This is why we embrace diversity and inclusion as core values, fostering an environment where all employees are valued and respected. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to individuals regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you need assistance with the application process, please complete this form.

Minimum Education Requirement - Associate's Degree or equivalent experienceMinimum Management Experience - 2 years Minimum Functional Experience - 1 year work experience in food or culinary services including restaurants, fast food, vending, catering services, institutional services, mall food courts, etc.