Executive Chef – High-End Catering, Retail Café & Meal Programs

Company Description

WHO ARE WE?

We’ve been serving Canadian clients for over 75 years. The companies that began independently and now form Dexterra Group support the infrastructure and built assets that play a vital role in our society—helping our clients achieve higher performance and productivity. Powered by passionate people, we bring the right teams with the right skills together so clients can operate day to day, confidently and successfully.

Job Description

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Executive Chef to lead all culinary operations across a diverse food service portfolio, including high-end catering, retail café operations, mandatory meal plans, and client-based food programs. This role is responsible for delivering exceptional food quality, strong financial performance, and outstanding customer satisfaction across all service areas.

The Executive Chef will act as both a culinary leader and client-facing representative, ensuring consistency, innovation, and operational excellence across all outlets.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership

• Oversee all kitchen operations across catering, retail café, and meal plan production
• Develop and execute high-end catering menus tailored to client expectations and budgets
• Ensure consistent food quality, presentation, and portion standards across all service lines
• Drive culinary innovation while maintaining operational efficiency and cost control

High-End Catering Operations

• Lead planning and execution of premium catering events (corporate, institutional, private)
• Manage event production from menu design through on-site execution
• Coordinate logistics, staffing, and timelines for seamless service delivery
• Ensure client expectations are met or exceeded at all events

Retail Café Operations

• Oversee daily café food production, menu offerings, and service standards
• Ensure fast, consistent, and high-quality food service in a retail environment
• Monitor sales performance, food cost, and product mix optimization
• Implement seasonal and promotional menu items to drive revenue

Mandatory Meal Plan Program

• Manage large-scale meal production for meal plan or institutional dining programs
• Ensure nutritional balance, consistency, and volume production efficiency
• Control food cost while maintaining quality standards for high-volume service
• Collaborate with operations to ensure timely and accurate meal delivery

Client Relations & Customer Satisfaction

• Act as a key culinary contact for clients and institutional partners
• Maintain strong relationships through regular communication and responsiveness
• Address feedback and resolve concerns promptly and professionally
• Ensure high levels of customer satisfaction across all service channels

Financial & Operational Management

• Manage food costs, labor efficiency, and inventory control across all units
• Work within approved budgets while maximizing quality and output
• Reduce waste and improve production efficiency across operations
• Support revenue growth through menu engineering and pricing strategies

Team Leadership

• Lead, train, and develop kitchen teams across multiple service areas
• Build a strong culture of accountability, professionalism, and excellence
• Schedule and manage staff based on operational needs and event demand
• Conduct performance evaluations and ongoing coaching

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all food safety and sanitation regulations
• Maintain clean, organized, and audit-ready kitchen environments
• Enforce safe food handling and workplace safety standards

Qualifications

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years culinary experience, including senior leadership roles
• Proven experience in catering, high-volume production, and retail food operations
• Strong background in client-facing culinary environments
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills
• Solid understanding of food cost control and financial management
• Culinary diploma or equivalent professional experience preferred
• Food Safe certification required

Key Competencies

• Strong client relationship management
• High attention to quality and detail
• Ability to manage multiple food service streams simultaneously
• Strong problem-solving under pressure
• Focus on customer satisfaction and service excellence

Additional Information

Dexterra Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veterans’ status, Indigenous status, or any other legally protected factors. Disability-related accommodations during the hiring selection process are available upon request.

#IND2