Lead High-Volume Patient Dining at a Premier Academic Medical Center
Sodexo is seeking an experienced and dynamic Executive Chef 3 to lead the culinary team at Yale New Haven Hospital (York Street Campus) in New Haven, CT.
Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) is a 1,541-bed teaching hospital and the primary teaching site for the Yale School of Medicine and Yale School of Nursing. YNHH includes the 168-bed Smilow Cancer Hospital, the 201-bed Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, and the 76-bed Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital.
The Executive Chef 3 is the primary culinary lead for our Patient Services team. This role oversees high-volume patient dining—approximately 900 patient meals daily—across three tray lines operating in two kitchens. YNHH utilizes a bedside ordering model with timed delivery (implemented May 2025), requiring tight execution, real-time coordination, and a hands-on leadership style.
Success Looks Like:
Consistent on-time delivery and accuracy for all patient meals.
Strong audit results (temperature logs, sanitation, documentation).
Engaged, well-trained teams with clear station ownership and backup plans.
Stable food cost and inventory practices with reduced waste.
Positive partnerships with Patient Services and Clinical Nutrition.
Ready to lead at one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers? Apply Today!
Lead day-to-day culinary operations for patient dining, ensuring on-time, accurate, and temperature-safe meal delivery.
Direct production planning, batch cooking, and tray line execution across two kitchens/three lines.
Drive culinary quality standards, presentation, and consistency aligned with Sodexo and YNHH expectations.
Champion food safety & compliance (HACCP, Joint Commission readiness, sanitation audits); maintain meticulous documentation.
Manage purchasing, inventory, and cost controls to meet financial targets while minimizing waste.
Hire, train, coach, and schedule a diverse team; foster a people-first, team-oriented culture.
Partner closely with Patient Services leadership, Clinical Nutrition, and Diet Office to support therapeutic diets, allergies, and restrictions.
Use menu/production systems and KPI dashboards to monitor performance and implement continuous improvement.
Support readiness for VIP visits, surveys, and leadership walk-throughs; model visible, floor-based leadership.
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:
More extensive information is provided to new employees upon hire.
Progressive culinary leadership in a high-volume healthcare or similar complex environment.
Proven success running multiple tray lines and coordinating across more than one kitchen.
Deep knowledge of HACCP, food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.
Strong people leadership: coaching, developing, and engaging frontline teams.
Financial acumen: production planning, waste reduction, inventory/purchasing, and cost control.
Comfortable with bedside ordering workflows, timed delivery, and service recovery.
Excellent communication and cross-functional partnership skills.
ServSafe Food Protection Manager (or ability to obtain). Culinary degree a plus.
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 - Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
Minimum Management Experience - 3 years
Minimum Functional Experience - 3 years work experience in food or culinary services including restaurants, fast food, vending, catering services, institutional services, mall food courts, etc.