# Regional Culinary Manager, East Region - Collegiate… > Regional Culinary Manager, East Region - Collegiate Hospitality at Aramark in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States. Category: Operations Jobs. View full… Regional Culinary Manager, East Region - Collegiate Hospitality # Regional Culinary Manager, East Region - Collegiate Hospitality Aramark ## Job Description Position Summary This position requires extensive travel, with approximately 80% travel throughout the East Region (Washington DC, Virginia & North Carolina). Because we operate in the hospitality and service industry, support may be required seven days per week across all meal periods, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night, weekends, holidays, and special events. Key Responsibilities Culinary Leadership & Standards - Lead and influence culinary teams across multiple locations to ensure excellence in food quality, presentation, creativity, and execution. - Drive consistency in culinary standards, recipes, production systems, and guest experience expectations throughout the region. - Mentor Executive Chefs and culinary leaders to strengthen culinary capabilities and operational effectiveness. - Serve as a regional culinary expert for high-profile events, client presentations, campus engagements, and strategic initiatives. - Champion culinary innovation by introducing trends, platforms, and best practices that enhance guest satisfaction and strengthen competitive positioning. Operational Excellence - Conduct regular site assessments focused on food quality, food safety, sanitation, merchandising, staffing, and execution standards. - Ensure compliance with company, regulatory, and client requirements related to food safety, workplace safety, and operational procedures. - Partner with Operations leaders to identify opportunities for performance improvement and execute action plans that drive measurable results. - Support operational readiness for openings, transitions, renovations, high-profile events, and peak business periods. - Establish and share best practices across the region to improve consistency and execution. Menu Strategy & Financial Performance - Partner with culinary and operational leaders to optimize menus, improve guest engagement, and align offerings with client expectations. - Drive food cost management, menu engineering, product utilization, waste reduction, and purchasing compliance initiatives. - Analyze culinary performance metrics and provide actionable recommendations that improve profitability and operational efficiency. - Support labor productivity initiatives through effective production planning, culinary systems, and process improvements. - Ensure culinary decisions support both financial objectives and exceptional guest experiences. Key Responsibilities (cont.) Talent Development & Succession Planning - Build and maintain a strong pipeline of culinary talent across the region. - Recruit, develop, coach, and mentor Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, and emerging culinary leaders. - Facilitate onboarding, leadership development, culinary training, and certification programs. - Partner with Human Resources and Operations to create intentional development plans aligned with business goals. - Promote participation in internal and external culinary development programs, professional certifications, and succession planning initiatives. - Foster a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and culinary excellence. Sales, Retention & Client Engagement - Support new business development opportunities through culinary presentations, menu showcases, tastings, and solution development. - Participate in client meetings and strategic reviews as a culinary subject matter expert. - Lead culinary support efforts for retention strategies and business renewal opportunities. - Develop compelling food experiences that strengthen client relationships and improve guest satisfaction. - Position culinary programs as a key differentiator in the marketplace. Regional & Enterprise Contribution - Lead one or more regional or enterprise culinary initiatives focused on menu strategy, culinary innovation, productivity, sustainability, talent development, or operational effectiveness. - Contribute to culinary councils, innovation forums, and cross-functional teams that advance organizational objectives. - Support the deployment of new culinary programs, technology solutions, tools, and standards throughout the region. - Identify emerging trends and opportunities that enhance the regional and national culinary strategy. Leadership Expectations - Executive presence and strong leadership influence. - Deep culinary expertise and operational credibility. - Strategic thinking balanced with exceptional execution capabilities. - Strong financial acumen and business judgment. - Ability to manage competing priorities across a geographically dispersed region. - Passion for developing people and building future culinary leaders. - Commitment to hospitality, service excellence, and guest satisfaction. - Effective communication and relationship-building skills with clients, operators, and support partners. Qualifications - Minimum 10 years of progressive culinary leadership experience within hospitality, food service, higher education, restaurants, hotels, or contract-managed services. - Multi-unit culinary leadership experience required. - Culinary degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. - CIA ProChef, ACF Certification, or equivalent advanced culinary credential preferred. - Demonstrated expertise in menu development, food cost management, labor productivity, food safety, and culinary innovation. - Experience leading large-scale food production and diverse culinary operations. - Proven success developing culinary talent and succession pipelines. - Strong financial, analytical, organizational, and project management skills. - Proficiency with Microsoft Office and company culinary and operational systems. - ServSafe Certification required. - Ability and willingness to travel approximately 80% of the time throughout the region. - Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, evenings, holidays, and all meal periods as business needs dictate. Impact of the Role Compensation Data COMPENSATION: BENEFITS: About Aramark Our Mission Posted September 19, 2026 ## Related Jobs Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI Technologist Lead Pediatric SSM Health Lead Retail Tax Expert Intuit Full Time Retail Tax Expert Intuit Full Time Local Class A CDL Driver - Hometime Daily Premier Transportation CDL Senior Tax Expert - Retail Intuit Senior CDL-A Truck Drivers: Another Pay Increase, Excellent Benefits and More Crete Carrier CDL CDL A Delivery Truck Driver Sysco CDL CDL A Local Delivery Truck Driver Freshpoint CDL ## Related Searches