Executive Chef

Northwood University | Midland, MI

Creative Dining Services

Be Creative… with Creative Dining Services!

Are you a passionate culinary leader who loves creating exceptional food, developing talented teams, and bringing people together through great dining experiences?

Creative Dining Services is looking for an energetic and experienced Executive Chef to join our team at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan!

As the Executive Chef, you’ll be more than the leader of the kitchen—you’ll be the culinary driving force behind the dining program, helping create memorable experiences for students, faculty, staff, and guests.

If you’re ready to bring your creativity, leadership, and culinary expertise to a dynamic college campus environment, we’d love to meet you!

What You’ll Do

As our Executive Chef, you will lead the culinary operation while maintaining the highest standards of food quality, presentation, safety, nutrition, and financial performance.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Lead & Inspire: Hire, train, schedule, coach, and develop culinary team members while building a positive, high-performing kitchen culture.
• Create Amazing Food: Oversee daily culinary production and ensure menus and recipes consistently meet Creative Dining Services’ quality standards.
• Bring Your Creativity: Contribute to menu development, special events, catering, and new culinary concepts.
• Own the Operation: Coordinate culinary activities across the dining operation and ensure smooth, efficient execution.
• Manage the Business: Make food purchases, control inventory, manage food costs, and operate the kitchen in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Set the Standard: Establish and maintain food quality and production standards throughout the operation.
• Collaborate: Work closely with the Dining Services management team, campus partners, Food Committee, students, and guests to continually improve the dining experience.
• Develop Your Team: Provide coaching, feedback, and development opportunities that help team members grow professionally.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for a culinary professional who combines strong technical skills with great leadership and a passion for hospitality.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Culinary Arts degree preferred
• 5+ years of professional culinary experience preferred
• Previous culinary management experience preferred
• ServSafe certification
• Catering and high-volume foodservice experience
• Experience with menu development and recipe standardization
• Higher education or college/university dining experience is a plus
• American Culinary Federation membership preferred
• CaterTrax experience is a plus, but not required
• A passion for developing people and creating exceptional dining experiences

Why You’ll Love Working at Creative Dining Services

At Creative Dining Services, we believe great hospitality starts with taking care of our people.

That’s why we offer a competitive compensation and benefits package designed to support you both at work and at home.

Our Benefits Include:

• Competitive Pay
• Daily Pay Options – Access your earned wages when you need them
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Paid Time Off
• Bonus Opportunities
• Training & Professional Development
• Career Advancement Opportunities
• Employee Support & Wellness Benefits
• And much, much more!

Why Creative Dining Services?

Creative Dining Services is different because we believe hospitality should be personal, innovative, and fun.

We partner with colleges and universities, Fortune 100 companies, senior living communities, conference centers, K-12 schools, and camps to create dining and hospitality experiences that bring people together.

When you join Creative Dining Services, you’re joining a team that values creativity, collaboration, leadership, and community.

At Northwood University, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day—through the food you create, the team you lead, and the experiences you provide.

Ready to Bring Your Culinary Creativity to Campus?

If you’re ready to lead a talented culinary team, create outstanding food, and make an impact in a vibrant university community, apply today!

Be Creative. Be a Leader. Be Part of Creative Dining Services.

Creative Dining Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.