Now Hiring: Dining Services Director
Alto Hickory Creek | Assisted Living & Memory Care Community
Lead with Heart. Cook with Purpose. Create Meals That Feel Like Home.
Alto Hickory Creek is seeking a talented Dining Services Director to lead the culinary team at our 64-resident Assisted Living & Memory Care community.
If you have a passion for creating delicious, homemade meals and enjoy leading a kitchen that makes a difference in residents' lives every day, we'd love to hear from you!
What We're Looking For:
- Previous cooking experience preparing homemade meals is required
- Leadership experience in a kitchen or dining services setting preferred (Lead Cook or Sous Chef experience welcomed)
- A passion for hospitality and providing an exceptional dining experience
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to lead daily kitchen operations
- A leader who believes that creating warm, familiar meals that make residents feel at home is at the heart of exceptional senior living
Join a team where great food, outstanding service, meaningful connections, and a positive, collaborative culture are at the heart of everything we do.
About the Role
The Dining Services Director is responsible for leading all culinary operations while creating an exceptional dining experience for our residents. From staffing and menu planning to food preparation, ordering, sanitation, and department leadership, you'll ensure that dining remains one of the highlights of each resident's day.
Our residents appreciate comforting, home-style favorites - not gourmet presentations. If you love preparing quality meals that remind people of home, you'll fit right in.
Areas of Responsibility
- Lead, schedule, supervise, coach, and develop the Dining Services team
- Oversee daily kitchen operations and ensure smooth departmental workflow
- Prepare staffing schedules and monitor associate timekeeping
- Review payroll records and partner with the Business Office Manager for timely processing
- Recruit, onboard, and train new dining associates
- Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, infection control, and workplace safety standards
- Maintain a clean, organized, and efficient kitchen environment
- Oversee food ordering, inventory, menu planning, and meal preparation
- Ensure meals are prepared according to approved recipes and nutritional standards
- Deliver an outstanding dining experience that enhances resident satisfaction and contributes to community occupancy
- Collaborate with community leadership to provide exceptional hospitality and service
Required Qualifications
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Minimum of four (4) years of hands-on cooking and menu planning experience
- Previous leadership or supervisory experience within a kitchen or dining environment
- Ability to obtain state-required Food Manager/ServSafe Certification within 30 days of hire
- Experience operating commercial kitchen equipment
- Successful completion of a criminal background screening
- Ability to work within a drug-free workplace
We're Looking for Someone Who Has:
- A positive, approachable personality
- Strong leadership skills
- A team-first mentality
- A resident-focused mindset
- Creativity and the ability to think outside the box
- Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Confidence balanced with humility
- The ability to make sound decisions independently
- Genuine compassion for residents and associates
- A passion for mentoring, coaching, and developing others
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong culinary background
- Previous Dining Services leadership experience
- Senior Living experience preferred, but not required
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel
- Familiarity with Cisco Grove Menus (training will be provided if needed)
- Technical school degree preferred
- Food Manager Certification preferred
Why Join Alto Hickory Creek?
Our community is known for its positive, collaborative culture, where teamwork, hospitality, and resident satisfaction are valued above all else.
We're looking for a leader who understands that the best dining experiences aren't about elaborate presentations—they're about preparing warm, comforting meals that bring people together and make residents feel at home.
If you're ready to lead a kitchen where your food truly makes a difference every single day, we'd love to hear from you!
Apply today and help create memorable dining experiences for the residents of Alto Hickory Creek.
Work Location: In person
