What are the responsibilities and job description for the Quality Assurance & Food Standards Sr. Specialist - Amtrak Culinary Development position at CRH?
Job Description
Aramark is seeking a Quality Assurance & Food Standards Sr. Specialist to support Amtrak Culinary Development and Food & Beverage Operations. This role plays a critical part in ensuring culinary consistency, food quality, product presentation, operational execution, and vendor compliance across a large-scale transportation dining environment.
The ideal candidate will bring experience in food quality assurance, culinary operations, vendor management, food production standards, QA programs, or multi-unit foodservice operations. This individual will partner closely with Culinary Development leadership, including the Senior Executive Chef, to implement food standards programs that improve product consistency, optimize costs, strengthen vendor accountability, and elevate the overall guest dining experience.
This position is highly cross-functional and requires strong collaboration with culinary teams, suppliers, production partners, operations leadership, procurement, and client stakeholders.
What We're Looking For
- Experience in food quality assurance, culinary standards, food production, or multi-unit foodservice operations
- Strong understanding of food presentation, culinary consistency, portioning, and product execution standards
- Experience working with vendors, suppliers, or manufacturing partners preferred
- Ability to balance food quality expectations with operational and financial realities
- Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills
- Ability to manage multiple projects and timelines in fast-paced operational environments
- Collaborative mindset with strong attention to detail
Job Responsibilities
Food Quality & Standards Management
- Support development and execution of food quality assurance and culinary standards programs across Amtrak Food & Beverage operations
- Ensure food products consistently meet established standards for taste, appearance, portioning, packaging, freshness, and presentation
- Conduct product evaluations, tastings, inspections, and quality reviews across vendors and operational locations
- Monitor food quality trends and identify opportunities for corrective action and continuous improvement
- Help establish standardized culinary execution procedures and operational quality benchmarks
Vendor Performance & Product Compliance
- Partner with vendors, suppliers, and production partners to ensure compliance with culinary specifications and quality standards
- Support vendor audits, product testing, specification reviews, and quality validation processes
- Assist with cost mitigation and value optimization initiatives while maintaining food quality standards
- Identify opportunities to improve product consistency, reduce waste, optimize yields, and improve operational execution
- Monitor supplier performance and escalate quality concerns as needed
Culinary Training & Operational Support
- Work closely with the Senior Executive Chef and Culinary Development teams to support operational rollout of menu items and product standards
- Assist in developing culinary training materials, food specification guides, and operational process documentation
- Support field culinary teams and onboard service crews through training, coaching, and quality evaluations
- Reinforce culinary standards and visual presentation expectations across operations
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Culinary, Operations, Procurement, Supply Chain, Marketing, and QA teams on product and process improvements
- Participate in product tastings, operational reviews, supplier meetings, and culinary workshops
- Support implementation of new menu items, product launches, and culinary innovation initiatives
- Help maintain recipe, specification, and quality documentation within culinary systems
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, Hospitality, Quality Assurance, or related field preferred
- 5 years of experience in culinary operations, food quality assurance, food manufacturing, QA, or multi-unit foodservice environments preferred
- Experience supporting large-scale food production or transportation dining operations is a plus
- Knowledge of food safety, QA standards, HACCP, and operational food compliance preferred
- Strong Microsoft Office and reporting system proficiency preferred
- Strong presentation and client-facing communication skills required
About Aramark
Our Mission
Rooted in service and united by our purpose, we strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet.
At Aramark, we believe that every employee should enjoy equal employment opportunity and be free to participate in all aspects of the company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by applicable law.
About Aramark
The people of Aramark proudly serve millions of guests every day through food and facilities in 15 countries around the world. Rooted in service and united by our purpose, we strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. We believe a career should develop your talents, fuel your passions, and empower your professional growth. So, no matter what you're pursuing - a new challenge, a sense of belonging, or just a great place to work - our focus is helping you reach your full potential. Learn more about working here at http://www.aramarkcareers.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.