Executive Chef

Overview

University Retirement Community, a not-for-profit Life Plan Community, offers more than your typical retirement lifestyle. Our prime location in Davis, CA in a dynamic university town combined with the vast array of resort-style services and amenities available on-site means there’s more for residents to enjoy. This dynamic campus offers delicious dining and a continuum of healthcare including Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing. We are currently seeking an experienced and compassionate Executive Chef.

Apply today and learn why University Retirement Community has consistently been ranked as one of Davis’s top senior living communities!

About The Role

As a leader in the department, you will drive success in Dining Services by consistently developing, mentoring, and holding all members of the Dining and Nutritional teams accountable to their job descriptions. Your leadership will be guided by a strong sense of ownership, a commitment to excellence, and your vision and expectations for the team. You will foster positive, genuine, and transparent relationships with the residents, aligned with the Pacific Retirement Services (PRS) Core Values, while ensuring adherence to all Dining Services policies and procedures.

Pay: $105,000 - $115,000 / annually DOE

What You’ll Be Doing

• Champion Pacific Retirement Services (PRS) culture by ingraining our Mission (“Empower people to lead meaningful lives as they age.”), Vision (“Shaping a future where aging is embraced as an opportunity to thrive.”) and Core Values (“We Speak Up, We Step Up, We Lift Up, We Team Up”) into all aspects of your role.
• Build strong relationships with residents and team members through empathy, genuine communication, and a focus on creating inviting, personalized dining experiences. Maintain a visible leadership presence in dining venues, especially during key meal periods, and actively participate in resident and team events.
• Lead Culinary Operations & Team Development – Oversee all back-of-house culinary functions, including recipe creation, menu planning, catering, and healthcare cuisine. Ensure menus reflect balanced, high-quality options that meet resident preferences and dietary needs. Train, coach, and mentor culinary staff, ensuring consistent onboarding, skill development, and adherence to policies, procedures, and service standards.
• Ensure Quality, Compliance & Safety – Maintain exemplary results on corporate assessments, satisfaction surveys, and health inspections by upholding rigorous food safety, sanitation, and quality control standards. Monitor kitchen equipment, cleanliness, and repair needs. Use temperature, sanitation, and waste logs to ensure regulatory compliance and operational excellence.
• Drive Operational & Financial Performance – Collaborate with leadership to develop and manage departmental budgets, control costs, maintain proper staffing levels, and provide accurate financial record keeping. Respond quickly and effectively to areas needing improvement while ensuring operations align with budgetary, regulatory, and quality standards.
• Collaborate & Innovate for Resident Satisfaction – Partner with the Dining Services Director, Registered Dietician, Corporate Culinary leadership, and outside agencies to enhance dining programs. Integrate menu items into the MealTracker Nutritional Software System, develop seasonal and daily menus, and continually evaluate team and program effectiveness for innovation and improvement.
  
  

Working at University Retirement Community, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

• 100% paid Medical, Dental and Vision
• 401k with company match and additional defined contribution retirement plan
• Access to On-site Fitness & Aquatic Center
• Complimentary shift meals
• Generous PTO (paid time off) plan
• Employee wellness classes and other employee events
• Employee referral bonus program
• Employee Scholarships Available
• PayActiv (early wage access)
  
  

Whether you feel like you'd be a great fit for this position or not, we highly encourage you to apply either way!