Director of Production
Whitsons Culinary Group, Berkeley, IL, United States
The Director of Production is the senior culinary leader responsible for overseeing recipe development, product standardization, and culinary execution across the Culinary Centers and School Nutrition divisions. This role ensures that all recipes, Bills of Material (BOMs), and preparation procedures are fully industrialized, cost-controlled, scalable, and executable within a high-volume food manufacturing environment.
The Director of Production partners closely with Operations, Procurement, Quality Assurance, Finance, Training, and Plant Leadership to deliver consistent, high-quality products that meet customer expectations, regulatory requirements, and cost targets. This role plays a critical leadership function in driving food quality, production efficiency, and continuous improvement across prepared meals manufacturing.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTI
ESCulinary Strategy & Product Developme
- ntDevelop new meals and menu items for School Nutrition, Culinary Center, and internal Whitsons business line
- s.Industrialize all recipes by developing accurate BOMs, formulations, yields, and preparation standard
- s.Conduct regular reviews of existing BOMs to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and cost alignmen
- t.Condense and streamline recipes and ingredient lists where practical to improve production efficienc
- onDesign standardized preparation, cooking, cooling, and handling procedures for all product
- s.Establish yields and preparation processes and compare standards to actual production result
- s.Observe daily BOM-related production functions to ensure adherence to approved formulation
- s.Assist production planning to reduce changeovers and improve line efficienc
- y.Ensure all work is performed safely and in compliance with company and regulatory standard
s.Equipment, Training & Operational Suppo
- rtMaintain expert knowledge of all cooking, preparation, and processing equipment used in productio
- n.Develop equipment-specific training standards for efficient and consistent us
- e.Partner with Training and Operations teams to document and implement culinary procedure
- s.Train equipment operators and production teams on new recipes and formulation
- s.Require documented sign-off confirming understanding and readiness to execute new product
s.Quality Assurance & Product Standar
- dsDevelop quality control and testing procedures for all new and existing product
- s.Establish QA standards related to appearance, taste, texture, viscosity, and portionin
- g.Conduct test tastings and focus groups with internal stakeholders and senior client
- s.Set meal portions, plating diagrams, and gold standard references in English and Spanis
- h.Observe production lines periodically to verify portioning accuracy and gold standard complianc
- e.Collaborate with QA to ensure HACCP, USDA, and internal quality standards are consistently me
- olEstablish and maintain all BOM costs, yields, and absorbed labor calculation
- s.Work with Procurement to ensure ingredient sourcing, availability, and cost alignmen
- t.Partner with Plant Leadership, COO, and CFO to vet and approve all BOM-related cost
- s.Monitor plate costs to ensure meals remain within program-specific cost target
- s.Communicate proactively when cost, yield, or execution risks are identifie
d.Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaborati
- onProvide day-to-day culinary leadership that aligns with the plant’s mission and core value
- s.Partner with Operations, Safety, QA, Procurement, Finance, and Training teams to support plant goal
- s.Develop plans with the Safety Team to reduce accidents and improve food handling safet
- y.Maintain strong communication across departments to support smooth product launches and executio
- n.Build a catalog of products that can be efficiently produced within cost and capacity guideline
Salary Range: $110,000-$130,000
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETEN
CIESEducation & Certificat
- ionsCulinary degree required; certification in Culinary Arts essent
- ial.ServSafe Certification requi
- red.HACCP, safety, and customer service training certifications requi
- red.Local ordinance certification requi
- red.Certified Executive Chef (CEC) accreditation prefer
red.Experi
- enceMinimum of 10 years of culinary and management experie
- nce.3–5 years of food manufacturing or large-scale production experience requi
- red.USDA-regulated production experience prefer
red.Technical & Leadership Competen
- ciesBusiness and Financial Ac
- mentQuality Systems & Food Safety Compli
- anceOperational Problem Sol
- vingLeadership & Team Develop
- mentCommunication & Cross-Functional Collabora