Chef Jobs in Iowa
Chef jobs in Iowa are active across Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City, where hotel groups, casino resorts, and university dining operations drive consistent demand at every level from line cook to executive chef. Employers like Adventureland Resort, the Iowa Speedway hospitality teams, and Principal Financial Group's corporate dining programs maintain steady culinary rosters year-round. The most in-demand specialties are banquet and catering production, farm-to-table scratch cooking, and institutional foodservice management. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find Chef Jobs in IowaOverview
Showing 5 of 22+ Chef jobs











Additional Considerations (if any):
At Hy-Vee our people are our strength. We promise “a helpful smile in every aisle” and those smiles can only come from a workforce that is fully engaged and committed to supporting our customers and each other.
Job Description:
Job Title: Sushi Chef
Department: Asian
FLSA : Non-Exempt
General Function :
As a Sushi Chef, this position will be responsible for preparing and filling customer orders and handling food in a safe manner. You will order and receive products; ensure orders are correct; labels, dates and puts product away. Additionally you will ensure a positive company image by providing courteous, friendly, and efficient customer service to customers and team members.
Core Competencies
- Partnerships
- Growth mindset
- Results oriented
- Customer focused
- Professionalism
Reporting Relations:
Accountable and Reports to: District Store Director; Store Manager; Assistant Managers of Store Operations, Perishables; and Health Wellness Home; Food Service Director; Asian Department Manager; Assistant Asian Department Manager; Service Managers
Positions that Report to you: Sushi Clerk
Primary Duties and Responsibilities :
- Prepares fresh sushi for customers both packaged and made-to-order.
- Provides prompt, efficient and friendly customer service by exhibiting caring, concern and patience in all customer interactions and treating customers as the most important people in the store.
- Smiles and greets customers in a friendly manner, whether the encounter takes place in the employee’s designated department or elsewhere in the store.
- Makes an effort to learn customers’ names and to address them by name whenever possible.
- Answers the telephone promptly and provides friendly, helpful service to customers who call including taking product orders.
- Assists customers by: (examples include)
- escorting them to the products for which they’re looking
- securing products that are out of reach
- loading or unloading heavy items
- making note of and passing along customer suggestions or requests
- performing other tasks in every way possible to enhance the shopping experience
- Works with co-workers as a team and provides training to ensure customer satisfaction and a pleasant work environment.
- Understands and practices proper sanitation procedures and ensures the work area is always clean and neat.
- Involved in schedules and overseeing food ordering and planning.
- Communicates to customers on phone, in person, or on e-mail regarding food and food preparation.
- Aids in the merchandising techniques for sushi foods.
- Aids in the merchandising food layout.
- Attends company wide and industry meetings as assigned.
- Adheres to company policies and individual store guidelines.
- Reports to work when scheduled and on time
Secondary Duties and Responsibilities:
- Plans and performs fresh sushi demonstrations.
- Stays current regarding meal trends and menu planning.
- Performs other job-related duties and special projects as required.
Education and Experience:
High school or equivalent with Hy-Vee food safety training and Food Safety Certified. One to three years of similar or related work. Prior experience in meal preparation is preferred.
Physical Requirements:
- Must be physically able to exert up to 50 pounds of force frequently (energy exerted); and exert up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
- Visual requirements include vision from less than 20 inches to more than 20 feet with or without correction, depth perception, color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors), and field of vision.
- Must be able to perform the following physical activities: Balancing, stooping, kneeling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, finger dexterity, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Worker Characteristics:
- Must have the ability to do logical or scientific thinking to solve problems with several abstract and concrete variables.
- Ability to do arithmetic calculations involving fractions, decimals, and percentages.
- Possess the ability to compose original correspondence; follow technical manuals and have increased contact with people, talk with customers to identify their requests; guide people and provide basic direction.
Working Conditions :
This position is continually exposed to raw fish, flour, dust, noise, and temperature extremes. There is occasional exposure to cleaning chemicals/solvents. This is a fast paced work environment with significant pressure.
Equipment Used to Perform Job:
Oven, steamer, scale, big mixer, shrink wrap machine, Telexon re-ordering machine, register, walk-in-cooler, knives, serving cases and C.A.R.S. system.
Contacts:
Has daily contact with internal customers and the general public. Has weekly contact with suppliers and vendors. Has contact with Federal and State government and/or regulatory agencies as necessary.
Are you ready to smile, apply today.
Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre employment drug screen.
See All 22 Chef Jobs in Iowa
Find roles in Iowa that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Chef Jobs in IowaChef Jobs by City in Iowa
Where Iowa roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Chef Job Market in Iowa
A snapshot from current Iowa openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Food & Beverage
What Iowa Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in chef jobs across Iowa.
- ServSafe Food Handler or Food Manager certification recognized by Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals
- Proven experience in a professional kitchen environment at a comparable volume
- Ability to prepare and execute menus across multiple cuisines or service styles
- Formal culinary training from an accredited program or equivalent on-the-job experience
- Familiarity with food cost control, inventory management, and kitchen ordering systems
- Physical ability to stand for extended shifts and work in high-temperature kitchen conditions
Chef Jobs in Iowa: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a chef in Iowa?
Iowa does not require a state-issued chef license, but most employers expect a ServSafe Food Manager certification, which is administered through programs approved by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Culinary graduates from schools like Des Moines Area Community College or Iowa State University's hospitality program have an edge in the hiring market. Building experience through line cook or prep cook roles at hotels, casinos, or institutional kitchens is the most common path to a full chef position.
Which companies hire chefs in Iowa?
Companies currently hiring chefs in Iowa include Sodexo, Hy-Vee, and First Hospitality, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Iowa's casino resorts, hotel groups, and university foodservice contracts tend to post the most consistent openings across the state.
Which Iowa cities have the most chef jobs?
Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Altoona are the Iowa cities with the most chef openings, driven by the concentration of hotels, convention centers, casino properties, and large university campuses that operate full-scale food and beverage programs requiring professional culinary staff year-round.
Are there remote chef jobs in Iowa?
Yes, but they're rare. Chef work is almost entirely hands-on and location-dependent, so fully remote roles are uncommon in this field. About 0% of chef openings tied to Iowa are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, and those positions typically involve culinary consulting, menu development, or corporate recipe testing rather than day-to-day kitchen operations.
How can I get hired as a chef in Iowa with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is starting in a prep cook or line cook role at a high-volume Iowa employer, such as a casino resort, university dining hall, or hotel food and beverage department, where on-the-job training is standard. Des Moines Area Community College and Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids both offer culinary arts programs with externship placements at Iowa employers. Earning a ServSafe Food Handler certification before applying gives candidates a concrete credential that most Iowa kitchens look for from day one.
Where can I find and apply to chef jobs in Iowa?
You can find and apply to chef jobs in Iowa on Migrate Mate, which lists current Iowa openings updated regularly. Search for roles that match your experience level and kitchen specialty, then apply directly to the ones that fit. No detours to another platform are needed.
See All 22 Chef Jobs in Iowa
Find roles in Iowa that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Chef Jobs in Iowa