Executive Chef Jobs in Tennessee
Executive Chef jobs in Tennessee are consistently active, with strong demand concentrated in hotel and resort hospitality, private dining clubs, health system food service, and the state's expanding entertainment and convention sectors, at levels from sous chef stepping into their first executive role through seasoned culinary directors overseeing multi-outlet operations. Nashville, Memphis, and Chattanooga account for the majority of openings, anchored by employers such as Marriott International properties, HCA Healthcare's hospitality and food service divisions, and Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. The most in-demand specialties are contemporary Southern cuisine, large-banquet and event catering, and farm-to-table menu development. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Executive Chef
StoryPoint Chattanooga
Position Summary:
The Executive Chef is responsible for the successful management of all aspects of the culinary and dining department. Responsibilities include retail sales, special events planning, food costs and inventory control, safety and sanitation, and maintaining excellent resident, customer and employee satisfaction.
Required Experience for Executive Chef:
- Bachelor’s degree or related culinary degree.
- Certified Executive Chef preferred.
- Minimum four years of industry and culinary management experience.
- Upscale dining experience required.
- Must demonstrates proven leadership abilities, commitment to customer service, and strong organization and time management skills.
- Must have previous experience and proficient with menu development and pricing.
- Must have experience in all Microsoft Office applications required.
- Culinary labor, food and small ware financial management experience required.
Primary Responsibilities for Job Executive Chef:
- Achieve 100% resident satisfaction through plate presentation and taste. The Executive Chef circulates dining rooms at meal times daily for resident feedback.
- Establish presentation techniques and ensure quality standards.
- Hire, coach, train, inspire and direct culinary staff. Maintain proper scheduling, employee reviews.
- Develop Sous Chef and Lead Cook to take on additional leadership and management duties.
- Directly responsible for food control, labor costs, menu engineering, recipe creation and standardization of recipe production to ensure consistency.
- Ensure proper equipment operation/maintenance, proper safety and sanitation policies for followed in the work areas.
- Oversee special catering events and offer culinary instruction and/or demonstrate culinary techniques.
- Consistently maintains a positive attitude, which supports a team environment. Promotes positive public relations with residents, family members and guests.
- Function as Manager on Duty as scheduled with site leadership team
General Working Conditions:
This position entails standing for long periods of time. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to communicate effectively with others, sit, stand, walk and use hands to handle keyboard, telephone, paper, files, and other equipment and objects. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. This position requires the ability to review detailed documents and read computer screens. The employee will occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The work environment requires appropriate interaction with others. The noise level in the work environment is moderate. Occasional travel to different locations may be required.
Connecting Seniors, Families and Communities
For over 37 years, our senior living communities have served seniors and their families across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Tennessee, with each location offering unique services including independent, enhanced, and assisted living, as well as memory care and rehabilitation and skilled nursing. Through forming authentic connections and committing to creating the absolute best experiences each day for our residents and their families, we’ve created a special culture within our communities that allows our employees to do their best work and our residents to shine every day.
Not Just Making Every Day Great. Making Every Minute Great. There are 1,440 minutes in every single day. We aspire to make each one of them an exceptional moment. This philosophy is supported by our 6 powerful, yet simple pillars: Dream Big, Have Courage, Take Initiative, Be Accountable, Give Back & Enjoy it. We strive to fulfill the aspirational yet unattainable goal of creating the absolute best experience with every person, in every interaction, every minute of every day.
It begins with empowering our employees. Every employee, at every level of the company, is expected to perform like a leader. Everyone is encouraged and expected to put the needs of each other above everything else. No one here just “does their job” The mission is to create the absolute best experiences. This emphasis on putting people first has helped us successfully grow for the right reasons.
We have developed an environment that attracts dreamers, adventurers, creators, givers and believers to seek career opportunities with us. We find people who believe that true happiness is only found in the service of others. We want high-performers with diverse skill-sets and big hearts. We treat each other as family and find that close collaboration creates the biggest ideas.
If you love serving others, and are looking for an opportunity to thrive, CommonSail Investment Group and our businesses is your destination.
This classification description is intended to indicate the general kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty that are required of positions given this title and should not be construed as declaring what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of the employees under her/his supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not exclude other duties not mentioned that are of a similar kind or level of difficulty.
Equal Opportunity Employer
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Find Executive Chef JobsExecutive Chef Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Executive Chef Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Food & Beverage
- Technology & Software
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in executive chef jobs across Tennessee.
- Culinary degree or equivalent formal training from an accredited Tennessee or regional institution recognized by hiring employers
- Minimum five years of progressive kitchen leadership experience including managing line staff and kitchen operations
- Demonstrated ability to develop seasonal menus with a focus on Southern regional cuisine and local sourcing
- Proven cost control and food-and-beverage budgeting experience within a high-volume Tennessee-style hospitality setting
- Food handler manager certification such as ServSafe at the managerial level, required by most Tennessee employers
- Experience coordinating large-scale banquet or event catering operations, particularly for conventions or hotel properties
Executive Chef Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a executive chef in Tennessee?
The most direct path is completing a culinary arts degree or diploma from an accredited program, such as those offered at Johnson University, Nashville State Community College, or the culinary programs within Tennessee's community college system, followed by progressive kitchen experience. Tennessee does not issue a state culinary license, but most employers require a current ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification, which is administered through the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and accepted statewide.
How much do executive chefs make in Tennessee?
Executive chefs in Tennessee earn a median of about $69,810 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $45,410 for the lowest 10% to over $98,860 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire executive chefs in Tennessee?
Employers hiring executive chefs in Tennessee right now include Morrison Healthcare, Sodexo, and Aramark, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Tennessee's hotel groups, convention facilities, and health system food service departments are among the most consistent sources of executive chef openings across the state.
Which Tennessee cities have the most executive chef jobs?
Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville account for the most executive chef openings in Tennessee. Nashville leads because of its dense concentration of full-service hotels, convention venues, and independent restaurant groups, while Memphis draws demand from its hospitality and tourism corridor and Chattanooga from its growing boutique hotel and event venue scene.
Are there remote executive chef jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, but they are rare. Executive chef work is inherently hands-on, requiring daily presence in a kitchen, and very few roles can be performed remotely. About 0% of executive chef openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and those tend to be consulting, menu development, or culinary director roles with a corporate oversight function rather than active kitchen management.
How can I get hired as a executive chef in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is joining a large Tennessee hotel or resort property as a sous chef or senior line cook and progressing internally. Gaylord Opryland and full-service Marriott properties in Nashville regularly promote from within and run structured culinary training tracks. Building a portfolio of original menus, earning a ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification, and gaining banquet or high-volume event experience in any capacity will give candidates a clear edge when applying for their first executive chef appointment.
Where can I find and apply to executive chef jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to executive chef jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current Tennessee openings from employers across the state. Search the listings, find roles that fit your experience and preferred location, and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 45 Executive Chef Jobs in Tennessee
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