Culinary Development Project Manager

Job Description

Aramark is seeking a highly organized and strategic Culinary Development Project Manager to support Amtrak Food & Beverage Culinary Operations. This role is responsible for managing and coordinating culinary-related projects, operational initiatives, process improvements, and cross-functional programs that support menu innovation, food quality, operational execution, and client satisfaction across a large-scale transportation dining environment.

 

The Culinary Development Project Manager will work closely with Culinary Development leadership, including the Senior Executive Chef and Quality Assurance & Food Standards teams, to drive execution of strategic culinary initiatives from concept through implementation.

 

This role is ideal for someone with experience in project management, culinary operations, foodservice operations, hospitality, transportation dining, commissary operations, or large-scale food production environments who can effectively coordinate teams, manage timelines, and drive operational execution in a fast-paced environment.

What We're Looking For

• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously within fast-paced operational environments
• Ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and drive accountability across stakeholders
• Strong communication, presentation, and relationship management skills
• Experience supporting operational process improvements and strategic initiatives
• Ability to balance operational realities with strategic execution
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and follow-through

Job Responsibilities

Project & Program Management

• Lead and coordinate culinary development projects and operational initiatives across Amtrak Food & Beverage operations
• Manage project timelines, deliverables, milestones, reporting, and stakeholder communication
• Support execution of strategic initiatives related to menu development, culinary standards, operational improvements, vendor programs, and food quality initiatives
• Ensure projects remain aligned with operational goals, client expectations, and financial objectives
• Track project risks, dependencies, action items, and implementation timelines

 

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate collaboration between Culinary, Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, QA, Marketing, Training, and vendor partners
• Facilitate meetings, project updates, and operational planning sessions
• Support rollout and implementation of new menu items, culinary programs, and operational procedures
• Assist in development of training materials, process documentation, operational guides, and project reporting

 

Operational & Process Improvement Support

• Identify opportunities to improve operational workflows, communication, execution consistency, and project efficiency
• Support process standardization efforts across culinary and operational teams
• Assist with implementation of food quality, vendor compliance, and culinary standards initiatives
• Help monitor project outcomes, operational effectiveness, and implementation success metrics

 

Stakeholder & Client Engagement

• Partner closely with internal leadership teams and client stakeholders to support successful execution of culinary programs
• Communicate project updates, implementation progress, and operational impacts to leadership teams
• Support presentations, tastings, operational reviews, and strategic planning initiatives

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hospitality, Culinary Management, Project Management, Operations, or related field preferred
• 3+ years of experience in project management, foodservice operations, culinary operations, hospitality, transportation dining, or related operational environments preferred
• Experience supporting cross-functional operational initiatives preferred
• Experience within high-volume foodservice, commissary, hospitality, airline, or transportation operations is a plus
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, project tracking tools, reporting systems, and operational documentation required
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills preferred

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