Chief Operating Officer (Chicago)

Chief Operating Officer

We've built something special at Thomas Cuisine : an amazing culture, teams that care deeply, and a mission that actually means something. Our commitment to REAL food, genuine service, and enduring relationships isn't just a taglineit's how we work.

Now it's time to scale.

We're looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) who can take our strong foundation and help us grow while staying true to who we are. You'll lead a talented operations team across corporate dining, healthcare, senior living, education, and professional sports. You'll also guide the development of scalable systems and help evolve our operating models to meet what's next.

This role is about building the right systems and playbookssmart, scalable, and values-alignedwithout turning us into something rigid or generic. We believe in structure and standards, but we also believe in flexibility, creativity, and doing what's right for our people and those we serve. We're looking for someone who thrives in complexity, leads with clarity, and brings energy and high expectations to the table.

If you're fired up about REAL food that fuels people and operations that scale with purpose, we want to meet you.

What You'll Do

• Oversee operations across our national footprint, ensuring consistency, quality, and exceptional experiences in every location through exceptional team and client relationships.
• Design and implement systems, tools, and processes that enable growth while protecting what makes Thomas Cuisine unique.
• Operationalize our REAL food values. Support culinary and procurement leaders to ensure these standards are reflected in every order guide, every dish, and every location.
• Lead innovation in how we serve. Develop new operating models and services that meet evolving client needs and create long-term value.
• Ensure our teams deliver consistently excellent food and service. Strengthen client relationships by showing up with solutions, follow-through, and care.
• Develop and support high-performing, mission-aligned operations leaders. Create a culture of excellence, accountability, and personal growth.
• Lead with discipline and data. Ensure operational decisions reflect strong financial management for both Thomas Cuisine and our client partners.
• Align our supply chain strategy, REAL food commitments, and operational practices.

Who You Are

Why Thomas Cuisine

We're privately held, mission-driven, and growing with purpose. Our teams believe in REAL food, in building meaningful relationships, and in doing things the right way. If that sounds like your kind of place, we'd love to start a conversation.

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.