Meet Michael Smith, a Sodexo Executive Chef at Texas Christian University

We sat down with Michael Smith, an Executive Chef at Texas Christian University to see what a typical day is like in his role and what working at Sodexo means to him.

A day in the life of an executive chef at Sodexo involves more than cooking. Our chefs are an integral part of creating unique menus, managing different divisions, checking safety procedures, and managing a successful staff.

Michael Smith joined Sodexo 8 years ago as an area chef in Chicago before working up to his current position as Executive Chef at Texas Christian University (TCU). He manages TCU’s resident dining, sports programs, and catering departments.

A typical day for Michael starts between 7:00 am and 8:00 am, but when there is a football game, he and his team arrive as early as Midnight or 1:00 am to begin preparations.

No matter what time his workday begins, Michael always starts the day by greeting his staff.

“The most important thing is ensuring my staff is seen and recognized. Greeting them with positive energy sets the standard for the entire day and allows them to feel valued,” Michael shares.

Every day Michael creates a checklist involving daily safety checks, reviewing catering orders, checking production records in the dining halls, and other relevant tasks for that specific day.

Michael ensures a sense of belonging for his team through his everyday routine of always putting his employees first. He spends his day ensuring each department is running smoothly by having meetings with his staff. Michael calls these meetings “stand-up huddles” and takes this time to make sure his staff has everything they need to succeed. Michael also takes time to meet with students and involves them in his recipe-creating process by having students submit meal ideas.

Throughout the rest of his day, Michael mentors chefs to expand their skills and grow within their careers. He teaches new techniques and encourages them to tap into their creativity when assembling new recipes.

Michael has found the balance of being logical and creative to bring success to his team and their departments.

“I have, as I think most chefs do, a mix of a logical and creative personality. As a chef, it is important to present both to succeed in your craft. I use my creative mind to create new recipes and my logical one to ensure everything is running smoothly,” Michael explains.

Michael likes to spend time with his family, travel, and listen to music outside of work. He enjoys tapping into his creative side by allowing the different genres of music he listens to inspire him to create unique recipes.

“I have a strong connection between music and culinary. The music I listen to inspires the different menus I create. For example, when I listen to metal music, I create loud recipes incorporating a lot of spice and flavor,” Michael exclaims. 

Having the opportunity to grow within his career, while having a balanced life is one of the reasons Michael loves working at Sodexo.

“I honestly feel that Sodexo’s commitment to the quality of life for its employees makes it one of the most attractive employers in the industry.  As chefs, we have huge responsibilities and amazing pressure to perform, but the rewards for success are greater at Sodexo than at any other food service organization.  I would proudly recommend any chef with a passion for greatness to join our family and contribute to our great team's success,” Michael says.