Chef, Assistant Director Culinary Operations

Leads the culinary program for an assigned dining center, ensuring food quality, safety, and presentation standards are met. Oversees staff training, recipe adherence, and menu offerings while collaborating with leadership on planning and implementation of unit events. Manages food ordering and inventory processes and directs daily culinary operations to maintain efficiency and excellence.

• Oversees culinary onboarding and communicates culinary standards to staff to ensure compliance with policies and procedures. Provides performance feedback to dining center management and culinary leadership.
• Leads menu management processes to update, modify, or create recipes in collaboration with culinary leadership. Analyzes historical service data to forecast product needs and manage ordering. Oversees receiving, storage, and labeling of ingredients, monitors inventory levels, and establishes production schedules for kitchen and venue food preparation.
• Oversees food preparation, food temperature control, food presentation, and overall customer experience to achieve maximum satisfaction of students and guests at the University.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, local, and University regulations related to food safety, sanitation, and environmental standards. Plans and provides appropriate services during emergencies or special situations and responds to institutional needs as an essential service.
• Assesses needs and initiates maintenance or other appropriate actions, to achieve the upkeep of facilities and equipment.
• Participates in professional development and continuing education to enhance culinary methods and skills. Mentors sous chefs and culinary team members to support their professional growth.
• Develops recipes and ensures proper use of weights, volumes, and accurate scaling to maintain consistency and quality standards.
• Participates in menu committee, planning for special events, conferences, and demonstrations.
• Supports operations in other locations on an as-needed basis.

Minimum qualifications based upon job documentation and industry best practices. Any current employees not meeting these qualifications will be grandfathered until they move to a different job.

• Associate's degree in related field from an accredited institution.

• Two years' relevant experience.
• Experience leading culinary teams, training culinary staff, working collaboratively with culinary team members.

• Serve-Safe Manager certified, Serve-Safe Allergen certified or equivalent or able to obtain within one year.
• Ability to work irregular shifts and extended hours, including weekends and holidays.

Moderate work occasionally working in difficult positions or with physical demands such as continuously lifting or moving materials from 25 to 50 pounds and occasionally lifting or moving materials greater than 50 pounds.

Work is performed with exposure to any number of elements which may occasionally require some precautions such as safety glasses, protective clothing, ear protection, etc.

Revised: 2026-01-27