Chef de Cuisine

At KU Dining, our mission is to create an unparalleled dining experience for our guests, foster a culture of excellence among our well-trained and empowered staff, and provide inviting spaces that resonate with the warmth of our KU Home. We strive to set a standard beyond nourishment, creating an environment where every meal becomes a highlight of the KU experience. 

We employ full-time and part-time employees to serve all the University of Kansas' dining needs. Although this operation is quite large, every job and every person is important. We offer a work-life balance unlike any other in the restaurant industry! Here, you'll take pride in crafting delicious food for KU students living in the dormitories, learn valuable culinary skills, and work with a dedicated team, all while enjoying ample time off. There’s plenty of room to grow professionally, and we can’t wait to talk to you about a career with us!

BENEFITS:

• Paid sick, vacation, and holidays
• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Retirement plan with 7.5% employer match
• Two months of paid parental leave
• Meal Benefits

The Chef De Cuisine (CDC) is responsible for the daily operations of a full-service residential production kitchen. Supervises the production of food items for a full-service menu over three meal periods and receptions. The CDC controls the quality and quantity of food prepared by staff by creating daily production sheets. Additional responsibilities of the CDC include, but are not limited to, daily inventory control, creating procurement requests, and receiving product as needed while adhering to budgetary constraints. The CDC must follow proper food handling, storage, and health code standards set by HACCP, KDHE, and Serve Safe.

SUPERVISION: Receives direct supervision from the Kitchen Manager and/or General Manager; Supervises both full-time and part-time employees

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Cost Consciousness: Takes lead in procurement and accurate receipt of food, chemicals, and paper goods while assisting in monthly inventory; creates recipes, verifies food costs, and estimates labor production costs for new recipes within budgetary guidelines; supervises production staff to ensure recipes are properly executed within the time frame allotted so as to maintain food and labor costs.
    
2. Planning & Organization: Creates clear and organized daily service production sheets to ensure the quantities prepared match the quantities ordered; strategizes to problem-solve and correct any departmental production concerns; Maintains organization to ensure the proper flow of prepared menu items.
    
3. Quality: Monitors EMS to ensure event sheets are up to date and assigns needed quantities; verifies that all recipes are current and within cost perimeters; and brings inconsistencies or errors in recipes to leadership's attention.
    
4. Food Safety: Trains staff in proper storage, preparation, and holding of products and chemicals as dictated by health code, HACCP, and Serve Safe; trains staff in proper knife skills, equipment utilization, and maintenance; maintains organization and cleanliness of work areas, dry storage, and refrigerated storage areas through staff training.
    
5. Managing People: Adheres to and upholds company policies to all staff; maintains accurate records of employee performance or attendance issues; delivers and consults regarding corrective actions relating to employee performance issues; assigns staff workstations and supervises daily operations; trains and oversees training for all staff; evaluates employee work for adherence to standards daily and through company-wide review periods; supervises employees and staffing levels to ensure personnel stay on task and complete projects on time without unnecessary overtime, and ensure all products completed are of the highest quality and presentation.
    
6. Cooperation: Maintains a teamwork philosophy with co-workers regardless of department or status; assists in planning new menus for special events, guides, and/or restaurant needs in collaboration with departmental leadership.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Ability to troubleshoot personnel, guest service, and other issues as they arise.
2. Performs other duties as may be assigned.
3. Other duties as assigned
 

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE ABILITIES & SKILLS:

1. Has a culinary background in food service that includes classical preparation methods, knowledge of common ingredients, equipment, food service sanitation, proper storage and rotation of product, and industry product standards.

2. Has the ability to supervise and train other workers.

3. Ability to perform above-average physical requirements of food service, including but not limited to standing for long periods of time, bending, and lifting over 40 pounds.

5. Ability to make last-minute adjustments to meet the ever-changing needs of a dining operation.
 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. High School diploma or equivalent.

2. Minimum of five years of previous experience in Food Service production for high-volume operations.

3. Efficient computer skills.
 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Certificate from an accredited culinary institute, including a kitchen internship or externship.

2. Previous cooking experience at a college or institution.

3. ServeSafe certification.