Chef Manager, Juice Bar / Teaching Kitchen

$66,560 - $67,560/Yr

University of San Diego - San Diego, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

San Diego, CA

5,001-10,000 employees

About the position

The Chef Manager for the Juice Bar and Teaching Kitchen at the University of San Diego is responsible for overseeing daily operations, ensuring high-quality food production, and providing culinary instruction in a positive learning environment. This role combines culinary expertise with management and teaching skills to promote healthy and sustainable cooking practices while engaging with students, faculty, and the community.

Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare, and execute innovative and seasonal menus for the teaching kitchen, focusing on sustainability, nutrition, and diverse culinary techniques.
• Ensure that all dishes are prepared to the highest standards of quality, taste, and presentation.
• Oversee recipe development and testing for all classes, demos, and events in the teaching kitchen.
• Manage food procurement, inventory, and waste control, ensuring cost efficiency and compliance with budgetary guidelines.
• Maintain high standards of kitchen cleanliness, safety, and sanitation, ensuring compliance with all health and safety regulations.
• Develop and lead culinary classes, workshops, and demonstrations for students, faculty, staff, and community members.
• Create instructional materials, recipes, and course content that align with the university's wellness and sustainability goals.
• Teach basic to advanced culinary skills, emphasizing hands-on learning in areas such as food safety, nutrition, knife skills, and various cooking techniques.
• Inspire and mentor students in culinary arts, fostering a love for cooking and an understanding of healthy, balanced meals.
• Supervise and train kitchen staff, including student workers, interns, and volunteers, fostering a collaborative and learning-oriented environment.
• Manage scheduling, assignments, and workflow to ensure smooth kitchen operations and class delivery.
• Oversee the development of student managers, guiding them in culinary best practices, leadership skills, and kitchen management.
• Partner with university departments and external partners in support of the campus community and the broader San Diego community.
• Collaborate with campus chefs and nutritionists to provide a wide range of programmatic events to the San Diego community at-large.
• Engage the university community in special events, cooking competitions, classes, and outreach activities that highlight culinary diversity, sustainability, and health.
• Oversee the financial performance of the juice bar / teaching kitchen, managing labor, food costs, and other operational expenses.
• Maintain accurate records of class participation, food usage, and financial transactions.
• Develop and implement systems for evaluating the success of culinary programs, utilizing feedback to improve future offerings.

Requirements

• Associate or bachelor's degree in culinary arts, hospitality management, or related field required (work experience can substitute for this requirement at a rate of 1 year of work experience equal to 2 years of schooling).
• Minimum of 5 years of culinary management experience, with at least 2 years in an educational or instructional kitchen setting required.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in a high-volume food production environment preferred.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Retirement contribution
• Access to on-campus fitness centers