Assistant Chef - Memorial Union Kitchen

University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Memorial Union Culinary team is seeking an Assistant Chef to oversee daily kitchen operations, manage staff, and coordinate production for catering and retail services on a 13-month term. The role emphasizes safety, quality, and exceptional guest service, reporting to the Assistant Manager.

You will lead full-time cooks and student workers, support catering and retail teams, and ensure efficient, compliant food production across the Memorial Union kitchen.

Qualifications

• 1 year of kitchen production experience
• 6 months of experience as a leader overseeing kitchen staff and kitchen production
• ServSafe Certification required or obtainable within 6 months of hire

Responsibilities

• Reviews orders and resolves last-minute issues with production and deliveries
• Oversees production, to include dish room
• Cleans, inspects, and maintains kitchen equipment and work areas
• Assists in doing weekly inventory
• Leads and provides exceptional customer service, answers questions, and provides information regarding food preparation, catering, and associated activities
• Assigns and coordinates the day-to-day activities of food service staff
• Adheres to federal, state, campus, and local food safety regulations, policies, and procedures
• Performs routine and non-routine food preparation activities including cook to order and specialty foods
• Develops and schedules logistics and menus for daily and catering operations

Skills

Kitchen production

Leadership

Customer service

Safety procedures

Team supervision

Education

HS Diploma

Tools

ServSafe certification

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category

University Staff

Employment Type

Terminal (Fixed Term)

Job Profile

Food Service Supervisor

Job Summary

The Wisconsin Union is seeking an Assistant Chef to play a crucial role in the daily management and smooth operation of our high-volume production kitchen. Reporting to the Assistant Manager, this position will oversee and develop kitchen staff, coordinate daily food production, and ensure we consistently deliver exceptional customer service and high-quality culinary products. You will be instrumental in fostering a productive team environment and upholding our standards for safety and quality. In this role you will:Plan, lead, and coordinate daily food production activities in collaboration with the Assistant Manager to maximize efficiency and ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality product.Support and assist in the implementation of best practices for kitchen organization, safety, efficiency, and established operating procedures.Lead and guide the work of full-time cooks and student workers in both the kitchen and dish room.Support our catering and retail/restaurant teams.This 13-month position comes with vacation, sick leave, and other great benefits.

Work Schedule and Location

Days will vary depending on business needs 6:00 am - 2:00 pm
100% on-site
Memorial Union Kitchen

Key Job Responsibilities

• Reviews orders and resolves last-minute issues with production and deliveries
• Oversees production, to include dish room
• Cleans, inspects, and maintains kitchen equipment and work areas
• Assists in doing weekly inventory
• Leads and provides exceptional customer service, answers questions, and provides information regarding food preparation, catering, and associated activities
• Assigns and coordinates the day-to-day activities of food service staff
• Adheres to federal, state, campus, and local food safety regulations, policies, and procedures
• Performs routine and non-routine food preparation activities including cook to order and specialty foods
• Develops and schedules logistics and menus for daily and catering operations

Department

Wisconsin Union, Dining & Hospitality, Memorial Union Culinary

Compensation

The expected starting salary is $22.50 / hour

This 13-month position comes with vacation, sick leave, and other great benefits.

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see. https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/univstaff.pdf

Required Qualifications

• 1 year of kitchen production experience
• 6 months of experience as a leader overseeing kitchen staff and kitchen production

Certifications

• ServSafe Certification Required - Ability to produce or obtain within 6 months of hire

Education

H.S. Diploma Preferred

Contact Information

Kathleen Keller, [e-mail], 608-262-9323

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Institutional Statement on Diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all