Campus Culinary Lead: Mentor, Innovate & Elevate Dining

Compass Group, North America; City of Schenectady (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Paid Parental Leave

Personal Leave

Job summary

Bon Appetit is seeking a Senior Campus Sous Chef at Union College to lead daily culinary operations, partner with the Executive Chef, and drive high standards of food quality and hospitality across residential dining and campus events.

You will mentor teams, support innovative cooking, and create memorable dining experiences in a fast‑paced, community‑focused environment. This role emphasizes leadership, quality, and guest satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Experience in a culinary leadership role within higher education, hospitality, restaurant, catering, or other high‑volume foodservice environments.
• Passion for preparing high‑quality food and delivering exceptional guest experiences.
• Ability to lead and develop teams in a collaborative and fast‑paced setting.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, inventory management, and cost‑control practices.
• Strong organizational and communication skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Interest in culinary innovation, sustainability, and evolving dining trends.
• Culinary degree, certificate, apprenticeship, or equivalent professional culinary experience.
• Experience with scratch cooking, batch production, and large‑scale food preparation.
• Experience supporting catering, banquet, or special event operations.
• ServSafe certification or the ability to obtain certification.

Responsibilities

• Support the Executive Chef in overseeing daily culinary operations, ensuring consistent quality, execution, and presentation across dining venues.
• Lead, coach, and develop culinary team members while fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and positive kitchen culture.
• Assist with menu planning and recipe development, incorporating seasonal ingredients, wellness‑focused options, and operational best practices.
• Oversee food preparation and production to ensure consistency, quality standards, proper portioning, and efficient execution.
• Support catering and special events, helping deliver exceptional hospitality experiences across campus.
• Assist with inventory management, purchasing, product utilization, and cost‑conscious operations to support financial goals.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, HACCP, and workplace safety standards.
• Collaborate with campus partners and dining leadership to continuously enhance the guest experience and respond to feedback.
• Serve as a key operational leader in the absence of the Executive Chef, helping maintain smooth and efficient day‑to‑day operations.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Team leadership

Menu planning

Food safety

Sanitation

Communication

Scrap kitchen management

Education

Culinary degree/cert/apprenticeship

Job description

Bon Appetit is seeking a Senior Campus Sous Chef at Union College to lead daily culinary operations, partner with the Executive Chef, and drive high standards of food quality and hospitality across residential dining and campus events.

You will mentor teams, support innovative cooking, and create memorable dining experiences in a fast‑paced, community‑focused environment. This role emphasizes leadership, quality, and guest satisfaction.