Culinary Director, University Dining & Catering

Universities of Wisconsin; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee is seeking an Executive Chef to lead Dining & Retail Services, directing culinary operations across residential dining, retail, and catering. You will set food quality standards, develop menus, and coach culinary staff to deliver exceptional service on a large campus.

The ideal applicant has a bachelor’s in hospitality or related field (or equivalent experience), 5+ years of management in foodservice, solid cost control and procurement knowledge, and strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, business, culinary arts, organizational leadership, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive foodservice management experience, preferably in a higher education dining environment.
• Experience managing food, labor, and operating budgets.
• Knowledge of institutional food purchasing, inventory systems, and POS platforms.
• Experience with standardized recipes, menu development, and production systems.

Responsibilities

• Directs, supervises, and develops kitchen production staff to ensure effective operations and quality outcomes.
• Designs, implements, and evaluates training programs including food safety, culinary skills, and waste reduction.
• Establishes performance expectations and conducts evaluations.
• Promotes an inclusive and engaged work environment.
• Oversees staffing plans and labor utilization.
• Direct and administers menu development across all units.
• Ensures alignment with dietary needs and customer preferences.
• Integrates seasonal and local sourcing.
• Oversee recipe testing, costing, and documentation.
• Collaborates on procurement standards.
• Plans and evaluates production systems.
• Enforces quality and safety standards.
• Ensures compliance with regulations.
• Monitors product consistency and service standards.
• Direct and administer UWM Catering operations.
• Establishes catering standards and oversees events.
• Develop partnerships and expand services.
• Monitors financial and operational performance.

Skills

Culinary principles

Staff leadership

Operations management

Budget/ cost analysis

Communication & problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or related field

Associate degree + 8 years management experience in higher education

Tools

POS systems

Inventory management

Procurement systems

Job description

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee is seeking an Executive Chef to lead Dining & Retail Services, directing culinary operations across residential dining, retail, and catering. You will set food quality standards, develop menus, and coach culinary staff to deliver exceptional service on a large campus.

The ideal applicant has a bachelor’s in hospitality or related field (or equivalent experience), 5+ years of management in foodservice, solid cost control and procurement knowledge, and strong