Culinary Lead & Kitchen Coach for High-Volume Ops

Colorado State University; United States; On-site; USD 44,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Colorado State University’s Housing & Dining Services is seeking a Lead Cook to supervise daily culinary operations, prepare meals from menus and recipes, and ensure quality and timely service in a high-volume campus kitchen.

The role involves training staff, coordinating tasks, monitoring food safety and HACCP, managing inventory, and supporting procurement. A ServSafe Food Manager Certification is required within six months, with pre-employment checks and potential shift extensions.

Qualifications

• Two years of experience in a foodservice operation.
• Preferred experience in a high-volume foodservice operation.
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple activities and priorities.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and verbal communication skills for building relationships.
• Experience providing memorable customer service interactions.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily culinary operations by preparing meals from menus and standardized recipes, ensuring quality, consistency, and timely service.
• Serve as work leader: assign tasks, train staff, and support a customer-focused work environment.
• Maintain and monitor food safety, sanitation, and HACCP compliance, including temperature logs.
• Manage food handling, storage, and documentation, ensuring proper rotation, inventory accuracy, and system usage.
• Support procurement and inventory processes by monitoring stock levels and preparing items for future demand.
• Oversee kitchen operations including opening/closing, equipment readiness, and production levels.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Verbal communication

Customer service

Multitasking

Food safety

Leadership

Staff training

Education

ServSafe Food Manager Certification

Job description

Colorado State University’s Housing & Dining Services is seeking a Lead Cook to supervise daily culinary operations, prepare meals from menus and recipes, and ensure quality and timely service in a high-volume campus kitchen.

The role involves training staff, coordinating tasks, monitoring food safety and HACCP, managing inventory, and supporting procurement. A ServSafe Food Manager Certification is required within six months, with pre-employment checks and potential shift extensions.