Dining Senior Cook

University of California, Santa Cruz; California (MO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental & Vision insurance

UC Retirement Plans

Group Term Life Insurance

Legal Insurance

Pet Insurance

Paid Holidays & vacation

Job summary

University of California, Santa Cruz is seeking a Senior Cook to lead complex food production for residence hall meals and events. You will supervise production staff, ensure HACCP compliance and quality, and train team members to deliver high standards of service.

The role requires strong cooking techniques, leadership, and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced dining operation. Health and safety guidelines are emphasized, with shifts including days, evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Strong cooking techniques for large dining service
• Ability to prepare complex sauces, entrees and desserts
• Experience leading kitchen staff in a high-volume setting
• Excellent communication to direct and train staff and interact with customers
• Knowledge of HACCP, food safety, storage and temperature controls
• Experience operating various kitchen equipment and tools
• Bilingual Spanish/English is a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen production, ensuring menu items follow recipes and HACCP guidelines
• Train staff to meet quality, safety and service standards and update recipes as needed
• Monitor food quality, temperatures and presentation; adjust as required
• Coordinate schedules with management and supervise food production and service timing
• Interact with customers to explain menu variety and respond to questions
• Oversee production records and maintain sanitation and cleanliness

Skills

Cooking techniques

Sauces and entrees

Staff leadership

Customer service

HACCP & safety

Kitchen equipment operation

Bilingual Spanish/English

Education

Culinary education or equivalent

Job description

Benefits

• Medical, Dental & Vision Care Insurance Plans
• UC Retirement Plans
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Legal Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Paid Holidays plus accrued vacation and sick leave

Meal Allowance

Job Summary

Under the general supervision of Sous Chefs or Managers, the Senior Cook prepares food that is complex and of the highest quality, which is appropriate to the skill level of a Senior Cook. Prepares assigned recipes for residence hall meals and other events, providing the highest quality of service to the customers. The incumbent will fill a leadership role in the kitchen by organizing and directing all assigned production staff for meal service. Follows all policies, rules and regulations of the University. Ensures health and safety guidelines are practiced. This is a leadership kitchen position with the appropriate level of experience and competency in food preparation, productions and kitchen management.

Schedule Information

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week: To be determined and details to be discussed at the interview
• Shift Includes: Day, Evenings, Night, Weekends, to be determined and discussed at the interview
• Employee Classification: Partial Year Career
• Job End Date: None
• Work Location: UC Santa Cruz Main Campus
• Union Representation: Service Employees (SX)
• Travel: Never or Rarely

Job Duties

Food Production (50%)

• Prepares assigned menu items following recipes and production sheets for all meals, following HACCP principles of food preparation, safety and sanitation.
• Merchandises food including garnishing for serving presentation and participates in ongoing customer service programs such as “just in time” cooking, demonstration cooking and interaction with customers.
• Completes production service records at the end of each meal period or shift.
• Prepares the majority of entrees and the more complex “from scratch” recipes involving complex directions or measurements and special sauces.
• Trains all assigned personnel to meet high quality production, service and safety standards, making recommendations to managers and updating or correcting recipes as needed.

Quality Assurance (25%)

• Ensures all food prepared during the shift is of the highest quality and is presented at its best by continually tasting and observing the food items that are being held and/or are on the serving lines.
• Observes and trains others in the kitchen and serving area in proper cooking techniques, adhering to recipes and HACCP standards, presentation of foods and cleanliness of areas.
• Distributes prepared food at correct temperatures prior to service for meals in designated service areas, batch cooks food items as appropriate and frequently checks service line to ensure quality control and HACCP standards are met.
• Communicates with managers and takes appropriate action when food presentation is not of the highest quality, such as removing items, adjusting finished products, or placing products in a new serving vehicle for better presentation.
• Stores products and leftover food properly, prepares and dates food samples taken from service, and independently decides reuse value for foods and usage of leftovers following HACCP guidelines.

Safety and Sanitation (15%)

• Ensures the cleanliness, safety and sanitation of designated storage and work areas, equipment and utensils used in food production and service.
• Cleans equipment, work tables, sinks and drains in kitchen areas and assists with cleanliness of tables, chairs and self‑service areas.
• Sweeps, mops and vacuums floors in dining and kitchen areas, and cleans restrooms including sink and floor areas.
• At closing, cleans all equipment, countertops, tabletops, empties trash, recycling and compost, and arranges chairs and mats appropriately.
• Follows safety protocols, uses personal safety gear, observes warning signs, and reports unsafe conditions.
• Assesses and safely uses, assembles, disassembles and trains others in the use of kitchen equipment, identifying problems and reporting to management.

Other Duties as Assigned (10%)

• Coordinates schedules with manager and may instruct and direct other kitchen staff to specified meal requirements.
• Provides training to other staff on safe operation and maintenance of kitchen equipment.
• Oversees and coordinates production operation and staff to meet operation deadlines.
• Interacts with customers, explaining menu variety and cooking questions.

Required Qualifications

• Strong demonstrated knowledge and expertise in a wide variety of cooking techniques and recipes for food preparation in a large dining service environment.
• Strong demonstrated knowledge of how to prepare sauces, soups, vegetables, baked products and entrees.
• Experience in increasingly complex levels of cooking in a large food service environment or equivalent education and experience.
• Communication skills to direct other staff work and provide training to less experienced staff.
• Communication skills to interact with customers and take orders for display cooking or other special events.
• Extensive experience directing or leading the work of other cooks and kitchen staff.
• Knowledge of safe serving temperature requirements, food handling and storage.
• Knowledge of safe operation of a variety of kitchen equipment in a production kitchen.
• Knowledge of safety procedures for food preparation, storage, and service.
• Knowledge of merchandising and presentation techniques of food service.
• Ability to taste and discern product quality, read and understand recipes and menus, accurately estimate ingredient requirements, and keep accurate production records.
• Ability to prepare complex recipes of appropriate complexity and perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions and work independently in a collaborative team‑based environment.
• Ability to work cooperatively with people from diverse groups.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual Spanish/English or willingness to learn.
• Culinary education or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Conditions of Employment

• Selected candidate will be required to pass a pre‑employment criminal history background check.
• Selected candidate must pass the employment misconduct disclosure process.
• Ability to work a variable schedule including evenings and weekends.
• Ability to move equipment up to 50 pounds with or without accommodation.
• All employees must be able to pass the ServSafe certification within 90 days of employment or already possess it upon hire.
• Selected candidate will be required to complete training within established time frames, including UC compliance training.
• Employees, including new hires, are required to comply with the University of California vaccine program.
• Selected candidates will be mandated reporters under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and must sign a statement acknowledging reporting requirements.

Safety Statement

All UCSC employees must understand and follow job safety procedures, attend required health and safety training, proactively promote safety at work, and promptly report actual and potential accidents and injuries.

EEO/AA

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti‑Discrimination Policy. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti‑discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.