Executive Chef

Upper Crust Food Service; Columbia Township (MO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental

Disability Insurance

Holiday time off

Health & Wellness Programs

Employee Assistance Program

Personal Leave

Job summary

Upper Crust Food Service seeks an Executive Chef to lead a premier, multi-unit campus dining program. You will oversee a high-volume operation and mentor a diverse team across residential dining and catering, balancing culinary excellence with financial stewardship.

The role emphasizes sustainability, technology integration, and guest experience, requiring ServSafe and HACCP credentials, a culinary degree, and proven multi-unit leadership in premium food service environments.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in high-volume dining/catering leadership.
• ServSafe Manager and HACCP certified.
• Degree from an accredited culinary program or equivalent hands-on experience.

Responsibilities

• Direct daily operations across residential dining hall and high-volume catering.
• Design seasonal menus and menu cycles.
• Mentor a team of 5–7 associates and 1 sous-chef.
• Oversee P&L, food/labor cost control, and inventory auditing.
• Ensure safety, allergen management, and regulatory compliance across units.
• Lead campus-wide culinary initiatives and strategic program development.
• Foster diversity, inclusion, and associate engagement.
• Develop leadership pipeline and staff training.
• Maintain exceptional guest experience at scale.
• Manage budgets and adopt dining/hospitality technology.

Skills

Leadership

Multi-unit leadership

Budgeting

Staff coaching

Food safety culture

Education

Culinary degree

Tools

POS systems

Google Suite

Reporting platforms

Job description

At Upper Crust Food Service we believe great food does more than fill plates, it creates connection, strengthens communities, and transforms everyday experiences. Across college campuses, K-12 schools, camps, and Greek housing, our teams bring hospitality to life through fresh food, meaningful relationships, and service people can count on. While we began serving fraternity and sorority communities more than 15 years ago, we've grown into a national hospitality partner supporting a wide range of dining programs across the country. No matter the setting, our purpose remains the same: to show up for the people we serve and for one another.

Upper Crust Food Service isn'tjust looking for an Executive Chef; we're looking for a culinary architectto lead a premier, multi-unit dining program.This role is designed for a visionary leader who can balance the complexities of high-volume residential dining with the high stakes environment of collegiate athletics and large-scale catering. You will oversee a comprehensive portfolio for a campus community of over500+daily diners.Focused on culinary excellence, sustainability, and technology integration,ourprogram delivers full-service cafés, catering, and retail designed to enhance thecampus life culture.

What You'll Do

• Orchestrate Excellence:Direct daily operations acrossaresidential dining halland a high-volume catering department.
• Innovate the Menu:Design seasonal, menucycles
• Lead with Heart:Mentor a diverse team of5-7associates and1souschef. We value a culture of "continuous growth" and are looking for a leader who can maintain our record of low turnover and high morale.
• Master the Financials:Take the reins of P&L management, food/labor cost control, and inventoryauditing. You'll use tools to ensure we stay lean, green, and nutritionally transparent.
• Multi-Unit Safety & Compliance: Systematically oversee workplace and food safety standards across the zone, including meticulous allergen management and regional regulatory compliance.
• Culinary Innovation & Strategy: Lead and support campus-wide initiatives, including seasonal menu planning, recipe development, and the integration of diverse culinary trends.
• Associate Engagement: Drive a culture of diversity and inclusion, proactively engaging with associates to build a representative and high-performing workforce.
• Talent Development: Strategically assist with talent identification, training, and the development of a leadership pipeline for the region.
• Quality & Experience: Oversee food quality standards and the guest experience at scale, ensuringthat every unit reflects the program's core values.
• Financial Stewardship: Provide sophisticated financial management to deliver on budgetary expectations for food, labor, and operational expenses across the multi-unit portfolio.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience, specifically driving excellence in premier high-volume corporateor hospitalityenvironments.
• Notintimidatedby serving500+ meals a day or executing a commencement gala for1,200
• ServsafeManagersand HACCP certified, with a reputation for maintaining "Gold Standard" health ratings.
• Education: Degree from an accredited culinary institutionor equivalent experience on the ground.
• Multi-Unit Leadership: A minimum of5years of multi-unit culinary supervisory experience within a high-volume, premium food service environment.
• Safety & Cultural Vision: Proven track record of driving and enhancing a robust culture focused on Food and Workplace Safety at a leadership level.
• Financial Acumen: Ability to manage complex multi-unit budgets, utilize advanced reporting platforms, and consistently meet financial goals.
• Communication: Ability to coach and teach individuals and large teams, while effectively communicating with high-level stakeholders.
• Operational Alignment: Passion for exceptional food, sustainability, and hospitality.
• Technical Proficiency: Technical skills, including a working knowledge of Google Suite tools (Sheets, Docs, Slides).
• Certifications:ServSafeManager Certification is preferred.
• Must be a trained Chef with experience in high volume caterings leading staff of 20+; must have experience with P&Ls, ordering, mentoring front and back of the house staff, client relations, POS systems, dining/hospitaly technology.

Why Join Upper Crust Food Service?

We offer a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive benefits. Ready to lead the next era of campus dining?

• Dental
• Disability Insurance
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Employee Assistance Program
• Personal Leave

Upper Crust Food Service provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.