Executive Chef

Upper Crust Food Service; Columbia Township (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Pet Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

FSAs

Paid Parental Leave

Personal Leave

Job summary

Upper Crust Food Service in the United States is seeking an Executive Chef to act as a culinary architect for a premier, multi-unit campus dining program. You will oversee high-volume residential dining, catering, and retail operations with a focus on culinary excellence, sustainability, and technology integration.

Lead a diverse team, manage P&L, ensure food safety and regulatory compliance, design seasonal menus, and develop a leadership pipeline for the region while maintaining a culture of

Qualifications

• 5+ years driving excellence in premier high-volume environments.
• Not intimidated by serving 500+ meals daily or large gala events.
• ServSafe Manager and HACCP certifications preferred.
• Degree from an accredited culinary program or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years multi-unit culinary leadership in premium food service.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations across residential dining hall and high-volume catering.
• Design seasonal menus and menu cycles.
• Mentor a diverse team of 5-7 associates and 1 sous chef.
• Manage P&L, food/labor costs, and inventory audits.
• Ensure workplace and food safety, allergen management, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead campus-wide culinary innovation and strategy initiatives.
• Foster diversity and inclusion in the workforce.
• Develop talent and leadership pipeline for the region.
• Maintain high guest experience and unit quality.
• Provide sophisticated financial management to meet budget goals.

Skills

Leadership

Food safety

P&L management

Menu design

Staff development

Allergen management

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Operations management

Budgeting

Google Suite

Education

Culinary degree or equivalent experience

ServSafe Manager

HACCP certification

Tools

POS systems

Inventory systems

Job description

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?

•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

•Pet Insurance

•Employee Assistance Program

•Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

•Paid Parental Leave

•Personal Leave

Apply today to join a team dedicated to culinary excellence and student success.

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.