Head Chef

Upper Crust Food Service, LLC; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Few late nights

Holiday time off

Paid vacations

401K with company match

Health, dental, vision, and pet ins.

Job summary

Upper Crust Food Service is seeking a classically trained Head Chef to create and execute fresh, from-scratch weekly menus with input from clients and management. You will direct all food preparation and staff, ensuring top quality meals and strict sanitation, while maintaining strong communication with the management team.

This role offers a kitchen leadership path with limited late nights, holidays off, and opportunities to plan events, lead kitchen teams, and showcase flavor and presentation

Qualifications

• 3+ years in professional, high-volume food production or catering.
• Must pass a background check; sanitation certification required or obtainable within 30 days.
• Culinary degree is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, design, and execute menus.
• Menu meetings with the chapter required.
• Create high-quality meals with great presentation and flavor.
• Send photos of meal presentations to management.
• Maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen and dining room.
• Oversee and train kitchen staff, manage schedules, and assess performance with management's approval.
• Order supplies per budget and stock inventory.
• Enforce sanitation and food safety standards per regulations.
• Assist in planning and executing special events as directed by management.
• Communicate with management via calls, emails, and texts.

Skills

Teamwork

Instructions

Customer handling

Cooking methods

Professional appearance

Kitchen management

Emergency solutions

Industry best practices

Education

3+ years in high-volume food production/catering

Culinary degree (plus)

Manager-level sanitation certification or to obtain within 30 days

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.

If you're looking for meaningful work, real ownership, and a team that believes hospitality can make a difference, we'd love to meet you.

At Upper Crust Food Service, YOU are the crucial ingredient for providing fresh healthy Greek life food nationwide. Our Chefs enjoy a lifestyle that is unmatched in the hospitality industry with very few late nights and weekend hours.

Head Chefs are responsible for creating, planning, and executing all fresh, from scratch weekly menus with input from the client and Management team. Direct all food preparation and staff in accordance with company's core values and culture. Manage and uphold the best sanitation practices in the kitchen. Maintain outstanding communication with management and customers. Consistently deliver outstanding products and customer service

If you are excited to create cool from-scratch food and make people happy every day, We're currently looking for a classically trained Chef who is driven by their love and passion for food.

What's in it for you?

• Very few late nights and weekend hours
• Time off for most holidays
• Paid vacations
• A competitive 401K with company match
• Health, dental, vision, and pet insurance

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Prepare, design, and execute menus
• Menu meetings with the chapter will be required.
• Create high-quality meals with excellent presentation and flavor.
• Send photos regularly of meal presentations to management
• Maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen and dining room
• Wash kitchen utensils, equipment and dishes.
• Ensure the kitchen operates in a timely manner
• Oversee and train kitchen staff, manage schedules, and assess performance with management's approval.
• Order supplies in accordance with budgetary requirements and stock inventory
• Enforce sanitation and food safety standards per state and local regulations.
• Maintain a professional and positive attitude with coworkers and customers.
• Assist in planning and executing special events as directed by management.
• Communicate regularly with management via calls, emails, and texts.
• Ensure compliance with all policies among staff.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work well as part of a team.
• Understand, remember, and apply oral and/or written instructions
• Deal with challenging customers in a professional manner
• Demonstrate understanding and proficiency in various cooking methods, cuisines, ingredients, equipment, and procedures
• Show understanding of and commit to a professional appearance and positive attitude
• Maintain excellent record of kitchen and staff management
• Exhibit accuracy and speed in handling emergency situations and providing solutions
• Be familiar with the industry's best practices

Preferred Education and Experience:

• 3+ years in professional, high-volume food production or catering, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience
• Ability to pass a background check
• Culinary degree is a plus
• Must hold a valid manager level sanitation certification or obtain one within 30 days of employment

Special Demands:

• The work environment can be loud and busy. There are many kitchen hazards such as hot surfaces and liquids, sharp knives, and slippery floors.
• Capability to work in a kitchen environment that may involve exposure to extreme heat or cold.
• Required to stand for long periods, up to 8+ hours, as well as walk, bend and stoop.
• Must be able to lift and/or move objects up to 50 pounds.
• Exposure to cleaning chemicals

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.