Senior Cook

UC Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara (CA); On-site; USD 34,440 - 35,817; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Job summary

UC Santa Barbara, Portola Dining Commons, seeks a Sr. Cook to supervise skilled culinary operations serving up to 1,500 meals per shift.

You will train cooks, ensure food quality, sanitation, and safety while maintaining efficient preparation methods and stepping in as backup for the Department Head. This position requires 1–3 years of advanced cooking experience, leadership in a high-volume kitchen, and adherence to university and federal guidelines.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• 1–3 years in advanced culinary techniques and large-quantity prep.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

Responsibilities

• Planned and prepared daily menu items.
• Supervised food production, service, and sanitation.
• Trained cooks in techniques and safety guidelines.
• Assisted in cost control and portioning.
• Mentored staff and ensured policy compliance.

Skills

Culinary techniques

Kitchen supervision

Food safety HACCP

Staff training

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Tools

CBORD system

Commercial kitchen equipment

Job description

Job Title: Sr. Cook

Department code (Name): Campus Dining

Position Number: 40070247

Pay Range (Budget): $25.00 – $25.73 per hour; Full Salary Range: $25.00 – $26.79 per hour.

Work Location: Portola Dining Commons (may vary)

Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 12:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Friday and Saturday Off). Days/hours may vary.

Benefits: Full Benefits eligibility.

Brief Summary of Job Duties

Serves as a working supervisor performing skilled culinary duties and overseeing a kitchen area serving up to 1,500 meals per shift. Ensures that high standards of food quality, service, sanitation and safety are met according to Dining Services, University and Federal guidelines. Trains full‑time and student cooks in new culinary techniques, food and sanitation guidelines. Maintains efficient food preparation methods. Serves as a backup in the absence of the Department Head.

Responsibilities

• Culinary Planning and Quality Control – 55%
  • Prepares assigned menu items daily.
  • Supervises food production, service, portion control, safety and sanitation within a defined work area.
  • Monitors cost control and tracks food usage via daily usage reports.
  • Executes testing of new recipes and recommends alterations; coordinates revisions for various customer bases.
  • Inspects perishable products for freshness and safety during production, service and storage, adjusting refrigeration and heating techniques as needed.
  • Prints recipes using CBORD, a computerized Food Management System.
  • Prepares menus with the Principal Cook for catered events or special meals.
• Supervision – 25%
  • Serves as a working supervisor for career and student cooks; assists in scheduling, assigning and reviewing work.
  • Serves on interview committees.
  • Assists in determining food preparation methods and assigns specific jobs to staff throughout the shift.
  • Monitors kitchen prep labor and requests additional help if necessary.
  • Ensures all clean‑up for the assigned area is maintained throughout meal periods and completed at shift end.
  • Ensures supervised staff follow all university and departmental policies; works with the Principal Cook to identify and correct inappropriate staff behavior.
• Training & Development – 10%
  • Maintains accountability on the job for staff.
  • Trains Cooks, Assistant Cooks and student cooks in food production and sanitation as directed by the Principal Cook.
  • Assesses jobs and duties continuously to prevent injuries.
• Safety, Sanitation and HACCP – 5%
  • Maintains food quality and safety guidelines to achieve highest public health standards.
  • Records daily HACCP time and temperature logs and adheres to guidelines.
  • Monitors kitchen facilities, property and staff for safety and security with the Principal Cook.
  • Oversees staff in using appropriate cleaning agents for assigned jobs.
• Other Duties – 5%
  • Coordinates assistance and support for other kitchen departments; cross‑training as needed.
  • Cleans large and small equipment during closure periods and throughout the year.
  • Notifies production staff and managers of broken, unsafe or unmet equipment needs promptly.
  • Displays teamwork and interacts effectively with a multicultural workplace.
  • Participates in production and departmental meetings, workshops and conferences regularly.
  • Might oversee or work at a campus field kitchen in remote locations during disasters.

Qualifications

Education:

• High School diploma or equivalent; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Work Experience:

• 1–3 years of knowledge and experience with advanced culinary techniques (e.g., sautéing, grilling, frying, steaming, sauces and stocks) and commercial kitchen equipment, including preparation of large quantities.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Conditions of Employment

• Satisfactory criminal history background check.
• Visa sponsorship is not available.
• UCSB is a tobacco‑free environment.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and stand up to 8 hours per day.
• Work hours and days may vary.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement

Final candidate must disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed misconduct, or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer. “Misconduct” means any violation of policies governing employee conduct (including, but not limited to, sexual harassment, sexual assault, or discrimination).

Equal Employment Opportunity

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 status under state or federal law.

Reasonable Accommodations

The University of California endeavors to make the application process accessible. For assistance with accommodations, contact Katherine Abad in Human Resources at 805‑893‑4664 or email [e-mail]. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about application status.

Work‑Related Policies

As a condition of employment, the employee must comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs. Employees must be up‑to‑date with required vaccinations or request an exemption. For more information, visit the UC policy at https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy.

Additional Information

Work may be required at a campus field kitchen in remote locations to provide food for the adjacent community during disasters.

Application Process

Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter as part of their application.