Job description

Who are we?

The University of Texas at Austin, Housing and Dining (UHD) operates a variety of dining locations throughout the Forty Acres, including dining halls, restaurants, coffee shops and convenience stores! Our locations serve residents, students, staff and campus visitors.

What are the benefits?

UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage
• Free Capital metro bus rides
• Retirement contributions
• Paid vacation and sick time, and holidays
• Career growth &professional development

Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website at https://hr.utexas.edu/ to learn more about the total benefits offered when you join our team!

What does this position do?

The Associate Director (AD) of Culinary is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing culinary operations for all areas of University Housing and Dining (UHD) Residential & Retail Dining. The AD of Culinary provides leadership and support in culinary excellence, training, recipe and menu development, innovation, and execution of new dining concepts. This position involves the development and maintenance of food quality standards and works with the Residential Director of Dining Operations in formulating and monitoring a yearly food budget and plan for residential operations. Ensures that UHD residential and retail culinary operations strive for 5 Star ratings, continuous improvement, and provides support to the catering team when needed.

What are the job duties?

• Culinary Brand Standards: Assist in establishing, implementing, and maintaining UT Dining and branded concepts standards, create quality improvements, and communicates them to employees.

• Works hand in hand with the residential team to ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations as well as University policies and procedures (e.g. HACCP, quality assurance, and safety operations). Evaluate new products and equipment, drive innovation, sustainability, satisfaction, and cost effectiveness. Expand the FAST Allergen program into all campus residential locations. Collaborate with the Registered Dietitian staff to establish the #1 nationally recognized Top 9 allergen free station and promote UT as a healthy destination for students that may have allergen challenges in their meal plans.

• Culinary Creativity: Follow culinary trends and innovates using local sustainable food sources when possible, translate ideas into unique menu and recipe programs that advance the culinary experience across the dining locations. Translate “authentic” international cuisine to the customer. Work with local and national chefs to develop relationships and partnerships. Expand the local cultural experience for students by working with visiting chefs/restaurant programs. Work with local farmers, various food boards across the nation and the Menus of Change members to bring the plant forward experience and healthy initiatives to our UT community. Join the Director of Culinary in ideation monthly sessions with campus groups to garner feedback on the residential food program on campus.

• Financials: Manage and demonstrate proven results with food costs, labor, and controllable expenses. Coach and direct daily operations of food production, including menu planning, purchasing, ordering, inventory, food preparation, post meal analysis, and record keeping. Ensure employees have appropriate equipment, inventory, and resources to perform their jobs and meet goals and deadlines. Collaborate with the Catering team to customize special events; establish and work within clients budgets as well as ideate to increase sales through special offerings and Cultural events. Work with Senior Leadership Team to plan and develop budget projections for all Residential food locations on campus.

• Leadership and Relationship Management: Effectively manage and communicate with culinary staff, key personnel, catering staff, and management teams. Highly engaged with the day to day culinary leadership team of operations and provide hands-on assistance as necessary. Maintain and develop relationships and UT community satisfaction for all aspects of food production to ensure 5 Star operations. Attend and chair in the Director of Culinary absence, monthly focus group meetings with engagement and residence life communities to maintain a stronger insight into their needs, from a culinary standpoint, for the campus overall. Collaborate with the Director of Catering and clients on special events to increase our overall campus exposure. Attend weekly BEO meeting to understand the Catering business each day and be able to offer assistance with staff, prep, or serving of catered functions.

• Student Culinary Education: Participate in student engagement, cooking demonstrations, classes, and food committees. Collaborate directly with the UT community and student groups to facilitate cooking classes for the educational experience of providing the necessary cooking skills needed to be self-sufficient in a kitchen. Collaborate with the Director of Culinary and Registered Dietitian on developing a program that thru hands on training, provides the tools for a healthy nutritional lifestyle for our community utilizing our Training Skills Showcase Kitchen (TSK), to provide a 5 star educational experience in international cuisine, cultural diversity, and proper cooking techniques. With our Registered Dietitian and Sustainability team, facilitate Menus of change educational lifestyle thru shopping trips, farm visits, and UT farm stands. Work with the Sustainability and Farm Stand Team to offer cooking demonstrations during the Farm Stands to educate the students on how to utilize products from that day’s market. Guide the Farm stand team with producing products for them to sell during the Farm Stand Market days.

• Training and Development: Articulate and demonstrate a wide ranging variety of cooking techniques and skills for the culinary staff (plate presentation, quality, safety, and proper culinary techniques). Facilitate training programs for culinary staff. Focus on skills and development for the advancement of current and future staff. Work with culinary programs in the area to create a pipeline of talent. Facilitate and maintain in-house ACF Certification program. Expand the Culinary Internship program for students in the Culinary Arts programs into a nationally recognized location for training. Work hand and hand with the visiting Chefs and Instructors from around the world to offer the cultural experience and hands-on training to build UT into the top 5 star Culinary training destination for our associates as well as the ability to offer CE credits for visiting culinarians from surrounding areas.

What qualifications do I need?

• Degree in Culinary Arts from an accredited culinary school, European apprenticeship, or equivalent experience as a chef.

• Eight years of progressively responsible experience as a chef in a high volume, high quality operation (college, university, or commercial) with a variety of concepts.

• At least 5 years supervisory experience.

• Ability to complete and maintain University Housing and Dining Food Safety Training and/or ServSafe throughout Employment.

• American Culinary Federation certification at the Executive Chef level (CEC) or ability to obtain certification within 3 years.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

What preferred qualifications could I have?

• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or related field in addition to culinary degree.

• Experience and comprehensive knowledge of culinary techniques, menu planning, recipe and menu development, dining trends, food ordering and production systems, and budget management.

• Demonstration of high level knowledge in regional, international, ethnic, and special needs/wellness cuisines and processes.

• Experience with procurement systems and product evaluations.

• Demonstrated oral and written English communication skills, including presentation skills. Bilingual helpful.

• Positive and professional public relations skills and excellent interpersonal skills.

• Able to analyze and interpret financial and business data.

• Ability to learn and use computer software and menu management system similar to FoodPro or Chef-Tec.

What are the working conditions?

• Uniforms and/or personal protection equipment (furnished)

• May work in all weather conditions

• May work in extreme temperatures

• May work around chemical fumes

• May work around standard office conditions

• May work around biohazards

• May work around chemicals

• May work around electrical and mechanical hazards

• Repetitive use of keyboard at a workstation

• Use of manual dexterity

• Climbing stairs

• Climbing of ladders

• Lifting and moving

Work Shift

• Hours and days may vary based on business needs; must be available weekends and evenings.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Requisition #: R_00022672

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $85,000.00 per year

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Night shift
• Weekend availability

Work Location: One location

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