Catering Chef

Catering Chef

Hospitality and Dining and Hospitality Services

  Elevate Your Career at UCCS: Innovate, Inspire, and Impact in the Rockies!

  Who We Are

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is a premier educational institution that prides itself on academic excellence, research, and community engagement and is actively seeking a Catering Chef to join our team! UCCS offers a diverse and inclusive learning environment that fosters innovation, growth, and the holistic development of its students. The work location for this position is on-site. This position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime provisions.

At the base of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs is captivated by its stunning landscapes, making it a paradise for nature lovers. This city is more than its scenery—a mosaic of history, arts, and a vibrant tech scene. We invite you to join a community that cherishes outdoor adventure as much as forward-thinking growth, an exceptional setting for both career and lifestyle.

Salary  Range  $62,151 - $67,178 annually. Compensation will be commensurate upon experience and qualifications.

Benefits at a Glance

At UCCS, our employees are our most valued asset. We're proud to offer:

• Generous Time Off : Enjoy 22 vacation days, 10 sick days, paid parental leave, 13 recognized holidays, and provisions for bereavement, jury duty, and FAMLI Leave.
• Robust Health Coverage : Our comprehensive medical plans cover preventative care at no cost, including a yearly mental health visit. Plus, benefit from affordable dental, vision plans, and competitive prescription drug prices.
• Financial & Retirement Benefits : Take advantage of our health savings, flexible spending accounts, and life and disability insurance. Plan for your future with our retirement options.
• Further Your Education : Avail nine waived credits per academic year for courses at any CU campus. We invest in your educational and professional growth.
• Wellness & More : From wellness programs aimed at achieving your best self to various additional benefits through CU Advantage, we prioritize well-being and holistic development.
• Want to know your total compensation? Use our calculator to get the complete picture!

Summary

UCCS Dining and Hospitality Services  is seeking applications for a Catering Chef. Under general supervision of the Assistant Director of Culinary Arts this position will be primarily responsible for oversight of all culinary aspects of UCCS Dining and Hospitality Services Catering. This includes menu development, quality control, pricing and food cost, training and development of catering culinary staff, and assurance of safety and sanitation of the catering kitchen. The Catering Chef will work closely with the Catering Manager to ensure efficient coordination of events and the accuracy of banquet orders to include quantity and pricing. This position also works directly with the Event Services and Conference Services staff by coordinating all decisions regarding culinary aspects of events.

The ability and willingness to work a variable schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays, is required. Must be committed to student employment and professional development opportunities for students.

The vision of UCCS Dining and Hospitality is to be a recognized leader in service delivery and food sustainability to cultivate and nurture a healthy campus culture where access to wholesome, seasonal, and local food directly links to wellness, sense of place, and environmental protection. Aligning UCCS Dining and Hospitality with campus sustainability efforts allows for the integration of academic programs and community action, thereby providing students invaluable experiential learning opportunities. This includes preparing and serving healthy, flavorful, sustainable, and nutritious food produced through fiscally responsible and mindful practices that nourish and support our community.

Essential Functions

• The duties and responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:
• Responsible for all culinary aspects of DHS Catering operations.
• Responsible for the quality and the consistency of products delivered to UCCS and the greater Colorado Springs community.
• Responsible for the development of an inclusive catering menu.
• Responsible for maintaining budgets, including menu pricing and cost of goods in catering set by the Director of Dining.
• Oversee menu development nutritional values for the UCCS Family Development Center.
• Responsible for working directly with event coordinators to provide food quotes to clientele.
• Responsible for coordination of menu tastings with the DHS culinary team and event services.
• Ensuring sustainable purchasing in collaboration with the DHS Supply Chain Manager.
• Responsible for being present at appropriate events to represent the DHS culinary team.
• Responsible for the training and development of all Catering culinary staff from professionalism to specific culinary technique.
• Participate in weekly Catering meetings to include culinary staff, operational staff, and event services.
• Responsible for consistent and clear communication with the Catering Manager.
• Using a student development staffing model, train and supervise a student employment program that utilizes student culinary staff.
• Responsible for coordinating with Assistant Director of Innovation and Excellence to ensure growth and development of the Catering program through research and market trends.
• Collecting and sharing feedback that is received during events with the appropriate management team members.
• Develop, implement, and support sustainability efforts for events to include compost and recycling efforts and reducing waste in conjunction with the Sustainability Office and DHS leadership.
• Maintain appropriate inventory levels for catering food items.
• Make recommendations for long and short-term facility and equipment needs, utilizing customer and industry trends and staff input.

Tentative Search Timeline

• Priority will be given to applications submitted by April 5th , 2024. However, this posting will remain open until filled.
• The potential dates for interviews with the search committee, supervisor, and appointing authority will be the week of April 8th, 2024.
• The potential employee start date is May 1st , 2024.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality, business management, or a related field, plus 4 or more years of progressive culinary leadership experience in a high-volume food service operation or progressive management experience in a high-volume catering or banquet operation.
• In lieu of a bachelor’s degree, an associate degree in culinary arts or a related field, plus 6 or more years of progressive culinary leadership experience in a high-volume food service operation.
• In lieu of a bachelor’s or an associate degree, 8 or more years of progressive culinary leadership experience in a high-volume food service operation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a higher education environment or event planning environment.
• Allertrain certification.

  Physical Requirements

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to move.  Employees are required to stoop, kneel, crouch, and have fine motor skills including reaching, handling, and fingering.  Must have good depth perception, color vision and field of vision. Tasting and smelling within normal range.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 20 lbs and constantly lift and/or move up to 10 lbs.  In this position employees will have exposure to extreme cold and extreme heat.

UCCS is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

In accordance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, UCCS does not discriminate based on sex in our employment or compensation practices.

UCCS is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify our office at [email protected] .