Executive Catering Chef

University Catering provides full catering services for campus and other contracted events. A sample of the 2000 events worked per year include: VIP meals, buffets, served meals, coffee breaks, drop-offs and sack lunches. The number of catered events can be upwards of 15-25 daily.

As part of our commitment to providing excellent customer service at MSU , a new catering menu is coming Summer 2017 reflecting up to date food trends with a special focus on Farm to Campus, Montana Sourced.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Catering General Manager, the Executive Catering Chef is a working supervisor who partners throughout the year with others in Culinary Services to support the University’s mission and strategic plan. Working as part of the management team to provide a creative and pleasing catering experience for our customers, the Executive Catering Chef:

• Supervises, trains, schedules, etc culinary personnel while coordinating all related activities (2 full time and up to 15 student/temporary).
  

• Leads and supports culinary staff through recipe and menu development while executing and re-engineering catering menus for all catered events, both on and off campus. Event types include, but are not limited to: VIP events for the University President, visiting dignitaries. donor relations and other high profile events.
  

• Standardizes production recipes to ensure consistent quality, and establishes presentation technique and quality standards.
  

• Selects, develops, determines costs of recipes and menus for banquets in coordination with Catering Sales Managers.
  

• Creates production sheets from event orders and places food orders in coordination with SUB Culinary Services Chef.
  

• Creates seasonal menus in collaboration with our vendors and Farm to Campus, Montana Sourced team.
  

• Ensures proper equipment operation/maintenance.
  

• Ensures all sanitation guidelines are being followed.
  

• Interacts with and builds sustainable working relationships with students, campus constituents, vendors, and other industry partners.
  

• Assists SUB Food Services operation in day to day activities as needed.
  

• And contributes to the success of the department by performing other duties as needed in support of the department’s mission.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Advanced degree in Business, Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, or related disciplines, and/or certification(s) from an accredited culinary institute plus progressively responsible experience as a chef for a large volume or catering kitchen or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

Progressively responsible experience training and directing staff.

Substantial experience in menu and recipe development.

Substantial experience in large volume catering, portion control and quality control.

Proficient experience using computers and various software packages.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Experience in research, development and implementation of catering menu trends and techniques.

Experience working with a menu management system.

Experience in recipe costing and kitchen inventory ingredient management.

Proficient experience bringing farm to table solutions forward while creating and maintaining successful relationships with vendors.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Work effectively and efficiently in close cooperation with Culinary Services staff in a team-oriented environment
  

• Navigate within the parameters of strict, published and/or established operating guidelines as it relates to procurement, contracting and food safety
  

• Exhibit creativity in the culinary arts and exercise critically good judgment concerning taste, palatability and aesthetics of food quality
  

• Have a strong commitment to customer service
  

• Exhibit strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate employees to perform at and sustain a high level of quality
  

• Be highly motivated and work with minimal supervision
  

• Consistently exercise initiative and good judgment
  

• Create, maintain and manage policy and procedure
  

• Assist in developing and implementing departmental short and long term goals
  

• Quickly adapt to changing priorities
  

• Follow health and sanitation guidelines for food preparation and handling
  

• Network and maintain strong working relationships
  

• Demonstrate experience in facilitating change, managing conflict, and problem solving.
  

• Generate team oriented solutions to challenges facing the Culinary Services division.
  

• Exhibit effective speaking and presentation skills in front of groups of varying size.
  

• Represent the department and the University to others in a professional and courteous manner

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Must possess a valid driver’s license and meet all State of Montana requirements to operate State/University vehicles. Please do not send a copy of your driver’s license at this time. (If the successful candidate possesses a valid out of state driver’s license, candidate must obtain a valid Montana driver’s license within 60 days.)

Eligible for overtime. Will be asked to work evenings, weekends, long hours, consecutive days during busy periods, and occasional holidays as the school and event schedule demands.

Occasional travel for work.

Will work home football games and other special campus events as deemed necessary.

Serve Safe certified or have the ability to become certified.

Physical Demands

Normal office and kitchen environment inclusive of:

• Stationary and/or moving about for long periods of time.
  

• Moving and lifting containers weighing up to 50 lbs.
  

• Moving product up and down stairs.
  

• Stocking product at various heights.
  

• Gripping handles on a wide range of kitchen utensils and equipment.
  

• Performing repetitive motions such as, but not limited to, chopping, stirring and serving.
  

• Exposure to cleaning chemicals on a daily basis.
  

• Working in an environment where temperatures can range from over 90F to -10F.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

This position has supervisory duties?

Yes