Executive Chef

Upper Crust Food Service isn’t just looking for an Executive Chef; we’re looking for a culinary architect to lead a premier, multi-unit dining program. This role is designed for a visionary leader who can balance the complexities of high-volume residential dining with the high-stakes environment of collegiate athletics and large-scale catering. You will oversee a comprehensive portfolio for a campus community of over 500+ daily diners. Focused on culinary excellence, sustainability, and technology integration, our program delivers full-service cafés, catering, and retail designed to enhance the campus life culture.

Key Responsibilities

This role includes a broad range of operational, culinary, and leadership duties:

• Direct daily operations across residential dining and high-volume catering services, including large-scale events (500+ meals daily and events up to 1,200 guests).
• Design and implement seasonal, rotating menus that support local sourcing and “Seattle-Grown” or sustainability-focused initiatives.
• Lead culinary innovation and support campus-wide food strategy, including recipe development and trend integration.
• Manage multi-unit financial performance, including P&L responsibility, food and labor cost control, inventory management, and budget compliance.
• Oversee quality assurance across all units to ensure consistent food quality, presentation, and guest experience.
• Lead and develop a team of associates and kitchen leadership, including mentoring, training, and building leadership pipelines.
• Drive employee engagement, inclusion, and retention through proactive team culture-building and communication.
• Support regional or zone-wide operational initiatives and ensure alignment across multiple service locations.

Health & Safety Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with food safety, workplace safety, and sanitation standards across all units.
• Maintain ServSafe Manager certification standards and uphold HACCP-based food safety systems.
• Oversee allergen management protocols to ensure safe service for all guests.
• Maintain consistently high health inspection scores (“Gold Standard” level expectations).
• Ensure compliance with all local, regional, and institutional food service regulations.
• Promote a strong safety culture through ongoing training, monitoring, and accountability practices.

Technical Expertise

• Strong financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting, and multi-unit P&L oversight.
• Proficiency with reporting and productivity tools for tracking food cost, labor cost, and operational metrics.
• Working knowledge of Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) for communication, reporting, and planning.
• Culinary expertise in high-volume food production, catering operations, and menu engineering.
• Experience with inventory systems, cost control systems, and operational analytics platforms.
• Understanding of modern culinary trends, sustainability practices, and large-scale institutional food service operations.

Why Join Upper Crust Food Service?

We offer a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive benefits and the opportunity to lead a flagship account within the Seattle collegiate landscape. Ready to lead the next era of campus dining?

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Personal Leave

Apply today to join a team dedicated to culinary excellence and student success.