Culinary Field Specialist

Upper Crust Food Service•Corvallis, OR

About The Position

The Culinary Field Specialist supports culinary quality and kitchen operations across a subregion, spending most of the week in kitchens rather than behind a desk. The role visits houses regularly to taste food, observe service and prep, coach chefs, and address food safety or quality concerns in the moment. It combines hands-on culinary guidance with coordination of staffing, schedules, vendors, kitchen readiness, and on-site partner communications. The specialist helps chefs solve immediate operational and culinary problems, keeps shifts covered with dependable relief staff, and prepares kitchens at new houses to meet Upper Crust standards from opening day. The role works with an Area Manager on larger issues and escalates relationship- or contract-related partner matters. It is presented as a development path toward an Area Manager role, built through practical experience supporting chefs and kitchens across the subregion.

Requirements

Hands-on kitchen experience, such as work as a line cook, sous chef, kitchen manager, or chef.
A trusted palate and the ability to identify quality issues promptly.
Ability to teach patiently while maintaining standards.
Organizational ability to manage schedules alongside kitchen needs.
Ability to remain level-headed when kitchens need immediate assistance.
Ability to communicate with chefs about technique and provide calm updates to partners.
Willingness to travel within the assigned subregion.
Genuine interest in developing a career in culinary field leadership.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading others.
Experience working across more than one site.

Responsibilities

Visit kitchens across the subregion regularly to taste food, observe the line, and assess preparation and kitchen standards.
Coach chefs on technique, menu execution, and consistency.
Identify and address food safety and quality issues promptly.
Help chefs resolve operational and culinary problems, including menu failures, ingredient shortages, and staffing constraints.
Escalate larger matters to the Area Manager with context and a proposed solution.
Maintain coverage across house schedules so kitchens have adequate staffing for every shift.
Respond to shift disruptions such as no-shows, call-outs, and emergencies, and prevent staffing shortages from reducing meal quality.
Maintain a dependable bench of relief staff.
Coordinate with vendors to ensure chefs receive ordered ingredients when needed.
Prepare kitchens at new houses for opening, including equipment, setup, and staffing.
Serve as the day-to-day contact for on-site partners and handle coordination-level matters.
Refer partner relationship- or contract-related matters to the Area Manager.