Full Time Culinary Manager

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEMORIAL•Lawrence, KS

7d•$60,000

About The Position

We’re looking for a Culinary Manager who is passionate about culinary strategy, innovation, and operational excellence. The Culinary Manager serves as a cross-functional culinary leader responsible for developing and implementing standardized culinary programs that drive consistency, quality, and performance across all residential dining locations. This role focuses on culinary strategy, program development, and performance optimization, ensuring alignment with organizational standards for food quality, safety, and service execution. Partnering closely with unit leadership, the Culinary Manager leads menu planning initiatives, analyzes cost drivers, and recommends process improvements that enhance operational efficiency and guest experience. The role integrates culinary planning with workforce and operational strategies to support sustainable, high-performing dining operations. This position plays a key role in change management by designing and implementing new culinary programs, establishing standardized recipes and procedures, and guiding adoption across multiple dining locations. The Culinary Manager evaluates program effectiveness and adjusts strategies based on performance data, guest feedback, and operational outcomes. While this role does not have direct supervisory responsibility, it provides functional leadership through the development of training frameworks, performance expectations, and culinary standards.

Requirements

Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in culinary arts or related field; or equivalent combination of professional culinary certification (e.g., ACF) and 3–5 years of progressive culinary experience in high-volume food service operations.
Minimum of 3–5 years of progressive culinary experience in high-volume food production, including demonstrated knowledge of:
Classical and batch cooking techniques
Ingredient utilization and product standards
Food preparation methods and kitchen operations
Demonstrated proficiency in standard business and operational systems, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and food service management systems (e.g., FSS or similar platforms).
Experience establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with multiple vendors, including ordering, product evaluation, and issue resolution.
Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance, including proper food handling, storage, labeling, and product rotation (FIFO).
Ability to train, coach, and evaluate culinary staff on job performance, with a focus on efficiency, consistency, and service quality.
Demonstrated experience supporting dynamic, high-volume food service environments, with the ability to maintain quality and service standards during peak operations.
Knowledge of applicable health, sanitation, and safety regulations, including Kansas food code requirements for food production and storage.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a high-volume college or institution food service operation.
Experience working in a casino culinary setting, dealing with diverse customer demands.
Familiarity with chain restaurant operations, ensuring consistency across multiple locations.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a robust culinary strategy for short- and long-term goals that align with departmental and organizational lines of effort and objectives in collaboration with dining leadership, including designation and achievement of specific performance metrics and goals.
Develop, evaluate, and implement recipes and menu programs for review by the Nutritionist, ensuring alignment with residential dining concepts, customer preferences, and operational scalability.
Evaluate emerging culinary trends and translate them into scalable, decentralized dining programs.
Lead the planning and execution of limited-time offerings (LTOs), station takeovers, and culinary initiatives to support engagement, innovation, and program development to achieve long-term business growth.
Collaborate with the Assistant Director of Residential Dining and Director of Dining to integrate menu planning, workforce planning, and operational forecasting into a cohesive culinary strategy across residential dining.
Establish and maintain standardized recipes, preparation methods, and presentation guidelines across all residential dining locations.
Design and implement culinary training programs and materials to support consistent skill development and execution across units.
Provide coaching and performance guidance to culinary staff and unit leadership to improve food quality, consistency, and operational effectiveness.
Partner with General Managers and unit leaders to assess operational performance, identify gaps, and recommend solutions to improve service delivery and efficiency.
Collaborate with the Assistant Director of Residential Dining to develop cost-effective menu strategies and analyze inventory and food cost drivers, including waste, portioning, and product utilization for improved financial outcomes.
Advise leadership on financial strategies that support sustainability, operational efficiency, and program innovation.
Contribute to the development and oversight of culinary-related budgets, including menu design and performance, and labor considerations.
Develop, implement, and monitor compliance-related risks associated with culinary programs and processes as it relates to food safety, sanitation, and health standards across all dining locations.
Establish quality assurance processes and conduct evaluations to ensure consistency in food preparation, presentation, and overall guest experience.
Develop and support onboarding and training frameworks to ensure successful integration and ongoing development of culinary staff.
Support talent acquisition strategies by participating in the recruitment, selection, and onboarding of back-of-house staff in alignment with operational needs.