Executive Chef

Princeton University•Princeton, NJ

About The Position

Princeton University is seeking an accomplished Executive Chef to establish the culinary identity of a new residential college and lead its culinary team in a newly constructed residential dining facility. The Chef provides proactive leadership, overall direction, and operational management for the assigned food service team, working with the leadership team to plan and implement food concepts and programs. The role develops, tests, documents, trains staff on, monitors, evaluates, and adjusts new dishes and food programs. It also shapes menu concepts, manages food costs, establishes culinary standards, and oversees operations within budget while delivering high-quality food and customer service to students, faculty, and staff. The Executive Chef supervises the Chef de Cuisine. The role oversees menu planning and kitchen operations, including purchasing, production, inventory, presentation, recipe development, product evaluation, cost control, and food safety. It supports sustainability and wellness initiatives through menus featuring fresh, seasonal, and local products, and creates globally inspired and heritage-month menus that reflect the community. The Chef collaborates with Campus Dining leaders, students, college staff, culinary staff, purchasing, and finance on menus, events, staffing, budgets, and operational goals. The Executive Chef leads staff development, training, hiring, onboarding, performance evaluation, and employee relations in coordination with the General Manager. The role maintains safe and clean facilities, ensures compliance with food and workplace safety requirements, assists guests with allergies and special dietary needs, monitors kitchen equipment maintenance, and supports campus events and community-building programs. This is a full-time position with standard weekly hours of 36.25. It is eligible for benefits, has a 180-day probationary period, is classified as essential services personnel, and is not eligible for overtime. A cover letter is required for full consideration.

Requirements

Culinary Arts degree from an accredited institution or equivalent technical experience.
Six to eight years of experience as a chef, managing teams of 15–20 associates.
Knowledge of health department rules and regulations, including HACCP and ServSafe.
Knowledge of hot, cold, ambient, sous vide, aspic, garde manger, display cooking, and buffet culinary techniques.
Knowledge and experience in using and maintaining kitchen equipment, including ovens, mixers, slicers, smokers, grills, and kettles.
Knowledge and experience creating budgets, analyzing financial statements, and strategic planning for effective cost controls.
Advanced proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, and food ordering and management systems.
Experience leading culinary teams.
Ability to stand or walk for up to two hours at a time and six to eight hours per day, and sit for no more than two hours during an eight-hour day.
Ability to frequently lift or carry up to 30 pounds and occasionally lift or carry up to 50 pounds; push or pull up to 50 pounds occasionally.
Ability to frequently use hands for grasping, fine manipulation, pushing, or pulling with forces up to 30 pounds.
Ability to occasionally bend, squat, kneel, climb stairs, reach or lift overhead, and lift up to 30 pounds from floor to overhead and 50 pounds from floor to chest height.
Ability to work across a range of temperatures, including kitchens and walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
Physical agility, full range of motion, and ability to maintain balance.
Valid driver's license required.
Physical capacity exam required.

Responsibilities

Oversee menu planning and management for the assigned unit, balancing market shifts, food costs, and budget requirements.
Manage food purchasing, production, inventory, and presentation, and provide positive leadership to motivate and engage the dining team.
Maintain quality and safety controls for menu items and support high guest satisfaction.
Lead sustainability and wellness initiatives through menus featuring fresh, seasonal, and local products, while considering emerging food and beverage trends.
Create globally inspired and heritage-month menus that reflect the diversity of customers and staff and honor special-occasion traditions.
Listen to customer suggestions, evaluate preferences, and adjust menus as needed.
Develop new recipe concepts based on department culinary principles; test and evaluate recipes and new products for service feasibility.
Use computerized menu-management systems with Campus Dining purchasing to create accurate recipes and menus that meet department standards.
Identify opportunities to improve performance, create value, encourage innovation, and drive operational change.
Collaborate with the Associate Director, General Manager, students, college staff, and culinary staff on menus and themed events.
Work with the General Manager on effective scheduling and labor use within budget parameters.
Complete monthly inventory and recommend products for ordering.
Participate in Campus Dining Culinary Council meetings and provide leadership to the council with other executive chefs.
Maintain food safety and sanitation standards and provide ongoing training in safe practices and proper equipment handling.
Inspect dining facilities to maintain cleanliness and quality, and ensure compliance with state, local, university, workplace safety, and HACCP policies and procedures.
Address safety concerns, investigate and report incidents, enforce safety rules, chair the unit safety committee, and work with EHS on training programs.
Monitor kitchen equipment maintenance and repairs.
Assist and respond to students and guests with food allergies and special dietary needs.
Identify development opportunities and provide guidance and feedback to managers and union employees.
Supervise union employees with the General Manager, ensuring compliance with collective bargaining agreements and university policies and procedures.
Follow Human Resources policies and administer timely performance appraisals, counseling, and discipline as needed in coordination with the General Manager.
Lead hiring, onboarding, training, and performance appraisals for production associates.
Monitor cost-control systems and adjust operations to control expenses.
Develop budgets with the General Manager and Finance team and help ensure operations meet financial goals.
Work with other departments to support campus relationships, community building, and programming through high-quality service.
Support Campus Dining events as needed.