Upper Midwest HERC

The Culinary Services department at Saint John's University invites applications for a full-time (1.0 FTE), benefit eligible position of Executive Chef. 

This role is responsible for overseeing all culinary operations within the campus dining facilities including, but not limited to; student dining areas, monastery, retirement center, and catering within the St. John's Community. This role requires an experienced culinary professional with strong leadership skills, a passion for food quality, and the ability to manage a diverse team in a fast-paced environment. The Executive Chef plays a crucial role in menu development, food production, staff training, and ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction.

Institutional Inclusion Visioning Statement

The College of Saint Benedict (CSB) and Saint John's University (SJU) believe that an excellent liberal arts education requires an understanding and appreciation of cultural difference and that everyone deserves to feel safe and morally valued. To that end, we will challenge our own practices and systems. Our commitment to an inclusive environment will be incorporated into all decision-making processes. We dedicate ourselves to cultivating an equitable, inclusive community founded on respect for all persons.

CSB and SJU offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits program (click the benefits tab above the position summary section to view more information). For further information regarding our institutions, visit CSBSJU.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership/Management: 

• Assist the Executive Director in recruiting, hiring, and training new employees. 
• Provide supervision, support, and counsel for culinary team employees.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide constructive feedback to team members.
• Implement innovative culinary techniques and concepts to enhance the dining experience.
• Foster a positive work environment that promotes teamwork, creativity, and professional growth.
• Collaborate in long range departmental planning, including selection of food service equipment and facilities planning. 

Menu Development/Food Production: 

• Collaborate with stakeholders to create menus that cater to diverse tastes, dietary preferences, and nutritional needs.
• Stay abreast of food trends, industry developments, and customer feedback to continuously refine and update menus.
• Develop and oversee adherence to standards, policies, and procedures in order to provide consistent and quality food products and services. 
• Work with the Catering Manager in menu planning and development of catering guides. 
• Source high-quality ingredients and establish relationships with vendors and suppliers.
• Oversee and assist with food preparation and execution for residential dining, catering, cash operations, and events. 
• Utilize standardized recipes to ensure the highest standards in product quality including appearance, consistency, and taste. 
• Collaborate with the Purchasing Manager, service supervisors and other staff to monitor food costs and inventory levels to ensure profitability and minimize waste.
• Forecast residential dining numbers with the Menu Manager & Data Specialist. 

Operations:

• Develop and implement efficient workflows and production schedules to optimize kitchen operations.
• Facilitate relationship, service and menu for service of the Abbey Retirement Center 
• Collaborate with the Purchasing Manager and Menu Manager to create on-trend concepts utilizing existing equipment and staff that will appeal to current student population.
• Maintain and enforce standards of sanitation and safety as established by Saint John's University, local, state, and federal health authorities.
• Maintain equipment and work areas in neat, clean, and safe condition.

Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• A degree or certification in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.  
• A minimum of 3 years supervisory experience required.
• A minimum of 3 years progressive food production experience in a high-volume restaurant, college or commercial foodservice operation with a full-service menu and catering services.
• Comprehensive knowledge of culinary techniques, recipe, and menu development. 
• ServSafe certificate or similar food safety course certificate, or ability pass ServSafe exam within the first 6 months of employment.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule that will include days, evenings, and weekends.
• Excellent leadership skills including the ability to visualize and communicate desired outcomes to a diverse group of people in a team-based environment.
• Strong food production planning management and organizational skills.
• Requires in-depth knowledge of culinary practices and techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to creatively conduct recipe testing and menu development.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent managerial, organizational, and problem-solving ability including ability to follow through and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in using a broad array of high-volume food service equipment; food service sanitation and preparation techniques.
• Ability to read, analyze and react to financial information and reports.
• Requires broad range of office and technical skills, including administering data, generating reports, managing information/files, and analyzing results.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; knowledge of computerized menu management systems is desirable.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Be able to move swiftly and efficiently around the kitchen, dining areas, and storage facilities. This may involve standing for long periods and walking between workstations.
• Proficient use of kitchen tools and equipment, such as knives, mixers, and stoves, requires excellent hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. 
• There may be occasions when lifting heavy objects up to 40 pounds, such ingredients or kitchen equipment, is necessary. 
• Be able to work comfortably in high-temperature environments without compromising performance.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Some travel between the campuses of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. 

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About College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University

The College of Saint Benedict (CSB), a liberal arts college for women, and Saint John's University (SJU), a liberal arts college for men, are located in the central lakes area of Minnesota, surrounded by more than 3,000 acres of pristine forests, prairies, and lakes. The campuses are minutes away from St. Cloud, an increasingly diverse regional center with a population of over 100,000, and 70 miles from Minneapolis and St. Paul. Some CSB/SJU faculty and staff choose to reside locally, while others commute from the Twin Cities. Both St. Cloud and the Twin Cities offer a wide range of fine arts, cultural, dining, recreational, and sporting opportunities. CSB and SJU are Catholic colleges in the Benedictine tradition enlivened by values of community, hospitality, stewardship, and justice. The schools are dedicated to cultivating an equitable, inclusive community founded on respect for all persons. Students, staff and faculty from many diverse belief systems and backgrounds collectively bring a rich dimension to the academic, cultural, and religious experience at CSB/SJU. We welcome faculty who devote themselves with passion and integrity to their disciplines and to a transformative ed...ucation of their students. With a total enrollment of approximately 3600 students, faculty members develop relationships with students in small classroom settings and have opportunities to work closely with students on research projects, experiential learning experiences, and study abroad programs. Recent initiatives to create a dynamic general education curriculum and to develop plans for a new teaching and learning center demonstrate strong institutional support for faculty development. CSB and SJU offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits program.

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