Principal Cook

Position Number: 40073347

Payroll Title: CHEF 2

Job Code: 5230

Job Open Date: 5/14/2025

Application Review Begins: 5/30/2025

Department Code (Name): FDFT - Campus Dining

Percentage of Time: 100%

Union Code (Name): 99 - Non-Represented (PPSM)

Employee Class (Appointment Type): Staff: Career

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Salary Grade: PSS/17

Pay rate/range: Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $23.66/hr. - $26.04 /hr. Posting Salary Range: The posting salary range for this position is $23.66/hr. to $27.16/hr. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University.

Work Location: Portola Dining Commons, may vary

Working Days and Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 12:30 pm - 9 pm, May Vary

Benefits Eligibility: Full Benefits

Type of Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement, if applicable: N/A

Special Instructions:

For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application.

Department Marketing Statement:

Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises houses 10,000 students, faculty and family residents on campus, provides support services for 9,300 students residing in the communities adjacent to the campus, serves 21,000 customers daily in its retail and board dining programs, manages the UCSB Campus Store and University Center, hosts 150,000 guests annually for conferences and meetings, manages a major events center (Events Center), and oversees the administration of transportation, parking and fleet services. Additional responsibilities in the HDAE portfolio include Administrative & Residential Information Technology (ARIT) and The Club & Guest House. HDAE employs 600 full-time employees and 1,800 student employees. HDAE maintains a physical plant of more than 3 million square feet of buildings and 250 acres of grounds and landscaping.

Benefits of Belonging

Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC

Brief Summary of Job Duties:

The Principal Cook plans and oversees the food production of a specific platform according to Dining Services, University and Federal guidelines. Serves as Platform Lead, hiring, training and managing a staff of career and student cooks serving up to 1,500 meals per shift. Provides quality assurance for all menu items. Performs advanced culinary duties. Determines daily food preparation methods, coordinates portion control and organizes and designates work assignments to staff, reviews and updates menus and recipes.

Required Qualifications:

Education

• High School Diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience

Work Experience

• 5 years of progressively more responsible culinary experience, in a high-volume culinary environment, with one year in a supervisory capacity.
• Knowledge of and experience with advanced culinary techniques, including but not inclusive of sauteing, grilling, frying, steaming, preparing sauces and stocks.
• Ability to perform and teach standard and advanced quantity culinary techniques.
• Ability to read and write English for the purpose of preparing food from recipe guidelines and producing reports.
• Ability to analyze recipes, recognize problems and make corrections as needed.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations including addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication needed for recipe development and other required functions.
• Communication skills sufficient to direct the work of others and interact successfully within a large staff.
• Or equivalent combination of education and experience

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Satisfactory criminal history background check
• UCSB is a Tobacco-Free environment
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and work standing for up to 8 hours per day.
• Work hours/days may vary.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegation or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

• Culinary Planning - 55%

-Oversees the coordination of food production and service, portion control, training procedures and area inspections for safety and sanitation assurance covering a broad range of food stations.

-Manages cost control in the department in the following areas: food production; portion control; utilizing leftover food items; recognizing safety, budget and quality factors; tracking all food usage via the daily usage report, broken out by type of item, production department and meal served.

-Oversees back of the house kitchen as well as specialty platform stations throughout the dining area while on duty.

-Develops and tests new recipes, and continuously evaluates and revises recipes for many different customer bases, including Regional American, Asian, Italian, and Mexican, with increasing emphasis on vegetarian, Vegan and special diets.

-Assists Production Manager and General Manager in the selection and specification of new equipment, food and supplies to be purchased.

-Plans menus in conjunction with the Production Manager for catered events or special meals.

-Ensures that items meet the clients' needs.

• Quality Control - 25%

-Ensures that all food prepared meets strict dining standards for freshness and quality.

-Inspects products for freshness and safety when received and during production, service and storage.

-Adjusts refrigeration and heating techniques to ensure products remain safe for consumption.

-Ensures consistent application of attractive presentation concepts for all products, and measure menu popularity in relation to other foods served, which includes charting the periodic sales and customer flow of each product through the meal service.

-Advises Production Manager or General Manager on food popularity trends and take rates.

-Plans accordingly for contingencies.

-Retrieves data for organizational and planning needs using CBORD, a computerized Food Management System.

• Supervision - 25%

-Supervises full time career Cook(s) and student Cooks.

-Assists in the selection, scheduling and review of assigned staff and is responsible for all staff training and orientation.

-Assigns daily work. Coordinates breaks and meals. Determines staffing needs.

-In conjunction with the General Manager and Production Manager, participates in the recruitment process for Senior Cooks, Cooks, and Assistant Cooks to include reviewing job descriptions, developing interview questions, reviewing new hire applications and determining interview candidates, organizing and facilitating on interview committees, and selecting the final candidate.

-Advises managers on promotions. In conjunction with the General Manager and Production Manager, assists in the preparation of performance evaluations for career staff.

-Establishes departmental goals.

• Safety, Sanitation, and HACCP - 5 %

-Ensures that food quality and safety guidelines are established and consistently maintained to achieve the highest public health standards and reduce the risk of food borne illness.

-Coordinates the maintenance of daily HACCP time and temperature logs.

-Maintains HACCP, State and Federal Sanitation Guidelines for compliance.

-Monitors kitchen facilities, property and staff for safety and security.

• Training & Development - 5 %

-Develops and supports staff in their goal development, personal development and accountability on the job.

-Leads, coaches and develops production staff in learning and maintaining cutting edge, state of the art culinary standards and procedures.

-Trains student staff as needed in all aspects of food production and sanitation.

-Provides continuous training to a student work force that constantly changes due to class schedules, midterms and finals.

-Develops training techniques that can be used with staff for which English is a second language.

-Trains and monitors staff in HACCP food safety, Illness and Injury Prevention, CPR, First Aid, Disaster Preparedness, Sexual Harassment and the safe use of hazardous materials.

-Assesses jobs and duties on a continuous basis to assure injuries are prevented.

-Trains staff in using appropriate cleaning products for assigned jobs utilizing a thorough knowledge of chemicals and cleaning agents

• Other Duties - 5 %

-Provides assistance and support for other kitchen departments, facilitates cross training as needed.

-Coordinates cleaning of large and small equipment in the department during building closure periods and throughout the year.

-Works with maintenance workers, production staff and managers to address broken or unsafe equipment, as well as unmet equipment needs.

-Displays a sense of teamwork and serves as a team facilitator among staff, including the integration and practice of good communication skills.

-Interacts effectively as a team member with sensitivity towards a multicultural work and living environment.

-Participates in production and other unit and/or departmental meetings, workshops and conferences on a regular basis.

-Assists in establishing campus field kitchens in remote locations to provide food for the adjacent community in times of disaster.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy:

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccinations Programs. As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals** must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to-Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt-Out Program no later than the Compliance Date (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.). Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

For more information, please visit:

* UC Santa Barbara COVID-19 Information - https://www.ucsb.edu/COVID-19-information

* University of California Policy on Vaccinations - With Interim Revisions - https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy

**Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel or Students under this Policy who physically access a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or education/training. A person accessing a Healthcare Location as a patient, or an art, athletics, entertainment, or other publicly accessible venue at a Location as a member of the public, is not a Covered Individual.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Reasonable Accommodations:

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