Catering Chef

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on:

June 11, 2026

If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details.

Available Title(s):

1246-YN_ADMINPRO - Food Service Associate Manager

Business Title:

Catering Chef

Employee Type:

Admin. Professional

Position Details:

The Opportunity:

As a Catering Chef for Dining Services, you will work under the general direction of the General Manager to lead and manage all culinary activities for catering operations. You will oversee concept development, creation, testing, and implementation of culinary programs, as well as estimate food consumption, purchase food, and manage food costs. In this role, you will develop standardized recipes to ensure consistent quality, plan and price menus, and ensure proper equipment operation, maintenance, and adherence to safety and sanitation standards in the kitchen.

You will provide culinary supervision to Bakers, Cooks, Food Service Worker Leads, student employees, and temporary staff, while maintaining culinary standards, quality control, sanitation, and training. You will also contribute to sound fiscal management by advising on the annual operating budget and controlling food and labor costs.

Additionally, you will support the organizational mission by contributing to areas such as food and ingredient specifications, training programs, retail services, catering operations, the culinary support center, and residential dining.

You will assist with both long- and short-term planning, enforce departmental objectives, policies, standards, and procedures, and model professional behavior while fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.

To support WSU’s ability to attract talent in a competitive job market, this recruitment has been approved for a hiring incentive payment of up to $4,000.00. More information regarding the hiring incentive payment program can be located on the HRS website: Hiring Incentive – Human Resource Services, Washington State University (wsu.edu).

Additional Information:

This is a full time (100% FTE), permanent position. This position is overtime eligible.

Monthly Salary: $4,508.70 - $6,763.06 | Commensurate with experience and qualifications

In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate’s current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position.

Benefits: WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation, optional supplemental retirement accounts; training and development; and employee tuition waiver. For additional information, please review the detailed Summary of Benefits offered by WSU for AP staff and Total Compensation.
 

Required Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant administration, institutional management, business administration or closely related field and two (2) years of supervisory/management experience which included planning and budgeting. Additional qualifying food service work experience and/or vocational training in quantity food preparation may be substituted, year-for-year, for college education.

• Experience in culinary operations, including responsibility for high profile and high-volume catering operations, responsibility for multi-unit food service operations, development of culinary programs for multi-unit operations that reflect culinary depth and breadth in concept development, facility development, equipment specification, recipe development, menu management, food and labor cost controls, plating and presentation, or equivalent education/experience.

• General computer knowledge.

• Demonstrated work experience of successful supervision and training of a diverse work staff.

• Strong written communication skills, strong leadership skills, organizational abilities, and supervisory experience are a must for this position.

• Must be able to work a flexible schedule.

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a Food Handler’s Permit within 14 days of employment.

• Must have, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid driver’s license and meet requirements in accordance with SPPM 7.10 and departmental driving standards. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management or an Executive Chef certification.

• Master’s degree in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Restaurant Management.

• Experience in university culinary operations, including responsibility for multi-unit food service operations, development of culinary programs for multi-unit operations that reflect culinary depth and breadth in concept development, facility development, equipment specification, recipe development, menu management, food and labor cost controls, plating and presentation.

• Experience in a management position with direct responsibility for development of culinary programs in a large scale food service operation with multiple platforms.

• Experience using a food service menu management and inventory system to manage recipe and menu development, food costs, forecast menus, food purchases and inventory.

• Experience in planning and developing diverse menus based on market trends, guest preferences, and nutritional considerations.

• Demonstrate the ability to create and facilitate teamwork among culinary staff.

• Experience with sustainable food procurement and production.

• Experience managing bargaining unit covered employees.

• Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Certification

Position Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for work visa sponsorship

About Department/College/Area/ Campus - dining.wsu.edu

Area/College: Student Affairs
Department Name: Dining Services
Location: Pullman, WA

Application Instructions: Applicants must upload the following required documents to their online application. Application materials should clearly communicate how the applicant meets all required qualifications and additional requirements.

1) Resume
2) Cover Letter

External candidates, upload all documents in the “Application Document” section of your application.
Current WSU Employees (internal candidates), before starting your Workday application, please use these instructions to update your education and experience in your worker profile in Workday. Internal candidates, upload all documents in the “Resume/Cover Letter” section of your application.

Documents may be submitted as one file or separate files. Applicants are encouraged to upload as a PDF, if possible.

Reference contact information will be requested later in the recruitment process through Workday.

Background Check: This position has been designated by the department to require a background check because it requires access to children or vulnerable adults as defined by RCW 74.34, engages in law enforcement, requires security clearance, interacts with WSU students in a counseling or advising capacity, has access to personal identifying and/or financial information, unsupervised access to university buildings/property, or other business-related need. A background check will not be completed until an initial determination of qualification for employment has been made.

Time Type:

Full time

Position Term:

12 Month

Washington State University encourages all qualified candidates to apply, including members of the military and veterans, and persons with disabilities.

WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or [email protected].

Notice of Non-Discrimination

In matters of admission, employment, housing or services, or in the educational programs or activities it operates, WSU does not discriminate or permit discrimination by any member of its community against any individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, mental disability, sensory disability, use of a trained service animal, age, religion, creed, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, honorably discharged veteran, member of the military, or immigration or citizenship status except as authorized by federal or state law, regulation, or government contract.

Inquiries about the application of federal and state laws and regulations (including inquiries regarding the application of Title IX, ADA/Section 504, and implementing regulations), as well as reports and complaints of discrimination and harassment, can be made verbally or in writing to WSU’s Compliance and Civil Rights, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, or both.

More information, resources, and contact information are available here: https://ccr.wsu.edu/notice-of-nondiscrimination/