Culinary Operations Manager

Company: Blue Plate Catering
Location: Chicago
Posted on: November 1, 2024

Job Description:

Job Title: Delivery Chef

FLSA: Exempt Status: Full Time

Reports to: Executive Chef

Customary Days: Sunday - Saturday

Customary Hours: Varies to include evenings, holidays, and extended hours as business requires

Job Summary:The Delivery Chef plays a key role in supporting the Executive Chef by overseeing the daily operations of Blue Plate's delivery kitchen. This position focuses on driving and refining the delivery menu, ensuring consistency, and maintaining high standards of quality and service. The Delivery Chef will manage production, staff, and continuously enhance the culinary offerings for delivery clients.Key Responsibilities:

• Assist the Executive Chef in managing the kitchen team, including recruitment, training, and daily task assignments. Act as a mentor and coach by setting performance objectives, conducting reviews, providing regular feedback, and addressing performance issues through corrective actions when necessary.
• Ensure all staff adhere to proper sanitation procedures and are in compliance with uniform and food safety standards.
• Lead and monitor food preparation and presentation to ensure it meets established guidelines and exceeds client expectations.
• Perform regular kitchen walkthroughs and random food tastings to guarantee consistent quality in delivery and other culinary departments as needed.
• Take the lead in driving menu creativity, updating the delivery menu, and managing client tastings.
• Develop new recipes, create standard operating procedures, and maintain visual standards for plating and portion sizes.
• Oversee the delivery of all culinary aspects from concept to execution, ensuring alignment with Blue Plate's standards.
• Partner with the sales team and participate in client tastings and presentations as requested. Serve as a liaison between the kitchen and operations teams, ensuring smooth communication and coordination for all deliveries.
• Train and hold kitchen staff accountable to Blue Plate's culinary standards.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by leading training sessions on new techniques, recipes, and service standards.
• Monitor kitchen equipment for cleanliness, safety, and functionality, and oversee any required maintenance or repair.
• Ensure all deliveries meet high standards through daily production meetings with sales and operations teams.
• Uphold and enforce Blue Plate's safety policies, ensuring full compliance with health and safety regulations. Regularly review kitchen processes for continuous improvement.
• Assist with placing vendor orders, overseeing inventory, and maintaining proper stock levels of food and cleaning supplies.
• Perform other tasks as needed to support overall kitchen operations.Requirements:
  • Culinary Arts degree or advance culinary arts certification is preferred
  • 6 years of successful experience within the hospitality industry, preferably with catering or hotel food service.
  • Completion of City of Chicago Department of Public Health Certified Food Service Manager certification preferred, or ability to complete the certification within 90 days after date of hire.Essential Qualifications:
    • Ability to demonstrate strong affinity for Blue Plate's mission: Our mission is to 'care more' for others through food and service experiences that turn our partner's vision into reality
    • Impeccable service standards and attention to detail.
    • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to prepare and deliver clear, concise reports and presentations that are understandable by the target audience
    • Ability to manage confidential information and maintain its integrity
    • Ability to effectively solve problems and make decisions in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
    • Ability to work effectively across all functional departments and foster a cooperative work environment
    • Results-oriented, with focus on continuous improvement
    • Flexible and able to multi-task; can work within a fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions
    • Demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people and systems
    • Proven leadership with the ability to inspire others to work toward a common goal and reach their potential
    • Proven ability to handle multiple priorities simultaneously, data analysis, setting and meeting organizational goals, and time managementLanguage Skills:Ability to read, write, and speak English proficiently. Bilingual skills preferred.Physical Demands:
      • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, taste, and smell.
      • The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to feel; reach with hand and arms, and stoop, kneel, or crouch for 6 to 8 hours at a time.
      • Regularly required to lift and/or move up to 60 lbs.
      • Specific vision requirements include the ability to see at close range, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.Work Environment:
        • May work in extreme heat and cold (non-weather and weather).
        • May work in wet conditions (non-weather and weather).
        • Noise level is low to moderate.
        • May work near toxic/caustic chemical and with fumes or airborne particles.
        • Will work near moving or mechanical parts.Blue Plate Catering is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment with Blue Plate Catering without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, protected veteran status, or other classification protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.More detail about Blue Plate Catering, please visit

Keywords: Blue Plate Catering, South Bend , Culinary Operations Manager, Hospitality & Tourism , Chicago, Indiana