Catering Chef Eckerd College

Catering Chef

At Bon Apptit, catering is more than delivering meals. It is about creating memorable experiences that bring people together. As a Catering Chef at Eckerd College, you will play a vital role in executing a wide range of campus events, from intimate receptions and executive meetings to large-scale celebrations and signature college functions. This position is ideal for a culinary professional who enjoys variety, collaboration, and hands-on leadership. Working closely with catering managers and culinary teams, you will help bring creative menus to life while maintaining Bon Apptit's commitment to fresh ingredients, exceptional quality, operational excellence, and outstanding guest experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the culinary execution of catered events across campus, ensuring exceptional food quality, presentation, and service.
• Collaborate with catering and dining leadership to develop innovative menus that align with client needs, seasonal offerings, and Bon Apptit's culinary philosophy.
• Prepare, cook, and present menu items for catered functions ranging from small gatherings to large-scale events.
• Support menu tastings, special events, and customized client requests.
• Ensure recipes, portioning, and presentation standards are consistently followed.
• Coordinate production schedules and event preparation to ensure timely execution.
• Monitor food quality throughout preparation, transportation, service, and post-event activities.
• Partner with the catering team to forecast production needs and manage event-specific inventory.
• Assist with purchasing and receiving food products while supporting food cost and waste management goals.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety in accordance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Guide, train, and support culinary team members in catering production, event execution, and food handling practices.
• Assist with setup, execution, and breakdown of catered events as needed.
• Support continuous improvement efforts to enhance guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.
• Participate in departmental meetings, training programs, and professional development opportunities.

What We're Looking For

• Culinary degree, certificate, or an equivalent combination of experience and training.
• Experience preparing food in catering, hospitality, higher education, restaurant, hotel, resort, or event-focused environments.
• Knowledge of banquet production, event execution, and large-scale food preparation.
• Strong culinary fundamentals with a focus on flavor, presentation, and guest experience.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment while balancing multiple priorities and event timelines.
• Experience with menu development, food production planning, and inventory management.
• Understanding of food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety standards.
• Familiarity with current culinary trends, dietary accommodations, and guest preferences.
• Collaborative communication skills and the ability to work effectively across diverse teams.
• Comfort using basic computer applications, email, and web-based systems.
• ServSafe Certification or willingness to obtain certification is preferred.
• Flexibility to support evening, weekend, and special-event schedules as business needs require.

Associates at Bon Appetit are offered many fantastic benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, holiday time off, associate shopping program, health and wellness programs, discount marketplace, identity theft protection, pet insurance, commuter benefits, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, paid parental leave, and personal leave.