Line Cook II (Culinary Specialist II)

From fine dining restaurants to residential dining, USC Hospitality serves thousands of students, athletes, faculty, and staff, as well as our many visitors. Hospitality is one of the six core business units that comprise USC Auxiliary Services and one of the largest employers on campus. We are renowned for our fresh take on self-operated food concepts with restaurants between both campuses. The team at USC Hospitality is led by innovative executive chefs and directors who strive every day to craft nourishing and wholesome alternatives for our hungry Trojan Family and our guests. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors to the Trojan campus count on USC Hospitality to provide a fresh, made-to-order, nourishing meal. Amidst all of the hustle and bustle of student life, our eateries are the ideal social gathering locations to grab a quick bite or enjoy a group meal. We are driven to succeed by our commitment to uphold our unifying values.

We are seeking to build a pool of candidates for future Line Cook II (Culinary Specialist II) positions to join our rapidly growing team.

The Opportunity:

Are you passionate about serving quality food and providing exceptional customer service? Are you eager to construct award-winning meals? Join us! The Culinary Specialist II will have the opportunity to prepare food for our guests, utilizing fresh, locally sourced ingredients. You will ensure that our high standards of excellence are maintained throughout our kitchens, keeping our inventories and facilities clean, organized, and up-to-date. As a member of our team, you will take pride in exceeding the expectations of all of our customers and keeping the Trojan spirit alive!

The Accountabilities:

• Provide customer services to faculty, staff, students, and guests. Ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction without unnecessarily referring customer to other staff members. Maintain friendly, helpful demeanor. Provide timely options for customers with specialty diets or dietary restrictions.

• Measure, cut, and mix ingredients according to recipes, and/or direction from unit chef/manager. Cook and prepare food according to chef/managers direction to specific quality, quantity, appearance, and temperature.

• Ensure all food goods are utilized to maximum yield, reduces waste, spoilage, and pilferage.

• Prepare food items for a la carte and special events food goods according to the recipe or instructions provided by the unit chef/managers. Ensure compliance and consistency with product, menu, and recipe specifications and on time production standards. Prepare high quality soups, sauces, salads, appetizers, dressings, stews, and desserts, including meat, game, seafood, poultry, starches, sauces, and vegetables daily for meal and service production in a timely manner.

• Adhere to the kitchen sanitation program. Comply with standard food handling and sanitation procedures. Complete temperature and cooling logs as directed. Ensure work/cooking space is neat, orderly, and left in a clean and sanitized manner.

• Maintain working knowledge of classical and modern cooking techniques including but not limited to grill, fry, broil, roast, poach, blanch, and bake. Learn and execute new techniques applied to batch, prep, and a la carte menu items.

• Adhere to department service, health, and sanitation standards, safety and university rules and regulations. Store all food goods in approved containers that are wrapped, dated and labeled (where applicable) and store equipment in proper place.

• Maintain cleanliness and organization of facilities, kitchen common areas, stations, tools, kitchen small wares, and cooking equipment. Ensure proper use of kitchen small wares and cooking equipment, including proper knife handling and sharpening procedures. Maintain personal and professional tools in adherence with policies and procedures. Report any maintenance issue to the unit chef/manager.

• Provide guidance and direction to culinary and kitchen staff.

• Attend all required culinary trainings.

• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested. The University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

The Qualifiers:

• Minimum Education: Specialized or technical training.

• Minimum Experience: 3 years.

• Minimum Field of Expertise:

  • Culinary School Certificate or Diploma from a Culinary Arts and Management nationally accredited school.

  • Knowledge of all kitchen equipment, small or large scale.

  • Knowledge of both restaurant and catering/special event cooking.

  • Demonstrated customer service experience.

  • Experience in a fast-paced kitchen environment.

  • Knowledge of classical cooking techniques and modern cookery.

  • Ability to effectively communicate in English.

  • Knowledge of standard food handling and sanitation procedures.

  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

• In addition, the successful candidate must also demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Values.

What We Prefer :

• Preferred Education: High School Diploma. Associate’s Degree from a Culinary Arts and Management school.

• Preferred Experience: 4 years of experience in a restaurant, hotel, or high-volume banquet and catering environment.

• Preferred Field of Expertise: Ability to oversee student, temporary, and/or resource workers.

The Trojan Family Rewards:

We pride ourselves in creating the BEST USC EXPERIENCE , and that begins with our employees! We offer a wide variety of benefits and programs that support our staff and their families. For more information please visit

This support advocates work-life balance and employee well-being. As members of the Trojan family, employees are connected by the traditions and history that make us proud to be Trojans!

The work culture thrives on mutual respect, trust, and synergy amongst all of its members.

USC has great minds that transform the world with their talents and research. Will you be one? Join us!

FIGHT ON!

The hourly rate for this position is $28.72. When determining an offer, the University of Southern California considers factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills, internal peer alignment, applicable laws, contractual requirements, grant funding, and market conditions.

Minimum Education: Specialized/technical training, Less than high school
Minimum Experience: 3 years
Minimum Field of Expertise: Culinary School Certificate/Diploma from a culinary arts and management nationally accredited school. Three years experience must include at least six months of prior experience as a USC Culinary Specialist or equivalent culinary experience in an external full service restaurant operation. Must successfully complete the culinary skills test administered by the Executive Chef. Knowledge of all kitchen equipment, small or large scale. Knowledge of both restaurant and catering/special event cooking. Demonstrated customer service experience. Experience working in a fast paced working environment. Knowledge of classical cooking techniques and modern cookery. Ability to effectively communicate in English.

USC 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, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at View phone number on aiapply.co, or by email at View email address on aiapply.co. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

• Notice of Non-discrimination
• Employment Equity
• Read USC’s Clery Act Annual Security Report
• USC is a smoke-free environment
• Digital Accessibility

If you are a current USC employee, please apply to this USC job posting in Workday by copying and pasting this link into your browser: