Culinary Specialist II, University Club

Position Overview USC Hospitality serves a broad community of students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The Culinary Specialist II is responsible for preparing fresh, high‑quality meals and maintaining high standards of kitchen operations. Responsibilities Provide customer service to faculty, staff, students, and guests. Ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction and refer customers to appropriate staff when necessary. Maintain a friendly, helpful demeanor. Offer timely options for customers with specialty diets or dietary restrictions. Measure, cut, and mix ingredients according to recipes or unit chef/manager direction. Cook and prepare food according to chef/manager direction to meet specific quality, quantity, appearance, and temperature standards. Maximize yield of food goods and reduce waste, spoilage, and pilferage. Prepare a la carte and special event food goods as instructed by the unit chef/manager. 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, and vegetables daily for meal and service production. Adhere to the kitchen sanitation program and standard food handling and sanitation procedures. Complete temperature and cooling logs as directed. Keep work/cooking space neat, orderly, and properly sanitized. Maintain knowledge of classical and modern cooking techniques such as grill, fry, broil, roast, poach, blanch, and bake. Learn and execute new techniques for 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 and store equipment in proper places. Maintain cleanliness and organization of facilities, kitchen common areas, stations, tools, kitchen small wares, and cooking equipment. Ensure proper use of kitchen small wares, cooking equipment, knife handling, and sharpening procedures. Maintain personal and professional tools in accordance with policies and procedures. Report any maintenance issues 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. Qualifications 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. Preferred Qualifications 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. Must successfully complete the culinary skills test administered by the Executive Chef. Compensation The hourly rate for this position is $27.22. Equal Opportunity Employer 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 AppendixD 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 click.appcast.io, or by email at View email address on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr University of Southern California