Management position, responsible for developing and executing culinary solutions to meet the needs and demands of athletics performance nutrition. Offers a wide variety of culinary solutions to meet customer and client needs and tastes. Oversees and manages culinary operations at the Joe Craft Football Training Center to meet production, presentation, and service standards. Applies culinary techniques to food preparation and manages the final presentation and service of food for the student-athletes within the football training center/south side of campus.

The desired candidate must possess strong interpersonal skills, high-level organizational skills, and be extremely detail-oriented. They must have a robust passion for cooking and the desire to satisfy the culinary preferences of an elite college athlete. Creativity in menu planning and the aspiration and ability to continually merge the evolving culinary world with the preferences and needs of the college athlete is expected. Candidate must demonstrate proficiency in adapting southern and soul food to better meet the nutritional requirements of a collegiate athlete’s diet without sacrificing flavor or presentation. The ability to handle and lead in a high-stress kitchen environment along with the ability to understand and withstand the stress and demands that accompany an SEC Football team, particularly during the fall season, is required. A high level of physical stamina is necessary along with the willingness to accept constructive criticism. Must possess a winning mentality and hold themselves and their staff to a high standard of excellence regarding menu, food quality, and demeanor that aligns with the standards and expectations of the UKAD staff and student-athletes. The desired candidate must be able to adapt to changing schedules and/or mealtimes along with the willingness to change or modify meal standards as rules or situations change. Must be willing to work a non-standard work week including weekends and evenings.

Essential Functions:

• Leadership: Ensures culinary production appropriately connects to the Executional Framework per Aramark guidelines. Ensures proper culinary standards and techniques are in place for the preparation of food items, including production, presentation, and service standards. Manages culinary team to ensure quality in the final presentation of food. Trains and manage culinary and kitchen employees to use best practice food production techniques. Coaches employees by creating a shared understanding about what needs to be achieved and how it is to be achieved. Rewards and recognize employees. Plan and execute team meetings and daily huddles. Complete and maintain all staff records including training records, shift opening/closing checklists, and performance data. Multi-tasking as well as the ability to simplify the agenda for the team is a must. Must be able to interact and collaborate with UKAD Dieticians and Nutritionists for meal/snack planning.

• Client Relationship: Develop and maintain effective client and customer rapport for a mutually beneficial business relationship. Aggregate and communicate regional culinary and ingredient trends.  Ensure the needs and efforts of UK Athletics are met as outlined in planning meetings.

• Financial Performance: Responsible for delivering food and labor targets. Understands performance metrics, data, order, and inventory trends; consistent focus on margin improvement.  Has focus on managing a per person fiscal responsibility.

• Productivity: Ensure efficient execution and delivery of all food line products in line with the daily menu as agreed to with UKAD staff. Maintain the integrity of the standard Aramark food offer; responsible for maintaining food quality of items at all times. Full compliance with Operational Excellence fundamentals: managing waste, standard menus, recipes, and ingredients through managing customer driven menus and labor standards. Understand end-to-end supply chain and procurement process and systems, ensure only authorized suppliers are used. Full knowledge and implementation of the Aramark Food Framework. Ensure accuracy of estimated food consumption for appropriate requisitions and/or food purchases for high-performance student-athletes. Ensure proper equipment operation and maintenance at all south side of campus athletics kitchens, clubs, and dining facilities.
• Compliance: Ensure compliance with Aramark SAFE food, occupational and environmental safety policies in all culinary and kitchen operations. Comply with all applicable policies, rules, and regulations, including but not limited to those relating to safety, health, wage, and hour. Comply with all NCAA, SEC, and UK meal, nutrition, and food parameters as set annually. 

Relationship / Reporting

• The successful candidate will be an employee of Aramark, assigned to Athletics FTC Full Time.
• Successful Candidate will manage the Aramark staff needed to operate the FTC Dining Facility.
• Daily workflow is managed with UKAD Dietician and Nutritionist @ FTC on behalf of Aramark.
• All menus related to training table or athletes’ snacks must be approved by UKAD Sports Dietitian.