Chef de Cuisine

The Chef de Cuisine is the culinary leader responsible for the creative vision, execution, and continuous improvement of all food produced within the kitchen in coordination with the Director, Business & Corporate Events. This role is deeply hands-on and cuisine-driven, with a primary focus on culinary excellence, technique, flavor development, and consistency. The Chef de Cuisine sets the culinary standard, leads menu development, and ensures every dish reflects the highest level of craftsmanship, quality, and care.

The candidate will work Monday through Friday during the hours of 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM, with flexibility including early mornings, evenings, weekends and events as required.  If you have at least five years of experience as a Chef de Cuisine or Sous Chef apply today to join our UPMC Headquarters Kitchen!
Responsibilities:
 

Culinary Leadership & Menu Development:

• Lead the creation, testing, and execution of menus that showcase refined technique, specialty dietary preferences, balanced flavors, and thoughtful presentation
• Develop seasonally inspired menus that highlight high-quality, responsibly sourced ingredients
• Translate culinary vision into executable dishes while maintaining operational feasibility and utmost level of confidentiality consistent with senior executive level environments. 
• Continuously evaluate and evolve menus based on guest feedback, trends, and culinary innovation

Hands-On Kitchen Execution:

• Maintain a daily presence on the line during preparation and service, leading by example and focusing on UPMC core values. 
• Execute and oversee all food preparation to ensure precision, taste, texture, and presentation meet established standards
• Troubleshoot quality or execution issues in real time during service? Uphold classical and contemporary cooking techniques appropriate to the concept
• Ensure proper seasoning, temperature, doneness, and visual appeal of all dishes leaving the kitchen

Culinary Standards & Quality Control:

• Set and enforce high standards for food quality, cleanliness, and organization
• Conduct regular tastings to ensure flavor profiles, seasoning, and portioning are consistent
• Ensure all mise en place and finished dishes reflect the intended culinary vision
• Maintain disciplined recipe adherence while encouraging thoughtful refinement and improvement, and aligning with the UPMC vision of health and wellness.

Ingredient Integrity & Product Knowledge:

• Demonstrate deep knowledge of ingredients, from scratch cooking, culinary applications, and various preparation methods
• Oversee product selection to ensure freshness, seasonality, and quality
• Work closely with vendors to source premium proteins, produce, and specialty items
• Minimize waste through thoughtful utilization and proper storage while preserving product integrity

Kitchen Leadership & Team Development:

• Train, mentor, and develop sous chef and cooks with an emphasis on technique, discipline, and palate development
• Foster a culture of professionalism, teamwork, and pride in craftsmanship? Provide clear culinary instruction and constructive feedback during prep and service
• Hold the kitchen team accountable to recipes, standards, and execution expectations
• Support career de
• Development through coaching and skill-building opportunities as well as recruitment, hiring, scheduling, training, and payroll of kitchen staff

Operational & Administrative Support:

• Collaborate with Director, Business and Corporate Events on menu costing while protecting culinary quality
• Maintain accurate recipes, prep lists, and production plans
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, sanitation, and HACCP standards
• Participate in culinary planning for special events, tastings, and high-profile functions
• Support scheduling and ordering needs to enable strong culinary execution

• High School Diploma and advanced degree in culinary arts 
• Minimum of five years of progressive culinary experience in high-quality kitchens
• Proven experience as a Chef de Cuisine or Sous Chef with full culinary ownership
• Strong classical foundation with the ability to apply modern techniques
• Demonstrated strength in menu development, flavor balance, and plating
• Exceptional palate and attention to detail

• Ability to lead by example in a fast-paced, high-standard environment
  Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• Servsafe Certified
• Act 34

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran