Job Overview
Employment Type
Full-time
Work Schedule
Flexible
Benefits
competitive compensation
Health Insurance
Paid Time Off
Employee Discounts
Retirement Plan
Training and Development
career advancement
Job Description
Universal Kids Resort is a distinguished hospitality and entertainment destination known for its commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences through its hotel and restaurant operations. As a part of the larger Universal Studios brand, Universal Kids Resort combines innovative entertainment with exceptional culinary offerings, creating a unique environment that caters to families and guests of all ages. The resort emphasizes a synergy of quality service, culinary excellence, and memorable guest interactions to maintain its reputation as a leader in the hospitality industry.
The Universal Kids Resort Culinary Leadership position is a pivotal role responsible for overseeing the entire culinary operations across the resort’s hotel and restaurant venues. This leadership role requires a dedicated professional who ensures the highest standards of food quality, consistency, and food safety are consistently met. The Culinary Leader supervises all salaried and hourly culinary personnel, fostering a collaborative and motivated team environment. This role directly impacts the guest satisfaction scores (TSAT and GSAT) and financial performance of the culinary department, aligning with the broader goals of the resort’s revenue and hotel operations divisions.
The role involves managing food presentation, quality control, and waste prevention through regular inspections and partnerships with food distributors. The Culinary Leader also collaborates closely with front-of-house management to uphold service standards and guarantee smooth, successful operations. Beyond daily operations, this position plays a critical role in staff development, training initiatives, and leadership evaluations, ensuring the culinary team is skilled, engaged, and aligned with the resort’s standards. As a mentor and coach, the Culinary Leader contributes to a positive working culture and cross-departmental synergy within the Food & Beverage team.
Financial stewardship is another vital aspect, where the Culinary Leader manages food and labor costs to meet predetermined targets. This includes controlling spoilage and optimizing margins to contribute to the overall profitability of the resort. Additionally, the role requires overseeing food safety practices, cleanliness, and compliance with HACCP standards to maintain a safe dining environment for all guests. The Culinary Leader is also active in supporting large catering events and coordinates labor coverage across various culinary outlets within the resort.
The position demands flexibility to accommodate varying schedules influenced by special events and business demands. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to ideate, create, and execute innovative menu offerings tailored to the evolving guest needs of a dynamic entertainment venue. The resort values diversity and inclusion, expecting the Culinary Leader to work effectively with a diverse workforce from varying backgrounds and skill sets.
Universal Kids Resort offers a competitive compensation package to reward the talent, skills, and experience brought to this role. Professional certifications such as a Food Manager certification are required, while a chef apprenticeship is preferred. Educational qualifications include post-secondary culinary arts certification, degree program, or apprenticeship equivalent, complemented by extensive high-volume culinary experience and supervisory expertise. This role offers a challenging yet rewarding career opportunity that blends culinary excellence with leadership in a vibrant entertainment resort environment.
The Universal Kids Resort Culinary Leadership position is a pivotal role responsible for overseeing the entire culinary operations across the resort’s hotel and restaurant venues. This leadership role requires a dedicated professional who ensures the highest standards of food quality, consistency, and food safety are consistently met. The Culinary Leader supervises all salaried and hourly culinary personnel, fostering a collaborative and motivated team environment. This role directly impacts the guest satisfaction scores (TSAT and GSAT) and financial performance of the culinary department, aligning with the broader goals of the resort’s revenue and hotel operations divisions.
The role involves managing food presentation, quality control, and waste prevention through regular inspections and partnerships with food distributors. The Culinary Leader also collaborates closely with front-of-house management to uphold service standards and guarantee smooth, successful operations. Beyond daily operations, this position plays a critical role in staff development, training initiatives, and leadership evaluations, ensuring the culinary team is skilled, engaged, and aligned with the resort’s standards. As a mentor and coach, the Culinary Leader contributes to a positive working culture and cross-departmental synergy within the Food & Beverage team.
Financial stewardship is another vital aspect, where the Culinary Leader manages food and labor costs to meet predetermined targets. This includes controlling spoilage and optimizing margins to contribute to the overall profitability of the resort. Additionally, the role requires overseeing food safety practices, cleanliness, and compliance with HACCP standards to maintain a safe dining environment for all guests. The Culinary Leader is also active in supporting large catering events and coordinates labor coverage across various culinary outlets within the resort.
The position demands flexibility to accommodate varying schedules influenced by special events and business demands. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to ideate, create, and execute innovative menu offerings tailored to the evolving guest needs of a dynamic entertainment venue. The resort values diversity and inclusion, expecting the Culinary Leader to work effectively with a diverse workforce from varying backgrounds and skill sets.
Universal Kids Resort offers a competitive compensation package to reward the talent, skills, and experience brought to this role. Professional certifications such as a Food Manager certification are required, while a chef apprenticeship is preferred. Educational qualifications include post-secondary culinary arts certification, degree program, or apprenticeship equivalent, complemented by extensive high-volume culinary experience and supervisory expertise. This role offers a challenging yet rewarding career opportunity that blends culinary excellence with leadership in a vibrant entertainment resort environment.
Job Requirements
- Professional Food Manager certification is required
- Chef apprentice is preferred
- Completion of post-secondary culinary arts certification, degree program or apprenticeship or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of culinary experience in a high-volume environment with 3+ years of supervisory experience is required or equivalent combination of education and experience
Job Qualifications
- Ability to work with a diverse workforce with varying backgrounds and skill sets
- Knowledge of varying cuisines, quick serve and family style dining experience is preferred
- Must be able to work a flexible and varying schedule based on special events and business demands
- Ability to ideate, create, and execute menu offerings as a high level
- Consistent attendance is a job requirement
Job Duties
- Responsible for food presentation, quality of product and waste prevention by conducting quality inspections and partnering with outsourced food distributors
- Routinely engages with culinary teams and ensures new menu concepts for evolving business model guest satisfaction needs
- Partners with front of house leadership to upload standards and guarantee a successful operation
- Manages revenue and margin generation, controls, and performance
- Maintains hotel food cost and culinary labor cost, cost of goods, and spoilage as predetermined by Revenue Operations and Hotel Operations divisions
- Ensures all hotel food cost targets are met and minimizes waste and variances
- Responsible for staffing, training, development, and providing direction, instruction, and oversight of UKR’s culinary teams, including engaging in high level planning and operating by being an active participant in the Talent Review process
- Promotes a cooperative team for collaboration across the park and hotel culinary offerings
- Oversees daily practices of cleanliness and safe food practices
- Works closely with venue management and culinary teams on upholding standards of HACCP program
- Ensures alignment with UKR Culinary teams across the theme park and hotel for labor coverage, reduction of spoilage
- Supports coordinating large catering events, in house or outsourced as necessary
- Understand and actively participate in Environmental, Health & Safety responsibilities by following established UDX policy, procedures, training, and Team Member involvement activities
- Perform other duties as assigned
Job Criteria
Experience
Expert Level (7+ years)
Job Location
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