U

Upper Crust Food Service

On-campus Greek-life catering and meal prep

Head Chef

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/21/2026
No salary listed
Mid
Bachelor's
Eugene, OR, USA
In Person
Food Service & HospitalityCulinary & Kitchen Production

About the job

Requirements
  • Demonstrate understanding and proficiency in various cooking methods, cuisines, ingredients, equipment, and procedures.
  • Maintain excellent records of kitchen and staff management.
  • Understand, remember, and apply oral and/or written instructions.
  • Deal with challenging customers in a professional manner.
  • Exhibit accuracy and speed in handling emergency situations and providing solutions.
  • Be familiar with the industry's best practices.
  • Work well as part of a team.
  • Maintain a professional appearance and positive attitude.
  • Have 3+ years of experience in professional, high-volume food production or catering, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
  • Pass a background check.
  • Hold a valid manager-level sanitation certification or obtain one within 30 days of employment.
  • Stand for long periods, up to 8+ hours, and walk, bend, and stoop.
  • Lift and/or move objects up to 50 pounds.
  • Work in an environment that may be loud and busy, with kitchen hazards including hot surfaces and liquids, sharp knives, slippery floors, extreme heat or cold, and cleaning chemicals.
Responsibilities
  • Prepare, design, and execute menus, including participating in menu meetings with the chapter.
  • Create high-quality meals with excellent presentation and flavor.
  • Send photos regularly of meal presentations to management.
  • Maintain a clean and sanitary kitchen and dining room.
  • Wash kitchen utensils, equipment, and dishes.
  • Ensure the kitchen operates in a timely manner.
  • Oversee and train kitchen staff, manage schedules, and assess performance with management's approval.
  • Order supplies in accordance with budgetary requirements and stock inventory.
  • Enforce sanitation and food safety standards per state and local regulations.
  • Maintain positive, professional interactions with coworkers and customers.
  • Assist in planning and executing special events as directed by management.
  • Communicate regularly with management via calls, emails, and texts.
  • Ensure staff compliance with all policies.
  • Create, plan, and execute fresh, from-scratch weekly menus with input from the client and management team.
  • Direct food preparation and staff in accordance with company values and culture.
  • Manage and uphold kitchen sanitation practices.
  • Maintain communication with management and customers, and deliver quality products and customer service.
Desired Qualifications
  • A culinary degree is a plus.

About the company

U

Upper Crust Food Service

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Upper Crust Food Service caters university dining with a focus on Greek life, serving fraternities and sororities across many organizations. Professional chefs plan, cook, and deliver fresh, nutritious meals daily under long-term contracts. Outsourcing kitchen operations reduces on-campus burden for Greek chapters while ensuring higher meal quality and predictable revenue for the service. The goal is to provide convenient, high-quality dining for Greek organizations and build steady partnerships that boost member satisfaction and retention.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Columbia, Missouri

Founded

2009

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • January 2025 College Fresh acquisition expanded Upper Crust’s campus footprint.
  • January 2024 Campus Cooks acquisition strengthened category leadership in fraternity and sorority dining.
  • Daily chef-prepared meals support sticky semester contracts and higher member retention.

What critics are saying

  • Boone County discrimination suit filed May 13, 2024 signals employee-relations risk.
  • Integrating College Fresh and Campus Cooks threatens service quality during 2025 renewals.
  • Greek-life concentration leaves revenue exposed if universities curtail fraternity housing contracts.

What makes Upper Crust Food Service unique

  • Upper Crust combines College Fresh and Campus Cooks into one Greek-life platform.
  • January 2025 College Fresh deal pushed reach beyond 100 campuses across 45 states.
  • Copley Equity Partners invested in June 2023, giving Upper Crust acquisition capital.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Pet Insurance
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Paid Vacation

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

31%

1 year growth

30%

2 year growth

30%
Business Wire
Jan 9th, 2025
Upper Crust Food Service Announces Acquisition of College Fresh

Upper Crust Food Service, LLC (“Upper Crust”) and College Fresh, Inc (“College Fresh”), two of the largest contract food service management companies

Venture Capital
Jan 8th, 2025
Upper Crust Food Service Acquires College Fresh, Expands Market Share

Upper Crust Food Service, LLC has acquired College Fresh, Inc, expanding its market share in the contract food service management industry.

Phoenix Media Network, Inc.
Jan 11th, 2024
Upper Crust Food Service Announces Acquisition of Campus Cooks

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Upper Crust Food Service, LLC ("Upper Crust") and Campus Cooks, LLC ("Campus Cooks"), two of the largest providers of contract food service management companies serving Fraternity and Sorority houses, announced today that they are combining operations via Upper Crust's acquisition of Campus Cooks.

Business Wire
Jan 11th, 2024
Upper Crust Food Service Announces Acquisition of Campus Cooks.

Upper Crust Food Service, LLC (“Upper Crust”) and Campus Cooks, LLC (“Campus Cooks”), two of the largest providers of contract food service management

Phoenix Media Network, Inc.
Jun 30th, 2023
Upper Crust Food Service, Leading Provider of Contract Food Services, Announces Investment from Copley Equity Partners

Late last year, Upper Crust announced a merger with College Chefs, another leading food service provider serving the Greek community.