Culinary Support Specialist

Position Overview

WSU Tech is seeking a Culinary Support Specialist to support the day-to-day culinary and hospitality operations at the NICHE Campus. This position will play an active role across the Bistro, events, and Food Hall operations, including the coffee shop, as needed.

The Culinary Support Specialist will assist with food preparation and service, baking, event and catering support, Bistro operations, and Food Hall activities while helping create a welcoming and high-quality experience for students, employees, guests, and customers. This position will work closely with NICHE staff and culinary instructional teams to support both daily operations and special events.

This is a hands-on position suited for someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced culinary environment, interacting with people, and contributing to a variety of food service and hospitality operations.

Location: NICHE Campus

Department: NICHE - Bistro and Events

Reports To: Director of NICHE

Pay: $17.00 per hour

Key Responsibilities

• Support daily operations of the NICHE Bistro, including food preparation, cooking, plating, service, and kitchen production
• Assist with planning, preparation, setup, service, and cleanup for events, catering, and special functions
• Support Food Hall operations, including the coffee shop, as needed
• Assist with baking and other culinary production activities
• Provide food service and operational support during culinary classes, events, and other instructional activities
• Assist with inventory, stocking, food rotation, receiving, and proper storage of food and kitchen supplies
• Maintain clean, organized, and sanitary kitchen, Bistro, Food Hall, and event areas
• Follow all food safety, sanitation, health department, and organizational requirements
• Safely operate kitchen, food service, and coffee shop equipment
• Provide professional and courteous service to students, employees, guests, and members of the public
• Work collaboratively with NICHE staff and culinary instructional personnel to support daily operations and special events
• Assist with serving, food preparation, and other hospitality functions as needed
• Help maintain a professional, welcoming, and team-oriented environment
• Participate in professional development activities
• Perform other duties as assigned or deemed necessary

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required. Associate's degree in Culinary Arts preferred
• Previous kitchen, food service, culinary, Bistro, or hospitality experience preferred
• ServSafe Manager certification required
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and safe food handling practices
• Ability to safely operate kitchen and food service equipment
• Ability to work independently while also contributing effectively as part of a team
• Strong communication, organization, and time-management skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment while managing multiple priorities
• Ability to communicate professionally and courteously with students, employees, guests, and the public

Preferred Experience

The following experience is highly valued

• Serving or front-of-house experience
• Baking experience
• Barista or coffee shop experience
• Catering or event food service experience
• Bistro or restaurant experience

Schedule Requirements

Early morning, late evening, and weekend work is required. The schedule may vary based on Bistro and Food Hall operations, classes, events, catering needs, and other NICHE activities.

Flexibility is essential, as this position may be scheduled outside of traditional business hours to support events and operational needs.

Core Physical Demands

This is an active, hands-on culinary position requiring the ability to perform physical tasks throughout the workday.

• Standing and Walking: Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, including throughout long shifts and high-volume events
• Heavy Lifting: Regular lifting of heavy items is required, including bags of produce or flour, cases of food products, containers of liquids, kitchen equipment, and other supplies
• Repetitive Motion and Fine Motor Skills: Frequent use of hands and wrists for chopping, slicing, dicing, whisking, stirring, cooking, baking, and plating requires dexterity and sustained grip strength
• Bending, Reaching, and Crouching: Frequent bending, reaching, stooping, and crouching may be required when accessing refrigerators, storage areas, ovens, counters, and equipment
• Movement: Ability to move safely and efficiently throughout busy kitchen, Bistro, Food Hall, coffee shop, and event environments

Environmental Conditions

• Temperature Changes: Regular exposure to heat from ovens, grills, fryers, and other kitchen equipment, as well as cold temperatures when accessing refrigerated or freezer areas
• Noise and Crowded Spaces: Work may occur in busy environments with moderate-to-high noise levels from kitchen equipment, ventilation systems, customer activity, and team communication
• Safety Hazards: Kitchen and food service environments may include potential exposure to hot surfaces and liquids, sharp equipment, spills, and wet or greasy floors. Employees are expected to follow established safety procedures and wear appropriate slip-resistant footwear

Benefits

https://wsutech.edu/whyhere/

WSU Tech is committed to inclusive and equitable practices to create an environment and culture where students and employees thrive. We acknowledge that through valuing diverse identities, experiences, talents, and gifts, we excel by fulfilling our mission to create a talent pipeline, establish workforce equity, and improve economic prosperity for our community. WSU Tech is an Equal Opportunity Employer.