Entry Level Culinary Specialist Jobs
New grad culinary specialist jobs welcome recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where a strong portfolio or internship work can matter more than a long resume. Most openings are on-site roles across Retail, Education, and Food & Beverage, with employers like Whole Foods Market, Eataly, and Auburn University hiring at this level now.
Find JobsOverview
Open roles7
Top stateVirginia
Top employerWhole Foods Market
Top cityMcLean, VA
Work type100% On-site
Top industryRetail
Showing 5 of 7+ Entry Level Culinary Specialist jobs
Culinary Operations Cook
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Added 1w ago
Auburn University
Culinary Operations Cook
Auburn University, Alabama
Added 1w ago
Prepared Foods Department Supervisor (Culinary, Deli) - Full Time
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Added 2w ago
Whole Foods Market
Prepared Foods Department Supervisor (Culinary, Deli) - Full Time
Hinsdale, Illinois
Added 2w ago
Chef Instructor - Cooking Classes & Culinary Events (Seasonal)
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Added 3w ago
Eataly
Chef Instructor - Cooking Classes & Culinary Events (Seasonal)
Santa Clara, California
Added 3w ago
Prepared Foods Department Supervisor (Culinary, Deli) - Full Time
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Added 1mo ago
Whole Foods Market
Prepared Foods Department Supervisor (Culinary, Deli) - Full Time
McLean, Virginia
Added 1mo ago
Prepared Foods Department Supervisor (Culinary, Deli) - Full Time
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Added 1mo ago
Whole Foods Market
Prepared Foods Department Supervisor (Culinary, Deli) - Full Time
Bellingham, Washington
Added 1mo ago
Added 1w ago
Culinary Operations Cook
Auburn University·Auburn University, Alabama
Job functions:
$31k - $45k/yr
1+ yr exp.
ServSafe Certification
Full Time
1,001-5,000 employees
Job Description
Pay Range: USD $31,200.00 - USD $45,210.00 /Yr. Overview:
The College of Human Sciences School of Hospitality Management is seeking a Culinary Operations Cook. This position is responsible for preparing and serving high-quality food for customers within the Hey Day Market Incubation Unit for the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management. This position supports daily culinary operations by ensuring efficient food preparation, presentation, and service while adhering to established food safety, sanitation, and quality standards. The role contributes to a positive customer experience and supports the instructional and operational goals of the hospitality program.
Responsibilities:
- Assists in preparing the kitchen for daily service by setting up workstations, organizing supplies, and preparing assigned menu items according to established recipes, quality standards, and portion guidelines.
- Helps maintain a clean, sanitary, and safe kitchen environment by following food safety regulations and properly cleaning equipment, tools, and work areas.
- Supports meal service by transporting prepared food and beverages to designated service areas efficiently and safely.
- Contributes to a positive dining experience by providing courteous, timely, and customer‑focused meal and beverage service.
- Assists with storing, labeling, rotating, and handling food products and supplies to maintain freshness, reduce waste, and meet safety requirements.
- Helps with receiving and organizing food and supply deliveries, verifying accuracy under supervision, and assisting with basic inventory tasks.
- Supports the sourcing of food and supply items from approved local vendors when needed, following purchasing guidelines and budget parameters as directed.
Level I:
- High school diploma or equivalent and 1 year of experience in food services including food preparation, commercial kitchen operations, use of professional cooking equipment, or related culinary environment.
Level II:
- High school diploma or equivalent and 3 years of experience in food services including food preparation, commercial kitchen operations, use of professional cooking equipment, or related culinary environment.
License and Certifications:
- SAFE Serve Certification required upon hire
- Knowledge of state and local health department regulations related to food storage and preparation.
- Knowledge of commercial kitchen operations and food‑service workflows.
- Knowledge of inventory management.
- Skilled in preparing and cooking menu items using standardized recipes, portion controls, and proper culinary techniques to ensure consistent quality.
- Ability to work efficiently in a fast‑paced kitchen environment.
- Ability to communicate effectively with coworkers, vendors, and customers.
- Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
- Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
- We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
- Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
- A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.
- Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!
Auburn University
Culinary Operations Cook
Auburn University, Alabama
Added 1w ago1,001-5,000 employees
Job functions:
$31k - $45k/yr
1+ yr exp.
ServSafe Certification
Full Time
Job Description
Pay Range: USD $31,200.00 - USD $45,210.00 /Yr. Overview:
The College of Human Sciences School of Hospitality Management is seeking a Culinary Operations Cook. This position is responsible for preparing and serving high-quality food for customers within the Hey Day Market Incubation Unit for the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management. This position supports daily culinary operations by ensuring efficient food preparation, presentation, and service while adhering to established food safety, sanitation, and quality standards. The role contributes to a positive customer experience and supports the instructional and operational goals of the hospitality program.
Responsibilities:
- Assists in preparing the kitchen for daily service by setting up workstations, organizing supplies, and preparing assigned menu items according to established recipes, quality standards, and portion guidelines.
- Helps maintain a clean, sanitary, and safe kitchen environment by following food safety regulations and properly cleaning equipment, tools, and work areas.
- Supports meal service by transporting prepared food and beverages to designated service areas efficiently and safely.
- Contributes to a positive dining experience by providing courteous, timely, and customer‑focused meal and beverage service.
- Assists with storing, labeling, rotating, and handling food products and supplies to maintain freshness, reduce waste, and meet safety requirements.
- Helps with receiving and organizing food and supply deliveries, verifying accuracy under supervision, and assisting with basic inventory tasks.
- Supports the sourcing of food and supply items from approved local vendors when needed, following purchasing guidelines and budget parameters as directed.
Level I:
- High school diploma or equivalent and 1 year of experience in food services including food preparation, commercial kitchen operations, use of professional cooking equipment, or related culinary environment.
Level II:
- High school diploma or equivalent and 3 years of experience in food services including food preparation, commercial kitchen operations, use of professional cooking equipment, or related culinary environment.
License and Certifications:
- SAFE Serve Certification required upon hire
- Knowledge of state and local health department regulations related to food storage and preparation.
- Knowledge of commercial kitchen operations and food‑service workflows.
- Knowledge of inventory management.
- Skilled in preparing and cooking menu items using standardized recipes, portion controls, and proper culinary techniques to ensure consistent quality.
- Ability to work efficiently in a fast‑paced kitchen environment.
- Ability to communicate effectively with coworkers, vendors, and customers.
- Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
- Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
- We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
- Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
- A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.
- Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!
See All 7 Entry Level Culinary Specialist Jobs
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Find JobsEntry Level Culinary Specialist Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Retail
- Education
- Food & Beverage
Entry Level Culinary Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level culinary specialist job?
Start by building a portfolio of your best work, whether from culinary school projects, internships, or volunteer cooking experience. Employers at this level look for candidates who can demonstrate knife skills, food safety knowledge, and comfort in a fast-paced kitchen environment. Certifications like ServSafe give your application a concrete edge, and any hands-on kitchen experience, even unpaid, signals readiness.
Which companies hire entry level culinary specialists?
Companies hiring entry level culinary specialists right now include Whole Foods Market, Eataly, and Auburn University, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. At this level, hiring comes from a broad mix of employers including hospitals, hotels, food service contractors, corporate dining programs, and independent restaurants looking to build out their kitchen teams.
Are there remote entry level culinary specialist jobs?
Yes, though most culinary specialist work is hands-on and on-site by nature. About 0% of entry level culinary specialist openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and those roles tend to involve recipe development, food content creation, or culinary education rather than traditional kitchen production work.
Are these new grad culinary specialist jobs?
Yes, many of the listings here are new grad and junior roles that explicitly welcome recent graduates and candidates with little or no professional experience. A new grad friendly posting typically welcomes zero to two years of experience, accepts internships or culinary school practicum hours, or asks for a portfolio in place of a long work history.
Which industries hire the most entry level culinary specialists?
Entry Level culinary specialist roles concentrate in Retail, Education, and Food & Beverage, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors drive consistent entry level hiring because they operate large-scale food programs that need trained kitchen staff at every level, creating steady openings for candidates just starting out.