Culinary Arts Chef Faculty - Dining Room Instructor

THE OPPORTUNITY

Kendall College at National Louis University seeks full-time Dining Room Instructor to teach front of house operations and fine dining service techniques to culinary and baking students. This position combines hands-on instruction with industry best practices, preparing students to deliver exceptional guest experiences in a living restaurant classroom that serves guests. The successful candidate must have a strong commitment to innovative delivery of instruction and support and mentoring of students consistent with National Louis University’s mission. Demonstrated capacity to use a diverse range of effective and new technology-based strategies as well as openness to adopting new practices is expected. Candidates must also be willing and able to participate in the administrative responsibilities of an academic unit, including, but not limited to, assessment, faculty development, new program initiatives, outreach to prospective students, etc. Candidates must be able to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with departmental colleagues in an ethnically and culturally diverse campus community.

ABOUT KENDALL COLLEGE

With an ideal location in a hospitality capital of the world, a strong emphasis on real-world experience and state-of-the-art facilities such as commercial-grade kitchens, Kendall College is Chicago’s premier destination for aspiring chefs, bakers, hotel managers and tourism professionals who want to hone their craft in a demanding, rewarding setting.

• Instruct students in fine dining service standards, including table settings, wine service, etiquette, and guest interaction.
• Oversee student-run dining room experiences and events, ensuring quality service and professionalism.
• Collaborate with culinary instructors to coordinate seamless front- and back-of-house operations.
• Mentor students in hospitality principles, service leadership, and teamwork.
• Maintain a professional, real-world learning environment aligned with industry standards.
• Operational duties in running a restaurant: inventory, sales reports, social media and promotion to the restaurant.
• Full time presence on campus during teaching days in addition to set office hours.
• Providing student support for every aspect of learning in the form of office hours, tutorial assistance, coaching and career and academic assistance and advice.
• Development of coursework, in accord with the college dean and program director, updating course materials to keep courses at the leading edge of knowledge in the disciplines.
• Community service in the form of serving on standing and ad hoc committees, attendance at Senate meetings, etc.
• Participation in faculty development initiatives and cross school projects.
• Assistance with hiring and training of adjunct faculty
• Attendance at key school events such as graduation ceremonies, university community meetings, college and program meetings, professional development training opportunities, etc.
• Any other assistance deemed appropriate to promote the program and to maintain its teaching delivery at the highestlevel of quality.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Representation of the program and college to outside local, national and international communities through industry consulting, academic or trade press publishing, citations in general media and trade press, attendance at regional, national and international conferences (as approved within the school budget), paper presentations at academic and industry conferences.
• Any other assistance deemed necessary to promote the mission and goals of the program, college, and university.
• Administrative Planning and Goal Attainment: Ensure all administrative functions are completed in a professional and timely manner and in alignment with institutional and college timelines and due dates. This encompasses the planning and budgeting for the department, formal review of annual program progress and student outcomes, building and deepening external relationships, and operational functions to support students, faculty, and other departments, as well as pertinent strategic initiatives in the annual Departmental/College Action Plan. This position is also responsible for meeting benchmarks and achievement of department, college and university goals including student outcomes such as persistence, graduation, employment, and student satisfaction.
• External Engagement: For professional content area, identify and serve as point of contact for partnerships with relevant external organizations (local and national agencies, nonprofit institutions, professional associations) and NLU’s graduate schools to support the design and continuous improvement of course content to align with industry standards, and to support the creation of work-based learning opportunities for students. Maintain an industry advisory council that represents expertise from a broad range of career areas to provide input on curriculum, student field experiences, and job opportunities for students upon graduation.
• Enrollment Growth: In collaboration with the Enrollment and Outreach Departments, support efforts to increase enrollment using a variety of strategies with targeted audiences identified. Develop partnerships and articulations with feeder institutions including high school networks and community colleges.
• Employer Pipelines: In collaboration with NLU Career Bridge department, build employer networks to offer a wide range of internship and job opportunities for our students.
• Planning: Develops the steps necessary to accomplish long-term goals. Identifies long and short-term goals and establishes realistic plans to reach them. Allocates required resources, allows for contingencies, and ensures that plans fit with the larger needs of the organization. Sets milestones to measure progress along the way.

• Associate’s Degree or a minimum of 10 years of experience in the culinary field in a variety of restaurants in a management role required, Bachelor’s preferred
• At least 2 years of teaching experience in Higher Education.

LICENSURE and/or CERTIFICATION

• ServSafe and Bassett Certifications, Preferred

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued.  We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full-time faculty benefits can be found here.

NLU Faculty salaries are based on rank within each college.  The ranges for each rank for Kendall College are listed below:

2024 KC 12-Month Faculty Salary Ranges

Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.  Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, current/previous faculty rank, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity.