Executive Chef | Full-Time | Penn State University Athletics

About the role

Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in premium live entertainment infrastructure and services, with a platform spanning venue development and end-to-end capabilities across venue management, hospitality, and sponsorship sales. Founded in 2015, the company serves a collection of seven world-class owned venues and a client roster of the most iconic arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions, spanning four continents.

The Executive Chef position at Penn State Athletics is a premier culinary leadership role overseeing food service operations across some of the university’s most iconic and high-profile athletic venues, including Beaver Stadium and Pegula Ice Arena. This role supports a dynamic and fast-paced hospitality environment that serves thousands of guests, fans, student-athletes, premium clientele, and university partners throughout the year. From nationally recognized football Saturdays to championship-level events, concerts, tournaments, and daily operations, the Executive Chef will play a key role in delivering elevated hospitality experiences that reflect the Penn State brand and the growing vision of modern venue dining. This opportunity offers the chance to lead culinary operations across a diverse portfolio of concessions, clubs, premium hospitality spaces, and large-scale event programming within one of the most recognizable athletic departments in the country. The position will collaborate closely with operational leadership, culinary teams, and client partners to continue advancing innovation, consistency, and guest experience across all athletic venues. Penn State Athletics and OVG continue to invest in enhancing the fan and guest experience, making this an exciting opportunity for a culinary leader looking to make an impact in collegiate sports and entertainment dining.

This position will remain open until December 31, 2026.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for managing, developing, and mentoring a staff of 35 full-time and part-time culinary employees, including initiating employment actions such as hiring, firing, and disciplining.
• Ensures event staff are aware of workplace expectations and provides ongoing assistance, training, and mentoring to event staff.
• Promote a positive, enthusiastic, and cooperative workplace environment by working side-by-side with staff.
• Reinforce procedures and practices through repetition; lead by example and provide ongoing constructive feedback.
• Responsible for ensuring that budgeted food percentages are achieved through effective control measures, including portion controls, kitchen timings, food inventory rotation measures, receiving and food storage procedures, inventory controls, effective purchasing procedures, kitchen security procedures, and waste control.
• Controls labor costs through effective scheduling of kitchen staff, cross-training, and development of employees.
• Responsible for monitoring breaks and break documentation for kitchen staff and the daily approval of break documentation.
• Ensures that the purchasing and preparation of all food products meet Oak View Group’s standards of quality and consistency.
• Responsible for the development of menus, ensuring quality, consistency, and style of concept are maintained.
• Monitors production of food preparation, ensuring recipe specifications, portion controls, and kitchen timings are met.
• Monitors all food served relative to appearance, temperature, sanitary, and quality standards.
• Directs all line setup, prep, and breakdown activities.
• Responsible for in-service delegation of tasks to line personnel.
• Coordinates the storage, maintenance, and repair of all kitchen equipment to ensure operational readiness.
• Coordinates the