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Job Description: Food Operations & Catering Coordinator 

Organization: Little Black Pearl Workshop / Carver 47 
Location: Chicago, Illinois 
Employment Type: Full-Time 
Reports To: Executive Chef/General Manager 

Position Summary 

Little Black Pearl Workshop and Carver 47 are seeking a highly organized, proactive, and service-oriented Food Operations & Catering Coordinator to help ensure the smooth and efficient operation of our food and hospitality enterprise. 

This position will serve as the operational link between clients, external partners, chefs, service staff, vendors, the events team, and organizational leadership. The coordinator will manage catering requests from initial inquiry through final execution, support day-to-day food operations, coordinate production and staffing needs, manage inventory and purchasing processes, and maintain the systems and information the culinary team needs to work effectively. 

The ideal candidate understands that successful food operations depend on clear communication, strong systems, careful planning, and consistent follow-through. This person should be able to anticipate needs, solve problems, manage multiple priorities, and ensure that every order and event is organized, accurately documented, and professionally executed. 

Key Responsibilities 

Food Operations Coordination 

• Support the Executive Chef/General Manager in coordinating the daily administrative and operational needs of the food enterprise. 

• Serve as the central communication link among the culinary team, service staff, events team, vendors, external partners, and leadership. 

• Maintain master calendars for catering orders, internal events, production deadlines, deliveries, staffing, and purchasing. 

• Facilitate regular production and operations meetings with chefs and relevant team members. 

• Identify upcoming operational needs, potential conflicts, shortages, and deadlines. 

• Develop and maintain clear systems, checklists, forms, and procedures for food operations and catering. 

• Help ensure that information is communicated accurately and on time across departments and locations. 

• Monitor outstanding tasks and follow through to completion. 

• Help resolve day-to-day operational issues that could affect food quality, service, efficiency, or client satisfaction. 

Catering Intake and Client Service 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for catering requests from external partners, clients, and internal departments. 

• Receive and respond to catering inquiries promptly and professionally. 

• Gather all required information, including event date, time, location, guest count, budget, menu selections, dietary restrictions, delivery needs, service style, staffing, setup, equipment, and billing details. 

• Help clients select menu options that align with their needs and budgets. 

• Prepare proposals, estimates, order confirmations, catering agreements, and invoices. 

• Track approvals, deposits, payments, final guest counts, ordering deadlines, and event changes. 

• Maintain accurate records of client preferences, requirements, contacts, and communications. 

• Conduct post-event follow-up and respond to client feedback. 

Culinary and Production Coordination 

• Meet regularly with chefs to review upcoming catering orders, events, and production needs. 

• Prepare detailed catering event orders, production sheets, prep lists, packing instructions, and service timelines. 

• Translate client requests into accurate quantities, packaging requirements, presentation standards, equipment needs, and service instructions. 

• Ensure chefs receive complete information with sufficient production time. 

• Communicate changes in guest counts, menus, timing, dietary restrictions, or service requirements immediately. 

• Coordinate production, packaging, labeling, loading, delivery, setup, service, breakdown, and equipment return. 

• Conduct final checks to ensure each order is complete, accurate, properly presented, and ready on time. 

• Clearly document and communicate food allergies and dietary restrictions. 

• Participate in post-event reviews and document opportunities for improvement. 

Inventory and Purchasing 

• Maintain accurate inventory records for food, beverages, disposables, packaging, linens, smallwares, and service equipment. 

• Conduct regular physical inventory counts and reconcile them with purchasing and usage records. 

• Work with chefs to forecast food, beverage, packaging, and supply needs. 

• Monitor stock levels and identify items that need to be purchased. 

• Prepare approved purchase orders and purchasing requests. 

• Receive deliveries and verify product quantities, quality, pricing, and condition. 

• Report shortages, damaged products, pricing discrepancies, and delivery issues. 

• Maintain organized storage areas using appropriate labeling, dating, rotation, and FIFO practices. 

• Track inventory used for catering orders, events, and other food operations. 

• Monitor expiration dates, waste, breakage, missing equipment, and unused items returned after events. 

• Help prevent shortages, over-ordering, spoilage, and unnecessary emergency purchases. 

• Maintain an accurate inventory of reusable catering and event equipment. 

Event and Service Coordination 

• Coordinate catering logistics for external partner orders and events held at Little Black Pearl. 

• Collaborate with the events and facilities teams to integrate food service into the overall event plan. 

• Participate in planning meetings and venue walkthroughs when needed. 

• Confirm building access, loading, parking, delivery times, room assignments, service areas, kitchen access, equipment, and cleanup requirements. 

• Prepare event timelines covering production, setup, service, breakdown, and cleanup. 

• Determine staffing needs in consultation with the Executive Chef/General Manager. 

• Coordinate schedules and assignments for servers, bartenders, runners, drivers, setup staff, and dishwashers. 

• Provide team members with arrival times, locations, dress requirements, menus, timelines, and service expectations. 

• Provide onsite coordination for larger or more complex events as assigned. 

• Respond professionally to operational or client-service concerns. 

Administrative and Financial Support 

• Maintain organized records of catering inquiries, proposals, agreements, orders, invoices, purchase orders, receipts, payments, and client communications. 

• Enter orders, sales, inventory, and purchasing information into the appropriate systems. 

• Track catering revenue, food costs, labor, delivery expenses, outside purchases, and other direct costs. 

• Confirm and follow client-specific ordering, invoicing, and payment procedures. 

• Submit invoices and supporting documentation accurately and on time. 

• Monitor outstanding invoices and support professional payment follow-up. 

• Prepare weekly reports covering upcoming orders and events, projected guest counts, production needs, staffing, inventory, purchasing, outstanding payments, and operational concerns. 

• Support leadership in evaluating catering profitability, food costs, inventory usage, vendor performance, and operational efficiency. 

• Protect confidential client, financial, and organizational information. 

Qualifications 

• At least two years of experience in food-service operations, catering coordination, hospitality, restaurant administration, event operations, or a related position. 

• Experience coordinating catering orders from initial inquiry through final execution. 

• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills. 

• Exceptional attention to detail and consistent follow-through. 

• Excellent written, verbal, and customer service skills. 

• Ability to communicate effectively with chefs, clients, vendors, service staff, event personnel, and leadership. 

• Working knowledge of food-service inventory, purchasing, production planning, and event logistics. 

• Ability to manage multiple orders, deadlines, and changing priorities in a fast-paced environment. 

• Proficiency with email, shared calendars, spreadsheets, invoicing, point-of-sale systems, and other administrative technology. 

• Ability to work independently while collaborating across departments and locations. 

• Food Handler Certification required or must be obtained upon hire. 

• Availability to work on a flexible schedule, including occasional early mornings, evenings, and weekends. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in a restaurant, café, catering company, event venue, cultural institution, university, or nonprofit environment. 

• Experience catering proposals, contracts, invoicing, purchase orders, food costing, and inventory systems. 

• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, storage, labeling, and allergen requirements. 

• ServSafe Manager Certification is preferred. 

• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation are preferred. 

Physical Requirements 

• Ability to remain active and on one’s feet during production, setup, and event service. 

• Ability to lift and move catering supplies or equipment weighing up to 30 pounds. 

• Ability to work in kitchens, storage rooms, loading areas, offices, and event spaces. 

• Ability to travel between operating and event locations as required. 

Measures of Success 

The Food Operations & Catering Coordinator will be successful when: 

• Chefs and service teams consistently receive complete and timely information. 

• Catering requests receive prompt and professional responses. 

• Orders are accurately documented, produced, delivered, and invoiced. 

• Production deadlines, staffing needs, deliveries, and event requirements are coordinated in advance. 

• Inventory records are accurate, and needed supplies are readily available. 

• Purchasing is timely, organized, and aligned with operational needs. 

• Food waste, shortages, emergency purchases, and preventable errors are reduced. 

• Operational systems and communication improve across the food enterprise. 

• Clients and partners receive consistent, organized, and high-quality service. 

• The culinary team can focus on food production and quality because operational details are managed effectively. 

About Little Black Pearl and Carver 47 

Little Black Pearl cultivates belonging and opportunity by equipping youth, adults, and leaders to build creative, cultural, and economic power through art, design, food, and leadership development. 

Carver 47 is Little Black Pearl’s food and hospitality social enterprise, providing café, catering, beverage, and culinary services rooted in creativity, community, and excellent hospitality. 

Equal Opportunity Statement 

Little Black Pearl Workshop is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where employees are respected, supported, and able to contribute their talents fully.