PT Kitchen Animator

Stella's Place; Toronto; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 36,000; Part time

Job summary

Stella’s Place in Toronto is seeking a part-time Kitchen Animator to support the Community Kitchen and Snack Program. The role assists the Kitchen Coordinator in preparing daily snacks and special meals, and helps deliver cooking programs for youth aged 16–29 with mental health needs.

You will help plan snacks, maintain food safety standards, and contribute to a hands-on curriculum that teaches budgeting, nutrition, and meal prep through engaging demonstrations and group activities.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years’ experience working as a cook in a community kitchen and/or related experience.
• Food safety certification.
• Experience in menu planning and inventory management.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations.
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• A valid vulnerable sector screening will be required prior to employment starting.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a clean and organized kitchen and dining space.
• Develop snack plans and shopping lists.
• Prepare and set up snacks in the kitchen for programs.
• Prepare food packages for people to take home and place them in the Cafe space.
• Sort, clean and organize the food received by food donors and vendors.
• Manage food inventories.
• Employ high standard of food safety practices and handling; ensure Toronto Public Health guidelines are maintained or exceeded.
• Support the development of a cooking class curriculum, incorporating young adult’s input and feedback.
• Support teaching cooking classes to young adults, through a mental health lens.
• Collaborate with peer support workers who will support cooking classes and provide mental health expertise.
• Participate in relevant training and learning opportunities.
• Additional duties as required.

Skills

Experience with community kitchen

Food safety practices

Teamwork skills

Youth engagement

Trauma-informed approach

Education

Food safety certification

Job description

POSITION: Kitchen Animator

TERM: Part-time 16-24 hours per week, 1 year Contract, with possibility to extend

LOCATION: Toronto - in office

WAGE: $23.00/hour

APPLICATION CLOSING DATE: August 21, 2026

ABOUT US:

Stella’s Place is a community-based mental health agency dedicated to supporting young adults (ages 16-29) experiencing mental health challenges. We provide innovative, evidence-based services in a low-barrier and youth-friendly environment, including individual therapy, group programs, peer support, and system navigation.

Mission: Partnering with young adults 16-29 years old and professionals to provide a collaborative, innovative model of mental health services.

Vision: Healthy, resilient young adults living the lives they choose.

Values: At Stella’s Place, we fundamentally value the capabilities and contributions of young adults as we seek breakthrough innovations that benefit our community and society as a whole.

We also value:

• Inclusiveness, diversity, and equity
• Accessibility and a sharing of knowledge
• Creativity, along with a strengths-based approach

POSITION OVERVIEW

Stella’s Place is seeking a Kitchen Animator to support the Community Kitchen and Snack Program. The person in this role will support our Kitchen Coordinator in preparing our daily snacks and special meals program. The Kitchen Animator will also support the delivery of our cooking programs for young adults with mental health needs.

This position is an exciting opportunity for an emerging or established cook who is passionate about nutrition as a vital component for the holistic delivery of mental health and wellness services to youth between the ages of 16 and 29. The Kitchen Animator will support our Kitchen Coordinator and will co-facilitate kitchen programs that teach young people how to prepare nutritious food on a budget through hands-on cooking demonstrations, tips, techniques, recipes and meal-preparation strategies.

The Kitchen Animator will also support food planning, inventory, and preparation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain a clean and organized kitchen and dining space
• Develop snack plans and shopping lists
• Prepare and set up snacks in the kitchen for programs
• Prepare food packages for people to take home and place them in the Cafe space.
• Sort, clean and organize the food received by food donors and vendors
• Manage food inventories
• Employ high standard of food safety practices and handling; ensure Toronto Public Health guidelines are maintained or exceeded
• Support the development of a cooking class curriculum, incorporating young adult’s input and feedback
• Support teaching cooking classes to young adults, through a mental health lens
• Collaborate with peer support workers who will support cooking classes and provide mental health expertise
• Participate in relevant training and learning opportunities
• Additional duties as required.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• The ability to ensure kitchen and food safety
• Experience as a cook or kitchen assistant in a community setting
• Able to manage multiple tasks while staying calm and role modeling to young adult learners and co-workers.
• Experience and enthusiasm working with youth and young adults
• Creative and a team player
• Enthusiasm about group facilitation, community engagement, and encouraging our young adult participants that they are valued and can reach their potential
• Experience working in a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive environment
• Experience working in the mental health and/or social services sector and/or lived experience with mental health is an asset
• Ability to thrive in the Stella’s Place environment as expressed in our mission, vision and values

QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE::

• 1-2 years’ experience working as a cook in a community kitchen and/or related experience
• Food safety certification
• Experience in menu planning and inventory management
• Experience working with vulnerable populations
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills
• A valid vulnerable sector screening will be required prior to employment starting.

HOURS & REPORTING:

• This position reports to the Expressive Arts Therapist Manager.
• This opportunity is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 16-24 hours a week.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCOMMODATION:

Stella’s Place is committed to having a workforce that reflects the diversity of the City of Toronto in general and of our participants in particular. We encourage applications from racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression and all those who can provide and contribute to diversification of perspective at Stella’s Place.

Stella’s Place is committed to hiring practices that are inclusive and barrier free. Stella’s Place will provide reasonable and appropriate accommodation during all stages of the hiring process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code in order to ensure the equal and fair assessment of all job applicants. Applicants are asked to make any accommodation request in advance.