Associate, Culinary/Driver

Feeding Tampa Bay; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 23,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Feeding Tampa Bay is seeking a Culinary Associate & Driver to support BOH cafe operations and act as a bridge between the kitchen and the community.

You will prep, transport meals, and help manage cafe setups while upholding food safety and quality standards in a mostly onsite role.

Must have a valid driver’s license, ability to lift up to 50 pounds, and flexibility to work some holidays and weekends as needed.

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating a kitchen or similar operations.
• 1+ years as a prep cook or related kitchen role preferred.
• Solid understanding of food safety and sanitation (HACCP).
• Ability to lift and carry objects up to 50 pounds.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Flexibility to work nights, weekends, or holidays as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead volunteers and train on kitchen protocols and service standards.
• Transport and set up daily meals; ensure on-time service and quality standards.
• Maintain strict sanitation, temperature logs, and cleanliness of workstations.
• Collaborate with Executive Chef and Site Manager to ensure guest satisfaction and program goals.
• Assist with inventory, dish management, and coordination with kitchen staff.

Skills

Valid driver’s license

Time management

Volunteer leadership

Food safety awareness

Education

Excel

Microsoft Office

Tools

Excel

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Zoom

Asana

Job description

Description

Position Title: Culinary Associate/Driver

Position Title: Culinary Associate/Driver

Reports to: Kitchen Manager

Department: Operations

Location: Causeway Center, Trinity Cafe, and Feeding Pinellas

Classification: Mostly Onsite

Core Hours: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday to include holidays, hours & days may vary.

Status: Nonexempt

Grade: 2

Range: $17.00 - $18.43

Company Overview

Feeding Tampa Bay serves ten counties in West Central Florida and we are a leader in hunger relief across our region. Just last year, we served 85M meals to our neighbors through direct service and through our network of 400+ food pantry partners. But we know food alone won’t solve hunger – that’s why we’re redefining that it means to feed our region. By creating pathways to possibilities for nearly 1 million people, Feeding Tampa Bay connects and convenes solutions, partners and resources that nourish long-term stability. As a member of the Feeding America Network, we will work to dismantle barriers for individuals, families, and seniors across our area – because it’s possible.

At Feeding Tampa Bay, we are on a united path to transform our community. We thoughtfully drive change while embracing and celebrating our collective impact, as well as the impact of each individual. Through our Grow Code we strive to honor all, conquer together, be imaginists, speak with truth, and stay rooted in the mission of Feeding Tampa Bay.

Summary

The Culinary Associate & Driver is a dynamic, dual-impact role essential to our Back-of-House (BOH) café operations. You aren’t just preparing food; you are the bridge between our kitchen and the community. This position is responsible for the daily execution of meal service—ensuring every dish is high-quality, safe, and on time—while leading a team of passionate volunteers. From prepping salads to transporting meals and managing cafe setups, you ensure that our mission is served with dignity and excellence.

DUTIES And RESPONSIBILITIES

• Exemplifies the desired culture and philosophies of Feeding Tampa Bay
• Volunteer Leadership - Engage, and train volunteers on kitchen protocols, menu details (to include menu alternatives if available) , and service standards and proper portions.
• Service Operations - Handle the transportation and setup of daily food service; ensure all meals are served on time and meet quality standards.
• Food Safety & Sanitation - Maintain a rigorous cleaning schedule, set up 3-compartment sinks daily with proper sanitation ratios, and maintain accurate temperature logs for food and refrigeration.
• Quality Control - Collaborate closely with the Executive Chef to maintain and enforce high standards for food quality, consistency and presentation. and with the Site Manager to optimize the guest experience.
• Mission Alignment - Execute all duties in accordance with the mission, vision, and values of Feeding Tampa Bay.
• Food Preparation & Cooking
• Prep Work: Washes, peels, chops, slices, dices, and measures fruits, vegetables, meats, and other ingredients according to recipes or chef instructions. Accurately weighs, measures, and portions ingredients for use in recipes, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
• Prepares and assembles cold dishes such as salads, sandwiches, and appetizers.
• Plating: Ensure every dish meets the standards for portion size and visual appeal.
• Packs and stores leftover food items appropriately to bring back to Causeway. Work with the Contracted Meals Coordinator to pack up the leftovers for our Market Meals.
• Safety & Sanitation:
• Adheres to strict sanitation and hygiene standards throughout the kitchen, ensuring a clean and organized work area.
• Safely and efficiently uses various kitchen tools and equipment, such as knives, slicers, mixers, and food processors and adheres to all safety procedures around them. The use of cut gloves is required.
• Adheres to all food safety regulations and procedures, ensuring that ingredients are handled and stored properly to prevent contamination.
• Checks the quality of ingredients, ensuring they are fresh and meet established standards.
• Properly labels and dates all prepared items, facilitating inventory management and food safety.
• Cleans and sanitizes workstations, equipment, and utensils, maintaining a hygienic kitchen environment.
• Ensure all equipment is turned off and temps of refrigeration are recorded prior to leaving for the day.
• Keep all storage areas clean and organized.
• Uphold health, safety and food handling regulations and standards.
• Ensure all kitchen equipment clean and in working condition—report any issues with the site manager so they can report it to facilities.
• Operations & Support:
• Inventory: Assist in receiving deliveries and stock pantry or walk in cooler areas using the FIFO method. Helps with inventory management, noting stock levels and informing kitchen managers of items that need to be ordered.
• Dish Management: Assist with cleaning cookware and operate industrial dishwashers.
• Works effectively with volunteers and site management to ensure smooth and efficient operations.
• Transportation
• Responsible for completing pre and post trip inspections using a checklist on vans every day. Report any issues immediately.
• Loading and unloading: Securely load and unload product.
• Responsible for keeping the transportation van and hot boxes clean at all times.
• Adhere strictly to all local traffic laws, Department of Transportation regulation and company safety policies.
• A valid driver’s license is required, with a clean driving record with no recent major traffic violation.
• This position is regularly required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION And/or EXPERIENCE

• Excel working in a fast-paced, evolving environment and demonstrate the ability to embrace the FTB’s commitment to treat all people with equity and respect in pursuit of our mission to feed people in need and mobilize our community to eliminate hunger
• Previous kitchen coordination experience is a plus.
• 1+ years of experience as a prep cook or in a related kitchen role preferred.
• Solid understanding of food safety and sanitation procedures (HACCP).
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills.
• Ability to maintain a clean and organized workspace.
• Passion for delivering an exceptional food experience.
• Experience guiding and directing a group of people.
• Demonstrates ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to independently keep multiple projects organized, take the initiative, maintain a highly collaborative work style with the Culinary Team.
• Ability to work constructively with individuals (the public and volunteers) from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds in culturally diverse work environments.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Zoom, and Asana experience a plus.
• Valid SERV Safe Manager Certification or ability to obtain within 90 days
• Ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Strong communication skills.
• Willing to actively participate in mission-driven programs, such as food distribution initiatives and disaster relief operations as needed.
• Flexibility in scheduling, with the ability to work some nights, weekends, and holidays.
• All internal candidates must be in good standing with no corrective actions within the last 90 days.