Chef Instructor

CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa; Scottsdale (AZ); On-site; USD 21,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

Sur La Table in Scottsdale is seeking a customer-focused team member to join our cooking class program. You will represent the brand, deliver savory cooking classes, and create memorable experiences that encourage repeat visits and loyalty.

Responsibilities include communicating culinary concepts clearly, maintaining current product knowledge, assisting with class setup and store readiness, and upholding food safety standards.

Qualifications

• 21+ years of age at time of employment.
• Degree in culinary arts preferred; extensive culinary experience considered in lieu of formal education.
• 1-2 years of kitchen operations experience.
• Valid Food Manager Certification.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Passion for community engagement and providing exceptional customer experiences.

Responsibilities

• Represent Sur La Table's brand and culture by creating memorable, educational experiences that inspire repeat visits and customer loyalty.
• Deliver exceptional in-store culinary experiences focused on savory cooking classes that reflect Sur La Table's passion for food, teaching, and high standards, while following provided recipes and game plans to ensure consistency and quality.
• Communicate technical cooking concepts and savory techniques in a clear, encouraging, and approachable manner.
• Maintains expertise by staying current on products, actively engaging in available training, and independently seeking out additional resources.
• Drive sales by upholding kitchen standards, encouraging class sign-ups through strong customer engagement, and promoting retail items used or featured in class.
• Deliver class revenue goals by ensuring high enrollment, positive reviews, and guest return rates.
• Consistently meet or exceed culinary program goals by delivering exceptional classes that drive customer engagement and sales. Performance is measured by key KPIs such as second-class sign-ups, retail culinary product sales, and guest feedback through Google reviews.
• Assist in setting up and breakdown of classes including organizing mise en place, prepping ingredients, and cleaning workstations.
• Clean and sanitize dishes and equipment promptly to ensure smooth kitchen operations.
• Assist with restocking, organizing, and maintaining kitchen supplies and tools to support overall store readiness.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards, local health codes, and sanitation regulations.
• Properly handle all tools, ingredients, and kitchen equipment to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
• Maintain accurate inventory levels, minimize shrink, and control supply and culinary expenses.
• May handle liquor, wine, and beer in compliance with state and location alcohol regulations, company policies, including enforcing age restrictions.
• Ensure store safety and cleanliness, addressing any maintenance needs promptly.
• Adhere to applicable wage and hour laws. Accurately records time worked according to SLT Policy.
• Model and ensure consistent adherence to all Sur La Table policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Skills

Communication

Problem solving

Decision making

Customer service

Community engagement

Education

Culinary arts degree preferred

Job description

Responsibilities

Customer Experience & Brand Representation

• Represent Sur La Table's brand and culture by creating memorable, educational experiences that inspire repeat visits and customer loyalty.
• Deliver exceptional in-store culinary experiences focused on savory cooking classes that reflect Sur La Table's passion for food, teaching, and high standards, while following provided recipes and game plans to ensure consistency and quality.
• Communicate technical cooking concepts and savory techniques in a clear, encouraging, and approachable manner.
• Maintains expertise by staying current on products, actively engaging in available training, and independently seeking out additional resources.

Sales & Business Performance

• Drive sales by upholding kitchen standards, encouraging second class sign-ups through strong customer engagement, and promoting retail items used or featured in class.
• Deliver class revenue goals by ensuring high enrollment, positive reviews, and guest return rates.
• Consistently meet or exceed culinary program goals by delivering exceptional classes that drive customer engagement and sales. Performance is measured by key KPIs such as second-class sign-ups, retail culinary product sales, and guest feedback through Google reviews.

Team Engagement & Store Support

• Assist in setting up and breakdown of classes including organizing mise en place, prepping ingredients, and cleaning workstations.
• Clean and sanitize dishes and equipment promptly to ensure smooth kitchen operations.
• Assist with restocking, organizing, and maintaining kitchen supplies and tools to support overall store readiness.

Operations & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with food safety standards, local health codes, and sanitation regulations.
• Properly handle all tools, ingredients, and kitchen equipment to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
• Maintain accurate inventory levels, minimize shrink, and control supply and culinary expenses.
• May handle liquor, wine, and beer in compliance with state and location alcohol regulations, company policies, including enforcing age restrictions.
• Ensure store safety and cleanliness, addressing any maintenance needs promptly.
• Adhere to applicable wage and hour laws. Accurately records time worked according to SLT Policy.
• Model and ensure consistent adherence to all Sur La Table policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Physical Requirements

• Ability to communicate verbally and work cooperatively with associates and customers.
• Ability to remain standing for up to 4 hours at a time.
• Ability to move about the store directing class participants while selling to customers and retrieving merchandise from stockroom or sales floor.
• The capability to accurately perceive and differentiate variations in intensity or quality of flavors or odors, or to identify specific tastes or scents using the tongue or nose.
• Ability to grab, reach, push, pull, bend, stoop, kneel and crouch to demonstrate, retrieve and/or replenish merchandise and/or cooking equipment.
• Ability to use hands to seize, hold, grasp, turn, or otherwise to chop, whisk, slice, stir, juice and/or demonstrate other techniques.
• Ability to lift and/or move merchandise weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to ascend/descend ladders to retrieve and/or move merchandise.
• Ability to operate a computer, POS system, keyboards, merchandise scanners and mouse to accomplish work.
• Available to work between 12 and 16 hours per week, with a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays. While this is the minimum availability, scheduled hours may differ based on business needs.
• Regular and predictable attendance with the flexibility to adjust class assignments based on demand.
• Ability to work in a variable kitchen environment included but not limited to open flames, hot surfaces, temperature variations, various food allergens both physical and airborne.

Qualifications & Experience

• Must be 21 years of age or older at the time of employment.
• A degree in culinary arts is preferred; however, candidates with extensive culinary experience and demonstrated technical proficiency will be considered in lieu of formal education.
• 1-2 years of kitchen operations experience.
• Valid Food Manager Certification.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Passion for community engagement and providing exceptional customer experiences.