Chef Instructor - Professional Savory Programs - Per Diem

cambridgeschoolofculinaryarts; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 2,232 - 5,580; Part time

Job summary

Cambridge School of Culinary Arts is seeking a part-time Chef Instructor to lead the Food Basics unit of the Culinary Certificate and Professional Chef programs. Instructors guide hands‑on labs and lectures, ensuring safety and high standards in a professional kitchen.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years cooking experience and at least 2 years teaching; strong communication, customer service, and the ability to mentor students with diverse skills. Positions are per diem with variable schedules.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years general cooking experience at a restaurant, catering company, or equivalent.
• Minimum of 2 years culinary teaching experience.
• General knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Diplomatic, patient, creative, flexible, and able to mentor individuals with different levels of cooking experience.
• Ability to pass CORI background check.

Responsibilities

• Manage class size of up to 15 students.
• Lecture on class material and use Power Point; familiarity with laptop and HDMI setup.
• Assign daily recipes, manage class production, and supervise kitchen setup/breakdown.
• Issue and grade CSCA quizzes; report lab and quiz grades to the Director of Education.
• Provide daily verbal assessments and track attendance; attend quarterly faculty meetings.
• Proctor midterm/final practicums and exams; supervise student learning and safety.
• Oversee checking in ingredients, stocking, and kitchen sanitation; ensure proper cleanup.
• Maintain high safety and cleanliness standards and proper equipment shutdown.

Skills

Culinary skills

Teaching

Customer service

Kitchen management

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Professional Chef Instructor

CSCA is an iconic New England landmark, and for more than 40 years has been highly acclaimed among the nation’s premier culinary schools. Here, students gain the essential knowledge and foundational skills a great culinary education demands – classic fundamentals of cooking and baking, history and influences of the world’s greatest cuisines, techniques for mastering common and exotic ingredients, and more.

CSCA is seeking a part-time passionate Chef Instructor to teach in our Professional Culinary Programs. We are seeking an enthusiastic, professionally trained and experienced Chef with exceptional cooking, teaching and customer service skills. You will be the catalyst to our professional students gaining confidence in a professional kitchen, learning culinary basics and cuisines, advanced techniques, methods and theory.

Cambridge School of Culinary Arts is looking for Chef Instructors to teach the Food Basics unit of the Culinary Certificate and Professional Chef’s Programs. The Food Basics unit is a 16‑week‑long unit that emphasizes the foundations of savory cooking. Courses include stock & soup, vegetable, grains, beans, egg, moist heat, and dry heat cookeries with emphasis on individual proteins, sauces, and knife skills. Each class is 8‑hours long, which includes a 2‑hour lecture and 6 hours of lab (hands‑on cooking). Instructors teach CSCA‑provided lecture notes, power point presentations, outlines, and recipes. Our chef instructors take pride in sharing their knowledge and expertise with students through lecture and hands‑on lab classes and doing whatever it takes to help our students succeed in pursuing their passion. Does this sound like you?

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Managing class size of up to 15 students


• Lecturing on class material; supplement with Power Point presentation (must be familiar with laptop, Power Point software, HDMI cables, television)


• Assigning daily recipes to class; explaining recipes; managing class production of recipes; maintaining order in kitchen; managing set up and break down of class; assessing students’ recipes for taste, doneness, creativity, presentation, ability to follow direction


• Chef Instructors are responsible for issuing CSCA‑issued quizzes, grading quizzes, and evaluating quizzes with students; reporting lab and quiz grades to Director of Education.


• Chef instructors are responsible for delivering verbal assessments of student skill level daily and at midterm.


• Chef Instructors are responsible for taking daily attendance and reporting attendance to Academic Supervisor/Director of Education


• Chef Instructors must attend quarterly faculty meetings


• Chef Instructors may be responsible for proctoring midterm and final practicums; tasting midterm and final practicums; and proctoring midterm or final written exams.


• Chef Instructors are responsible for tutoring at‑risk students.


• Chef Instructors are responsible for supervising students as they check in the day’s ingredients, stock pantry items, pack ingredient box at end of class, break down and cleanup of kitchens, trash removal, kitchen sanitation, and compost removal, among other duties as assigned by Director of Education.


• Set‑up of kitchen and lecture space as needed, and inventory check at least 1 hour before the scheduled start of class.


• Maintain the highest standards of safety and cleanliness.


• Ensures all food items are cooked and served properly and under sanitary conditions.


• Must be able to multi‑task and have a full grasp of all activities occurring in the kitchen at all times.


• Ensure that kitchen is organized and left in proper condition for the cleaning crew; this includes checking that all equipment is turned off, dirty dishes and equipment are left in good order for the dish washers, and leftover inventory items and equipment are returned to their proper locations

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform other duties as needed, directed or assigned.


• Must wear CSCA approved uniform at all times while instructing a class or representing CSCA.

Qualifications (Education/Experience/Knowledge Requirements)

• Minimum of 5 years general cooking experience at a restaurant, catering company, commissary, or in other culinary capacity


• Minimum of 2 years culinary teaching experience


• General knowledge of Microsoft Office


• Must be diplomatic, patient, prompt, creative, flexible, fun, thrive in organized chaos, be able to manage, groom; and mentor individuals with different levels of cooking experience


• Willingness to follow CSCA policies, procedures, and education philosophy


• Ability to communicate effectively with others, orally and in writing


• Candidates must be able to pass a CORI background check.

Work Hours

• THIS IS A PART TIME, PER DIEM POSITION THAT PAYS BY THE CLASS.


• Class schedules may vary by week.


• Number of classes scheduled will vary based on demand, skill set and availability.

Physical Demands

The ability to lift 25 pounds, stand, kneel, sit, and walk for extended periods of time.

Instructors may be on their feet for up to 8 hours at a time.

Instructors will need to handle and lift heavy kitchen equipment, chairs, tables.

Work Environment

This job occurs primarily in commercial kitchens which may vary in temperature and humidity.