Food Services Lead Cook

Outstanding in the Field; Maine; On-site; USD 10,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team as a Food Services Lead Cook, where your culinary skills will shine in a vibrant educational nonprofit. This hands-on chef position is vital for ensuring exceptional food service, utilizing locally sourced ingredients, and managing kitchen operations for diverse groups. You'll collaborate with program directors to create menus, supervise shifts, and maintain high standards of food safety and quality. If you're a creative problem solver with a passion for food and community, this role offers a fulfilling opportunity to make a difference in the lives of participants while promoting a positive work environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in food services and nutrition with a strong work ethic.
• Ability to lead shifts and manage food preparation for large groups.

Responsibilities

• Supervise shifts and ensure high-quality food service in dining areas.
• Collaborate on menu creation and oversee food ordering and preparation.

Skills

Food Safety Certification

Team Leadership

Menu Creation

High-Volume Food Preparation

Creative Problem Solving

Education

High School Diploma

Associate Degree or Higher

Job description

Job description

Summary

Food Services Lead Cooks are essential members of our Food Services team. They are experienced in the food services industry, have cooked quality food for a wide range of groups and participants, and supervise shifts to ensure that our industrial kitchens and dining areas operate efficiently, safely, and that the quality of all food served is outstanding. This is a hands-on chef position that includes menu input and creation, as well as high-volume food preparation from scratch that reflects locally sourced ingredients.

Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent required; associate degree equivalent or higher preferred. Significant food services, nutrition, and hospitality experience. An organized, positive team member who is a creative problem solver and eager to do a wide variety of tasks — ranging from dish cleaning to leading a shift from menu creation, food ordering, and prep through clean-up. Outstanding work ethic and flexible to serve a wide range of programs and clients. Food safety certified and a talented chef for groups ranging from 10 to 400 participants.

Responsible to: Food Services Director

Primary Responsibilities

Pasquaney, Jewell, Kennedy Learning Center | Help ensure that our dining areas and industrial kitchens prepare and serve excellent food, utilizing fresh ingredients wherever possible. Support menu creation with program directors, oversee food ordering, preparation, storage, and the sanitization and compliance across spaces. Supervise shifts and oversee staff to serve roles ranging from food preparation to dishwashing. Promote a positive work environment and cook outstanding food regardless of group size or needs.

Programs

Collaborate with directors to ensure meal times are scheduled appropriately and that meals are prepared, served, and cleaned. Engage with program staff and participants, preparing food for a wide range of dietary needs.

Community & Stewardship

Understand Maine food systems and support community partnership, grants and any initiative that helps establish and maintain KWE as a food services leader committed to cooking with locally sourced, scratch ingredients as often as possible.

Operations

Work with directors to ensure that the food services spaces are maintained to the highest standards, cleaning areas and repairing items when able and delegating all other needs in a timely manner. Support our operation by positively collaborating across departments and with any client, whether a child or adult.

Healthcare & Risk

Prioritize food safety practices and ensure the team understands employee and participant dietary needs when supervising. Help maintain a healthy environment and proactively meet industry and compliance standards. Fully understand emergency response procedures and complete training as needed.

Support of the Organization

Kieve Wavus Education is an educational nonprofit that requires a highly dedicated team to function. Each employee should understand our mission and be ready to do work not specific to their job description in order to fulfill it.

Compensation

This position is hourly, varies DOE, $22.00 - $32.00