Head Chef: Lead Kitchen for Housing & Social Impact

PATH; California; On-site; USD 77,782 - 95,633; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision insurance

Paid vacation and sick time

Paid holidays

Retirement plan

Job summary

PATH is seeking a Head Chef to lead our Culinary Services team at our Santa Ana site. This role supervises kitchen staff, plans menus, controls costs, and ensures compliance with health standards while delivering high‑quality meals for guests.

The Head Chef collaborates with the team to maintain a welcoming dining experience, manages inventories, coordinates with vendors, and mentors staff to sustain PATH’s commitment to service excellence and safety.

Qualifications

• Five (5) years of relevant experience in the culinary field, one (1) year leading a team in a culinary capacity.
• Current Managerial Food Handling certificate is required.
• Employment eligibility and background checks as part of hire process.

Responsibilities

• Staff Supervision & Support: supervise culinary staff, coordinate schedules, support volunteers.
• Leadership & Client Services: promote PATH values and ensure a welcoming environment.
• Kitchen Administration & Oversight: monitor costs, post monthly menus, manage inventories.
• Kitchen & Equipment Maintenance: ensure health code compliance and maintenance of equipment.
• Food Preparation: ensure meals meet PATH standards and are served timely.

Skills

Leadership

Staff Supervision

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Education

Managerial Food Handling certificate

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

WHY WORK FOR US?

We are mission and values driven and your contributions will make a difference. We make a positive difference in people's lives and help an average of 23 people per week to find a place to live.

WHY WORK FOR US?

We are mission and values driven and your contributions will make a difference. We make a positive difference in people's lives and help an average of 23 people per week to find a place to live.

If you join us, you will be able to advocate for change while also working with influential people who effect changes in policy and devote time to issues of racial and social justice. We prioritize your work/life balance and provide various scheduling options in addition to generous time off, health, and wellness benefits and we're committed to helping you reach your potential by providing opportunities for professional growth across the state.

JR 5736

Head Chef

Santa Ana, CA 92704

Salary: $77,782.00 - $95,633.00 annually

Pay Frequency: 24 Pay Periods Per Year

Full Time

Exempt

Driving Required

Lower end of range will apply to candidates who meet minimum experience or have limited years of relevant experience. The higher end of range will apply to seasoned candidates with considerable years of relevant experience.

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PATH is seeking candidates with experience in culinary services and current managerial food handler’s certificates to join our Orange County Team as the Head Chef for our Yale Navigation Center.

About Our Culinary Services

Our Culinary Services Team is a critical to the success of our interim housing sites. By providing three meals and snacks and refreshments throughout the day, the kitchen and its staff are a key component to creating a welcoming, home-like environment for our guests as they work to obtain and sustain permanent housing.

WHAT IS A HEAD CHEF?

As part of the Interim Housing team, the Head Chef is responsible for providing administrative, supervisory, and quality control oversight to the kitchen staff and coordination of guests’ dietary menu plans as needed.

Responsibilities include:

• Staff Supervision & Support
• Provide direct supervision to all culinary staff, including Kitchen Associates, Lead Cooks, and Sous Chefs. Coordinate scheduling of all kitchen staff, including volunteers.
• Plan, set, and adjust as needed ongoing workload assignments and schedules for work completion. Ensure adherence to work and time schedules.
• Provide all necessary supports to volunteers to ensure they have a valuable experience.
• Leadership & Client Services
• Promoting and following the established interim housing values, guidelines, and rules.
• Modeling and promoting a team culture and environment that is professional and welcoming for all interim housing guests, staff, volunteers, and other visitors
• Meeting with guests with medical dietary restrictions to set up menu plans
• Kitchen Administration & Oversight
• Helping create and post monthly menus
• Assisting with the monitoring kitchen costs including labor, food, supplies, and equipment
• Helping to ensure inventories are maintained
• Reviewing Health Department reports along with Head Chef and Sous Chef and assisting with correcting violations
• Coordinating and maintaining relationships with kitchen vendors and donors
• Coordinating food donations, including assisting with pick-ups and drop-offs as necessary
• Kitchen & Equipment Maintenance
• Ensuring the kitchen is maintained to Health Department code and PATH standards.
• Setting the standards for maintaining kitchen sanitation and cleanliness
• Ensuring equipment is maintained equipment in proper sanitary and operating condition
• Coordinating regular maintenance activities such as hood exhaust cleanings, oil waste pick-ups, and propane gas fills.
• Coordinating with PATH’s facilities team for repairs, fixes, or other maintenance.
• Food Preparation
• Working with the Head Chef and Sous Chef to ensure that all meals prepared following Health Department code and served at the appropriate times and temperatures
• Assisting with daily taste tests to ensure all meals are palatable, appetizing in appearance, and meet PATH’s standards
  

What You Bring

We’re looking for candidates that:

• Maintain and execute confidential information according to HIPAA standards
• Possess a high level of tolerance and understanding for individuals with urgent and multiple case management and health needs
• Work just as well independently as they do on a team
• Exercise mature judgement, and are highly motivated, self-starting and proactive
• Are excellent at communicating, whether in writing or verbally
• Are well organized, have a strong sense of prioritization, and can coordinate multiple demands in a high-pressure environment
• Demonstrate proficiency with Microsoft Office Software, particularly Word and Excel.
• Possess strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to develop successful and positive relationships with individuals at all organization levels.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Seven (7) years of relevant experience in the culinary field, three (3) years leading a team in a culinary capacity.
  
  

Mandatory Qualifications

• Five (5) years of relevant experience in the culinary field, one (1) year leading a team in a culinary capacity.
• Current Managerial Food Handling certificate.
  
  

Mandatory Requirements

Regardless of qualifications, candidates must:

• Have employment eligibility verification
• Have or be able and willing to obtain CPR/First Aid training
• Successfully complete the following as a condition of hire:
• Tuberculosis Test
• Background Screening
• Drug Test
  

DRIVING

Driving is an essential function of this position. To meet the employment requirements for this role, all candidates must:

• Have reliable transportation
• A valid driver’s license
• Proof of insurance and ownership for personal vehicles used during work duties
• The ability to qualify for PATH's insurance coverage
  
  

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

PATH is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and objectivity in our services and employment practices. To avoid potential conflicts of interest and ensure the integrity of our programs, we are unable to employ individuals who are currently receiving services from PATH or have received services within the past two years.

CALIFORNIA-BASED WORK EXPECTATIONS

We are a California employer. Therefore, all regular and customary work must be performed within the state. Approval for work outside of the office, does not establish approval for work to be conducted outside of California.

PATH does not offer fully remote positions. While some roles may include a schedule that involves multiple designated worksites or approved off-site locations (e.g., hybrid schedules), this does not imply that work will be performed from home. Many positions are fully on-site with no off-site work. All work schedules are determined by the responsibilities of the role and operational requirements, and may be adjusted at any time.

What We Offer

In addition to a rewarding work environment, we offer our employees a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision coverage, vacation and sick time, paid holidays, and a retirement plan.

READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THROUGH ACTION?

If this position sounds like a fit, please submit your application today. A resume is required.

PATH provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, PATH complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

PATH will consider for employment all qualified Applicants, including those with Criminal Histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

PATH is dedicated to racial and social justice by centering equity in our service delivery and maintaining a diverse and inclusive work environment for the communities we serve. We seek awareness and insight from witnessing the stories of our clients and learning from the experiences of our staff to ensure impactful systems change. If people are empowered, they can bring their authentic, whole selves to work and when people feel like they belong, they can become part of a unified effort of ending homelessness for all.