Sous Chef

Lighthouse Mission Ministries; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Paid holidays

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

403(b) match

Employee assistance program

Paid training

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Lighthouse Mission Ministries in Bellingham, WA seeks a Sous Chef to oversee daily food service operations in a high-volume, donation-driven kitchen. You will lead volunteers and residents, ensure meals express Christ’s love, and maintain safe, clean facilities.

This full-time role requires bulk cooking expertise, HACCP practices, and the ability to mentor diverse learners while coordinating with partner kitchens. Schedule: Wed-Sun 9am-5pm; benefits include PTO and full insurance.

Qualifications

• Experience with bulk cooking and applying food service best practices.
• Desire to reduce waste and steward donated resources.
• Valid Washington State driver’s license and ability to relate well to guests.

Responsibilities

• Support the Food Service Manager, following best practices, health codes, and kitchen procedures.
• Train volunteers and residents in safe food handling, prep work, serving, and workstation responsibilities.
• Maintain valid food handler card compliance for all kitchen workers.
• Track inventory, steward donated food, and ensure equipment remains functional.
• Keep kitchen, storage areas, and dining spaces clean and food-safe.
• Coordinate with partner restaurants, food trucks, and groups providing meals.
• Participate in prayer, devotionals, and collaborative ministry; model Christlike character and accountability.
• Prepare large-scale meals (50–300+ portions) and adjust menus based on donations and guest needs.

Skills

Volunteer leadership

Bulk cooking

Waste reduction

Hospitality ministry

Spiritual leadership

Trauma-aware communication

Job description

TheFood Service Departmentcultivates nourishment, dignity, and welcome through high-quality meals and compassionate hospitality. Guests, volunteers, and residents are invited to learn, serve, and steward donated resources together, helping create a kitchen environment marked by safety, respect, and shared responsibility.

Wage:

$20.00 - $24.00 per hour DOE

Supervised by: Food Service Manager

Schedule: Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm (Full-time)

Benefits include PTO, paid holidays, full employer-paid medical/dental/vision/life insurance, 403(b) match, EAP, paid training, and tuition reimbursement.

Position Description:

The Sous Chef helps oversee daily food service operations, ensuring meals express Christ’s love and hospitality. The role supports volunteers and residents, maintains safe and clean kitchen environments, manages donated food resources, and models grace-based accountability and spiritual encouragement. This position integrates culinary skill, leadership, and ministry in a high-volume, donation-driven kitchen.

Responsibilities (include but are not limited to):

• Support the Food Service Manager, following best practices, health codes, and kitchen procedures.
• Train volunteers and residents in safe food handling, prep work, serving, and workstation responsibilities.
• Maintain valid food handler card compliance for all kitchen workers.
• Track inventory, steward donated food, and ensure equipment remains functional.
• Keep kitchen, storage areas, and dining spaces clean and food-safe.
• Coordinate with partner restaurants, food trucks, and groups providing meals.
• Participate in prayer, devotionals, and collaborative ministry; model Christlike character and accountability.
• Prepare large-scale meals (50–300+ portions) and adjust menus based on donations and guest needs.
• Use structured systems: batch cooking, prep lists, par levels, and production schedules.
• Establish clear stations for prep, sanitation, dishwashing, serving, and donation sorting.
• Train individuals with varying skill levels using simple, repeatable methods.
• Maintain a trauma-informed, calm, welcoming environment.
• Operate industrial equipment including tilt skillets, steam kettles, convection ovens, and steamers.
• Maintain temperature logs, waste logs, donation records, and inventory updates.
• Mentor residents interested in culinary growth; partner with staff to meet dietary, medical, and cultural needs.
• Oversee receiving, sorting, and storing donated food using FIFO and HACCP procedures.
• Support holiday meals, community events, and emergency-response food service.

Qualifications:

• Enjoys working with volunteers and residents; able to inspire participation in kitchen ministry.
• Bulk-cooking experience and ability to apply food service best practices.
• Desire to creatively reduce waste and steward donated resources.
• Valid Washington State driver’s license; ability to relate well to guests and community members.
• Compassion, emotional maturity, and trauma-aware communication.
• Strong work ethic, disciplined lifestyle, and passion for serving Jesus; active in church and prayer.
• Preferred: institutional/large-scale kitchen experience; ability to simplify tasks and teach diverse learners.
• Ability to lead prayer and offer spiritual encouragement; committed to grace-based accountability.
• Hospitality as ministry
• Consistent, high-quality bulk production
• Teaching and mentoring
• Stewardship of donated food
• Safe, compliant kitchen operations
• Christ-centered humility and leadership

Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions:

• May be required to lift heavy items up to 50 lbs
• Must report as regularly scheduled to the worksite

Equal Opportunity Employer

Lighthouse Mission Ministries is both an equal-opportunity employer and a faith-based religious organization. Subject to all applicable state and federal laws, Lighthouse Mission Ministries does not discriminate in its employment practices or in the administration and dissemination of its programs and services. Pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 702 (42 U.S.C. 2000e I(a)), Lighthouse Mission Ministries has the right to, and does, hire only candidates who agree with the Lighthouse Mission Ministries Statement of Faith.https://www.thelighthousemission.org/about-us

• As an outreach of Lighthouse Mission Ministries, successful applicants will show a desire to end spiritual, economic, physical and social poverties with an aim toward restored identities and recovered vocations for the purpose of healthy relationship with God, each other and the world. Must be committed to the Christian faith and comply with drug-free policy. Those qualified to join our team can enjoy a rewarding work environment.