Culinary Arts Teacher

Job Description

Job Description

About Innovation Charter High School

At Innovation Charter High School, we believe schools can be places where young people are deeply known, challenged, and prepared to shape their futures, and where educators do some of the most meaningful work of their careers.

We are a mission-driven public charter high school in New York City serving students with ambition, care, and urgency. Our team is fiercely committed to improving student outcomes and continuously strengthening the school we are building together. This is a place for educators who believe:

• Feedback is essential to growth, for students and adults
• Curiosity is a driver of strong teaching and learning
• Great schools are built through reflection, collaboration, and persistence
• Students thrive when adults hold high expectations and provide deep support
• Supporting one another as a community and showing up as strong team players matters just as much as individual excellence

We are not interested in maintaining the status quo. We are actively working to create new ways of supporting students and new ways of working together as colleagues. That takes humility, experimentation, resilience, and heart.

Our staff cares deeply. We challenge one another. We learn in public. We keep improving.

If you are energized by joining a dedicated team that is building toward something better, for students and for each other, we'd love to meet you.

About the Role

We are seeking a CTE Culinary Arts Teacher & Work-Based Learning Coordinator who is passionate about preparing high school students for meaningful careers, postsecondary opportunities, and lifelong success through rigorous, hands-on culinary education and authentic workplace experiences.

This educator will lead Innovation's Culinary Arts CTE program, delivering engaging instruction in culinary, baking, and pastry arts while maintaining the standards and requirements of the school's approved CTE program. The teacher will create an inclusive learning environment where all students—including students with IEPs and students requiring additional academic or social-emotional support—can develop technical skills, professionalism, confidence, and career readiness.

As Work-Based Learning Coordinator, this position will also build and maintain partnerships with employers and community organizations, coordinate internships and other work-based learning opportunities, and help students develop the employability skills necessary to successfully transition from high school to college, career training, and employment.

What You’ll Do

Deliver Rigorous, Hands-On Culinary Arts Instruction

• Plan, teach, and assess Culinary Arts courses, including culinary fundamentals, baking, pastry arts, food preparation, and kitchen-based laboratory experiences.
• Develop and implement engaging lesson plans, course syllabi, instructional goals, and assessments aligned with the school's CTE program requirements.
• Provide students with authentic, hands-on learning experiences that develop culinary techniques, creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, and professional workplace habits.
• Differentiate instruction and laboratory experiences to ensure students with varying learning needs and skill levels can participate successfully.
• Integrate academic skills, career readiness, employability skills, and industry expectations throughout the Culinary Arts curriculum.
• Use student performance data, practical assessments, observations, and feedback to monitor progress and adjust instruction.
• Maintain current knowledge of culinary industry trends, instructional practices, and CTE requirements through ongoing professional learning.

Maintain a Safe, High-Quality Culinary Program

• Establish and maintain rigorous standards for food safety, sanitation, kitchen operations, and student safety.
• Teach and consistently reinforce proper food handling, sanitation, equipment use, and workplace safety practices.
• Maintain culinary equipment, kitchen tools, instructional materials, and program inventory.
• Monitor supply levels and prepare timely purchase requests for food, equipment, and instructional materials.
• Ensure the culinary learning environment is organized, properly maintained, and ready for instruction.
• Maintain required program documentation and support ongoing compliance with applicable CTE program requirements.
• Support schoolwide events and activities involving Culinary Arts programming.
• Support extracurricular Culinary Arts programming, including after-school activities, as assigned.

Lead Work-Based Learning & Career Readiness

• Develop and coordinate meaningful work-based learning experiences that connect classroom instruction to real-world career opportunities.
• Build and expand partnerships with restaurants, hospitality organizations, employers, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and community partners.
• Identify and develop internship, job-shadowing, career exploration, and employment opportunities for students.
• Prepare students for workplace experiences through job-readiness instruction, workshops, coaching, and individualized guidance.
• Help students develop professional communication, workplace behavior, résumé development, interviewing, time management, teamwork, and other employability skills.
• Coordinate student participation in work-based learning initiatives and employment programs, including SYEP, Work Learn Grow, and other applicable opportunities.
• Conduct periodic visits to internship and employment sites to monitor student progress and strengthen employer partnerships.
• Support students in reflecting on workplace experiences and connecting those experiences to their academic, career, and postsecondary goals.

Manage Work-Based Learning Compliance & Partnerships

• Maintain accurate and timely work-based learning records, including student timesheets, payroll documentation, worksite agreements, NYS Career Plans, Employability Skills Profiles, and other required documentation.
• Monitor student participation and progress in internships and employment placements and address concerns in collaboration with students, families, employers, and school staff.
• Maintain strong communication with worksite supervisors and external partners to ensure high-quality student experiences.
• Support and participate in the Culinary Arts Advisory Board and other CTE-related partnership structures.
• Collaborate with the Director of College & Career Readiness & CTE and school leadership to strengthen the alignment between Culinary Arts instruction, work-based learning, and postsecondary pathways.

Contribute to a Collaborative Adult Culture

• Engage actively in feedback, coaching, and professional learning.
• Collaborate with colleagues to improve instructional practice, career readiness programming, and student outcomes.
• Partner with special education staff and student support teams to ensure students receive appropriate accommodations and supports.
• Contribute to a culture of reflection, curiosity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Help create classrooms and a school community rooted in belonging, safety, high expectations, and professional excellence.

Qualifications

Required:

• New York State CTE certification in Culinary Arts (Grades 7–12) or active pathway toward the required certification
• New York State Work-Based Learning Coordinator extension/certification or active pathway toward obtaining the required credential
• Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, Hospitality Management, Education, or a related field
  
• Demonstrated professional experience in Culinary Arts, food service, hospitality, or a related industry
• Current ServSafe certification and/or applicable New York City Food Protection certification
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, commercial kitchen practices, and culinary equipment
• Commitment to maintaining a safe, inclusive, rigorous, and student-centered learning environment

Strongly Preferred:

• 3+ years of teaching, training, or professional culinary experience
• Experience teaching Culinary Arts at the secondary level and hands-on experience in baking and pastry arts
• Experience coordinating internships, work-based learning, youth employment, or career-readiness programming
• Familiarity with the ProStart curriculum, Levels 1 and 2
• Experience supporting students with IEPs and differentiating hands-on instruction for diverse learners
• Experience developing partnerships with employers and community organizations

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time position with a salary range of $68,902 – $95,000 (based on certification level and experience).

Innovation offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with up to 5% employer match
• Life insurance
• Professional development and coaching
• A collaborative team deeply committed to growth and support

Please apply online and visit our website to see all of our open roles:

-at-innovation