Direct Services- Head Chef

Culinary Program Head Chef

The Arc Los Angeles and Orange Counties is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to serving adults from age 19 to seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The Arc has a proven record of providing high quality, engaging, community-based programs since 1956.

Our Mission: We empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to build person-centered life skills, access opportunities, and belong.

Our Vision: We envision a community where people with disabilities truly belong and thrive.

The Culinary Program Head Chef is a passionate, skilled and motivated culinary professional responsible for leading the culinary program curriculum, menu development, and the preparation of high-quality, diverse cuisine for participants, meetings and special events. This role leads hands-on instruction, with support staff, to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities within a commercial kitchen. S/he will provide leadership, and day-to-day management of the culinary arts program, ensuring a structured, supportive learning and real world/life experiences for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are eager to learn.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and coach a culinary team of 4+ staff to support the overall program
• Manages all kitchen operations while actively cooking, and supervising kitchen areas with his/her team
• Create and develop menus based on seasonal ingredients and program preferences
• Create a curriculum that is sensitive to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities that will help them in acquiring proper skills.
• Manage inventory and order supplies as needed
• Ensure food quality and presentation meet high standards
• Collaborate with front-of-house staff to ensure smooth operations of events/meetings
• Maintain a clean and organized kitchen environment
• Adherent to all health and safety regulations
• Work with the Director of Programs to facilitate communication, teambuilding and leadership expectations and standards for the culinary program
• Ensures the safety and well-being of all by following organizational policies, procedures, actively monitoring environments.
• Coordinates staffing needs, ensuring adequate coverage for the program.
• Manages petty cash and oversees credit card usage, ensuring all expenditures are appropriate, accurately documented, and aligned with program needs.
• Oversees the quality and variety of food available week to week.

Qualifications:

• Higher education with a minimum 5 years' experience working within a commercial kitchen setting, bilingual English/Spanish preferred. Additional experience may be substituted for educational requirements.
• Experience leading kitchen staff/teams of 4 or more with excellent communication and teambuilding skills
• Excellence in organizational leadership with the ability to coach staff, oversee and develop high-performance teams, and set and achieve strategic objectives.
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills, including the ability to resolve disputes and observe confidentiality, exercising tact in dealing with sensitive, nuanced, and confidential issues and situations.
• An adaptable multi-tasker with the ability to control and move forward on several priorities simultaneously.
• Experience with evaluating staff, creating staff growth/development plans.
• Able to successfully complete organizational provided Red Cross First Aid and CPR Training.
• Adept at leading team and supervisory meetings and engaging staff to achieve high levels of performance.
• Strong computer skills and able to navigate programs for data entry and recording.

Key Competencies Needed:

• Communication and Influence
• Critical Thinking and Decision Making
• Teambuilding and Development
• Time Management and Organization
• Integrity and Ethical Judgment
• Accountability
• Quality Assurance

Schedule and Compensation:

• Compensation: $22 - $26 p/h. Based on experience and education.
• Monday Friday 7:45am 4:15pm, some evenings and/or weekends for events
• 403B available with employer 4% provided after employee contributes 6%.
• Health, Vision, Dental and more benefits available.

The Arc Los Angeles and Orange Counties