Prep Cook Dining Services J1 Visa Camp

Welcome to Interlochen Arts Camp
Spend your summer in the forest of northern Michigan, next to two beautiful lakes. Interlochen Arts Camp has been a summer home for young artists for almost 100 years. Every summer, students from around the world come here to study music, art, theatre, dance, writing, and film.

Our motto is 'Dedicated to the promotion of world friendship through the universal language of the arts.' This means we believe art brings people from all countries together as friends.

Each summer, about 100 J-1 students from around the world join our team. You will help make camp possible for thousands of young artists. You will meet people from many countries, hear great music, and make memories you will keep forever.

About the Job
As a Prep Cook, you help make the food that keeps our camp community going. Every day, you will cook healthy, fresh, and tasty meals for campers, teachers, and staff. Our kitchen is big and busy, and we cook for hundreds of people at every meal. You will work on a team with other cooks who will guide you.

Your Pay
You will earn $17.00 per hour. You will get paid every 2 weeks.

What You Will Do

• Help cook meals for campers, teachers, and staff
• Wash, cut, and prepare food
• Follow recipes so every meal tastes the same and has the right amount of food
• Set up the salad bar and keep it full of fresh food
• Follow all food safety and cleaning rules
• Wash your hands and keep yourself clean at work
• Put labels and dates on food and store it the right way
• Keep your work area, storage areas, and kitchen tools clean and neat
• Help cook for special events when needed
• Do other jobs your supervisor tells you to do

What You Need to Be Able to Do

• You must have experience cooking, preparing food, or working in a restaurant or large kitchen
• Stand for long periods of time
• Bend down and lift things
• Lift up to 20kg
• Work in a hot and humid environment
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Understand and follow directions written and spoken in English
• Able to learn quickly, even when things are busy
• Able to work well with a team and by yourself
• Able to work fast and handle several different tasks at once

Your Schedule and Hours

• Availability Required: May 19 - August 15
• When to arrive: Come to campus on the Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday before you start. Your first day of work is always a Wednesday.
• Hours: You will work at least 32 hours every week. You may get more hours, but more hours are not promised.
• Shifts:
• Weekends: You will work on weekends. Campers need to eat every day.
• Second job: You may have a second job. But your Interlochen work schedule must always come first.

Housing, Meals, and Phone
We give you a place to live and food while you are here. Here is what you get and what it costs.

Housing: $20 per night ($140 per week)

• Your rent comes out of your paycheck.
• You pay the same rent every week. It does not change if you work more or fewer hours.
• Where you live depends on when you arrive and what is available. There are 3 types of housing.
• Nature cabin: an older, rustic cabin in the woods. You share a room and a bathroom with 1 roommate. It has no air conditioning. It is about a 1km walk to the main campus.
• Dorm: You share a room and a bathroom with 1 roommate. It is on main campus. It has no air conditioning.
• Hastings Cabin: a large cabin where 8 to 11 people share a space, a bathroom, and a kitchenette. It has air conditioning. It is about 1.5 km from the main campus.
• You may need to move during the summer. For example, you may start in a nature cabin and move to a dorm later. You move yourself and turn in your old key to get your new key.
• You will have your own bed. We give you sheets, blankets, pillows, and towels.
• There is limited internet access and no television in the housing
• The campus is in the forest. You will see bugs and animals, inside and outside.
• The water comes from a well. It can look brown or orange at first. This is normal. Let it run for a few minutes.
• You cannot cook in your room. Only the kitchenettes in Hastings Cabin can be used for cooking.
• If a friend is also coming to work here, you can ask to be roommates. We cannot promise this because housing is very limited.

Meals: included in your rent

• Eat 3 free meals a day in the dining hall: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• You can only eat during dining hall hours.

Cell phone: included in your rent

• We give you a phone with internet to use while you work here.
• You must give the phone back before you leave.
• Extra Perks
• Free tickets to student shows all summer
• 20% off tickets to most big summer concerts
• 15% off Interlochen clothes and gifts at the Scholarshop
• 15% off ice cream, food, and drinks at Melody Freeze
• Fun staff events like picnics, bonfires, and a special lunch to thank our international workers
• A cheaper summer bus pass to visit Traverse City, beaches, and more
• Free Wi-Fi in many places on campus
• Free access to our gym and recreation center during open hours.

Join Us This Summer!
Interlochen is a place where people from all over the world come together through art. On your days off, you can swim in our lakes, visit the beaches of Lake Michigan, see the giant sand dunes at Sleeping Bear, and explore the town of Traverse City. You will learn new skills, make new friends, and have a summer you will never forget.

We can't wait to meet you at Interlochen!

Keyword: Prep Cook Dining Services J1 Visa Camp
Required Experience:

What You Need to Be Able to Do

• You must have experience cooking, preparing food, or working in a restaurant or large kitchen
• Stand for long periods of time
• Bend down and lift things
• Lift up to 20kg
• Work in a hot and humid environment
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Understand and follow directions written and spoken in English
• Able to learn quickly, even when things are busy
• Able to work well with a team and by yourself
• Able to work fast and handle several different tasks at once

From: Interlochen Center for the Arts