Direct Services- Head Chef

Culinary Program Head Chef

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:

1. Lead and coach a culinary team of 4+ staff to support the overall program
2. Manages all kitchen operations while actively cooking, and supervising kitchen areas with his/her team
3. Create and develop menus based on seasonal ingredients and program preferences
4. Create a curriculum that is sensitive to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities that will help them in acquiring proper skills.
5. Manage inventory and order supplies as needed
6. Ensure food quality and presentation meet high standards
7. Collaborate with front-of-house staff to ensure smooth operations of events/meetings
8. Maintain a clean and organized kitchen environment
9. Adherent to all health and safety regulations
10. Work with the Director of Programs to facilitate communication, teambuilding and leadership expectations and standards for the culinary program
11. Ensures the safety and well-being of all by following organizational policies, procedures, actively monitoring environments.
12. Coordinates staffing needs, ensuring adequate coverage for the program.
13. Manages petty cash and oversees credit card usage, ensuring all expenditures are appropriate, accurately documented, and aligned with program needs.
14. 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