Associate Chef, On-Call

Ceres Community Project•Santa Rosa, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Chef supports the smooth operation of kitchen shifts, ensures efficient and organized meal production, and maintains quality standards and food safety. As an Associate Chef this position is a shift lead for volunteers, and models a supportive site culture that positively engages adult and youth volunteers, ensuring that volunteer hours are maximized and work on those shifts is meaningful. S/he/they is expected to uphold and model Ceres’ culture, values, and mission at all times when interacting with staff, volunteers, and the community at large.On Call Associate Chefs are called upon to cover a variety of shifts, from kitchen Adult or Youth shifts, and bagging and packaging shifts.

Requirements

At least 3 years of professional production cooking experience, preferably in the whole food arena.
Active food handler’s certification (manager’s preferred).
Ability to provide overall management to a fast-paced shift of staff and volunteers.
Strong capacity for teaching kitchen skills.
Ability to stay calm and keep a sense of humor in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to perform basic computer functions using Microsoft Office.
Ability to work well in a team.
Excellent communication skills; ability to communicate warmly and clearly.
Demonstrates a good awareness of self and ability to self-assess.
Ability and desire to be in a work environment that values working as a team, relationships and giving and receiving honest feedback.
A commitment to Ceres Community Project mission and operating principles.

Nice To Haves

Youth and volunteer management experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Leads production on adult and/or youth volunteer shifts; point person for volunteer questions and issues on shift; ensures volunteers are leveraged as fully as possible.
Follows the daily cooking plan and production schedule, adjusting and pivoting as directed by the Lead Production Chef.
Ensures consistency across all shifts in food safety and sanitation practices, cooking techniques, and food quality; maintains all documentation of time/temperature cooling logs, refrigeration logs, all other HACCP documentation.
Keeps kitchen neat and orderly during shifts and provides a clean handoff to the incoming chef with accuracy and good organization, including assisting with dish washing, mopping, and laundry needs. Conducts deep cleaning and organizational tasks.
Oversees volunteers and production details closely to ensure that all meals leaving the kitchen are beautiful, delicious, and maintaining Medically Tailored Meal (MTM) standards. Follows SOPs, recipe guidelines, portioning and cooking plans as outlined.
Works under guidance of Kitchen Manager and Lead Chef to maximize food going to clients and minimize food waste.
Assists with shorthanded shifts and covers for chef absences as needed.
Follows food safety protocols include but are not limited to: documentation of time/temperature cooling logs, refrigeration logs, all other HACCP documentation; properly rotating food to avoid waste; as keep the kitchen neat and orderly during and between shifts; conducts deep cleaning tasks .
Oversees volunteers and production details closely to ensure that all meals leaving the kitchen are beautiful, delicious, and maintain Medically Tailored Meal (MTM) standards.
Regular, reliable, predictable attendance is required for all shifts.
Other duties as required and requested.
Ensure new adult volunteers and youth receive a warm welcome and are oriented to kitchen workflows and that all volunteers are engaged in meaningful work throughout the course of each shift
Teach volunteers new skills related to the work of the kitchen
Ensure volunteers are communicated with respectfully and with appreciation
Develops and maintains positive working relationships with adult and youth volunteers; provides appropriate support, training, acknowledgement, and gratitude, every day and on every shift.
Models Ceres’ culture and values; maintains an atmosphere of non-judgement and respect for diverse value sets.
Documents accurate volunteer attendance on shifts.
Holds Adult volunteer circles regularly on each shift, so that volunteers understand the plan and flow of each shift.
Maintains “Positive Youth Development” environment at all times, follows principles of youth development and Ceres’ youth program standards.
Facilitates youth curriculum circles and engages teen leaders in helping to manage tasks
Attends Youth Program staff meetings and trainings.
Holds check-in conversations with teens modeling youth development best practices.