Cafe Associate

DORIS DUKE MANAGEMENT FOUNDATION • Hillsborough Township, NJ

10h • $17 - $25 • Onsite

About The Position

The Café Associate (Cook) supports the daily food preparation and service for the Duke Farms café and assists with event catering under the direction of the Executive Chef. This is an early-career culinary role focused on hands-on cooking, learning professional kitchen skills and supporting a mission-driven food program rooted in sustainability and farm-to-fork values.

The role is primarily responsible for preparing menu items, maintaining kitchen cleanliness and safety, and supporting efficient food service during café hours and select events. The Café Associate also plays a key public-facing role, delivering warm, attentive and inclusive customer service to ensure every guest feels welcomed and valued. This position executes established food menus for the café and events, and collaborates closely with the Executive Chef and other Duke Farms staff, vendors and guests to ensure a high-quality culinary experience.

Requirements

• Experience in an early-career culinary position or a candidate with foundational cooking skills required. Formal culinary training a plus.
• A valid ServSafe Food Handler Certificate and knowledge of food safety and sanitation practices are required.
• Passion about sustainable food systems, farm-to-fork cooking and Duke Farms’ mission of conservation and supporting sustainable, local, seasonal eating.
• Experience in customer service, preferably in a café or restaurant environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage effectively with visitors and team members.
• Experience with inventory management.
• Experience with Square front-end and back-end systems and reporting.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to multitask in a fast-paced setting.
• Understanding of the demands of a busy kitchen during peak meal service times.
• Ability to prepare food and beverages according to standard recipes or tailored for customers, including accommodating adjustments like temperature, ingredient quantities or substitutions.
• Ability to follow directions while demonstrating initiative, independence and reliability within established guidelines.
• Experience operating point-of-sale systems and handling transactions accurately in a fast-paced service environment or demonstrated ability to learn and apply such systems quickly.
• Ability to navigate the 2,700-plus-acre Duke Farms property as well as travel to other locations, both indoors and outdoors, in various weather conditions.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, stand for extended periods and perform other physical kitchen tasks.
• Ability to work in various outdoor conditions including but not limited to heat, cold, sun exposure and wet weather with potential exposure to environmental factors such as poison ivy, ticks and mosquitoes.
• Availability to work flexible hours, including weekends, evenings and holidays, to support café hours and event support.
• A valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Prepare fresh, thoughtfully crafted menu items that reflect Duke Farms’ farm-to-fork values and commitment to environmental stewardship.
• Contribute to a welcoming café and event experience that enhances each guest’s connection to Duke Farms and the Doris Duke Foundation’s mission.
• Uphold the highest standards of food safety, sanitation and inventory management to ensure integrity, efficiency and minimal waste.
• Support accurate transactions and thoughtful inventory practices that protect foundation resources and promote sustainability.
• Partner closely with the Executive Chef and Duke Farms team members to ensure seamless service and shared accountability for outcomes.
• Foster a respectful, professional environment grounded in continuous learning, openness to feedback and collective excellence.

Benefits

• Industry-leading benefits, including a 15% employer contribution to your 401(k), comprehensive health insurance, four weeks of paid vacation with additional paid time off, and matching gift benefits of up to $20,000 per year—all designed to support employees’ well-being, productivity and engagement.
• A values-driven culture rooted in integrity, excellence, collaboration, openness and imagination, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed