Chef Instructor, Culinary Experiences

Wildflower Farms•Gardiner, NY

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Wildflower Farms, Auberge Collection, is seeking a Culinary Educator & Chef to lead guest-facing culinary programming at its Hudson Valley retreat. The role combines professional culinary work with teaching, storytelling, and guest engagement, including hands-on classes in the Maplehouse and tastings, demonstrations, and seasonal experiences throughout the property. The Chef Instructor will develop and refresh culinary programming inspired by the seasons, farm harvests, and regional food traditions. The role works closely with the Head Farmer and the Culinary and Experiences teams, and builds connections with local farmers, artisans, and specialty producers. The instructor also personalizes culinary experiences for guests and supports VIPs, celebrations, and special occasions. The position oversees preparation, ingredient sourcing, equipment, setup, ordering, inventory, scheduling coordination, and program execution. It maintains high standards for food safety, cleanliness, presentation, and organization. Pay is $70,000 plus commission.

Requirements

Strong professional culinary background, ideally at the Sous Chef level or equivalent.
Experience in fine dining, luxury hospitality, or another quality-driven culinary environment.
Enthusiasm for teaching, storytelling, and sharing culinary knowledge.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Responsibilities

Lead approximately five hands-on culinary classes per week, making them engaging, accessible, educational, and memorable.
Host approximately five complimentary culinary activations weekly, including demonstrations, tastings, and informal culinary encounters.
Create an interactive atmosphere where guests of varying skill levels can participate and ask questions.
Share stories about ingredients, techniques, culinary traditions, and the Hudson Valley's agricultural heritage.
Design and host private culinary experiences for couples, families, and groups, tailoring them to guests' interests and skill levels.
Develop and continually refresh a calendar of experiences inspired by seasonal changes, farm harvests, and regional food traditions.
Collaborate with the Head Farmer to incorporate ingredients grown and harvested at Wildflower Farms into guest programming.
Partner with the Experiences and Culinary teams to develop classes, tastings, workshops, and special events.
Build relationships with local farmers, artisans, and specialty producers.
Identify opportunities to incorporate culinary discovery throughout the guest experience.
Serve as a welcoming and knowledgeable culinary ambassador for Wildflower Farms.
Work with the Culinary and Experiences teams to create culinary touches for VIP guests, celebrations, and special occasions.
Bring the property's farm-to-table philosophy to life through guest interactions.
Oversee preparation, ingredient sourcing, equipment, and setup for classes and activations.
Manage ingredient ordering and inventory while maintaining quality and controlling costs.
Coordinate scheduling, guest requests, and program execution with the Experiences team.
Maintain standards for food safety, cleanliness, presentation, and organization.