Chef Instructor, Culinary Experiences

Auberge Collection•Town of 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 cooking, teaching, and storytelling to deliver memorable, hands-on experiences, including cooking classes in the Maplehouse, tastings, demonstrations, and seasonal activities across the property. The Chef Instructor develops programming rooted in the changing seasons, farm harvests, and regional food traditions. They work with the Head Farmer, Culinary and Experiences teams, and local producers to connect guests with the ingredients and agricultural heritage of the Hudson Valley. The role also includes tailoring private experiences and culinary touches for guests and special occasions. The position oversees the preparation, sourcing, equipment, setup, ordering, and inventory for culinary programs, while maintaining food safety, cleanliness, presentation, and cost standards. Pay is $70,000 plus commission.

Requirements

Strong professional culinary background, ideally at the Sous Chef level or equivalent.
Genuine enthusiasm for teaching, storytelling, and sharing culinary knowledge.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Nice To Haves

Experience in fine dining, luxury hospitality, or another quality-driven culinary environment.

Responsibilities

Lead approximately five hands-on culinary classes per week.
Host approximately five complimentary culinary activations weekly, such as demonstrations, tastings, and informal culinary encounters.
Create welcoming, interactive experiences for guests with varying skill levels.
Share stories about ingredients, techniques, culinary traditions, and the Hudson Valley's agricultural heritage.
Design and host private culinary experiences tailored to the interests and skill levels of couples, families, and groups.
Develop and refresh a calendar of culinary experiences inspired by seasons, 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 integrate culinary discovery into the guest experience throughout the property.
Serve as a welcoming and knowledgeable culinary ambassador for Wildflower Farms.
Collaborate with the Culinary and Experiences teams on culinary touches for VIP guests, celebrations, and special occasions.
Support the property's farm-to-table philosophy through spontaneous, authentic guest interactions.
Oversee preparation, ingredient sourcing, equipment, and setup for culinary 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 high standards of food safety, cleanliness, presentation, and organization.