Culinary Ambassador
About The Position
Unity House’s Test Kitchen is a hands-on workforce training program designed for young adults who are curious about food, hospitality, and working with people. This is not culinary school — it’s a real-world skill building experience designed around teamwork, responsibility, and professional kitchen etiquette. You’ll learn by working alongside peers, and will gain experience that can lead directly to jobs in restaurants, cafés, and hospitality settings. Over the 8 weeks, you will gain skills in: Kitchen: Making pizza dough, sauce, and toppings from scratch Basic knife skills and kitchen safety Food sanitation and ServSafe Food Handler fundamentals Kitchen organization, prep, and workflow Front of House & Customer Service: Guest interaction and hospitality fundamentals POS (point-of-sale) system training Observing fine-dining and fast-casual service environments Personal responsibility and professionalism Communication and teamwork Time management and punctuality First Aid & CPR certification Financial literacy basics (budgeting, banking, paychecks) Resume building and mock interviews Field trips to operating local restaurants along with, guest speakers from the food and hospitality industry Final Challenge You and your fellow participants will plan and run a mock restaurant service for 15+ guests — taking on real kitchen and service roles as a team.
Requirements
- Between 18–24 years old
- Required to live in Troy
- Interested in food, hospitality, or learning job skills
- Like working with your hands and as part of a team
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment around industrial kitchen equipment
- Open to learning, showing up on time, and trying new things
- Basic literary and computational skills
Nice To Haves
- No prior kitchen experience is required
Responsibilities
- Making pizza dough, sauce, and toppings from scratch
- Basic knife skills and kitchen safety
- Food sanitation and ServSafe Food Handler fundamentals
- Kitchen organization, prep, and workflow
- Guest interaction and hospitality fundamentals
- POS (point-of-sale) system training
- Observing fine-dining and fast-casual service environments
- Personal responsibility and professionalism
- Communication and teamwork
- Time management and punctuality
- First Aid & CPR certification
- Financial literacy basics (budgeting, banking, paychecks)
- Resume building and mock interviews
- Plan and run a mock restaurant service for 15+ guests
- Stand on feet for a 4-hour period
- Work around hot stoves, open flames, and an industrial pizza oven
- Work with knives, tools, and other sharp objects necessary for cooking
- Wash dishes
- Clean/sanitize floors, surfaces, and workstations
- Work with foods that are considered common allergens (i.e. gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs… etc.)
- Pick up and move upwards of 30 pounds
- Bend, squat, and reach upwards
- Be punctual
- Complete tasks in a timely manner
- Meet frequently with Program Directors for coaching
- Listen and take constructive criticism
- Work in unison with all others
- Complete modules and read/calculate recipes
Benefits
- Paid training opportunity
- ServSafe Food Handler Certification
- CPR / First Aid Certification
- Hands-on restaurant experience
- Resume support and interview practice
- Professional references
- A clearer sense of career direction
- Confidence working in fast-paced environments
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
