Culinary Ambassador

Unity House of Troy•City of Troy, NY

9h•Onsite

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 ettiquette. 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

You’re between 18–24 years old
You’re interested in food, hospitality, or learning job skills
You like working with your hands and as part of a team
You are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment around industrial kitchen equipment
You’re open to learning, showing up on time, and trying new things
Must have basic literary and computational skills in order to complete modules and read/calculate recipes.

Responsibilities

Ambassadors must be able to reasonably stand on their feet for a 4-hour period.
Must be comfortable working around hot stoves, open flames, and an industrial pizza oven.
You must be comfortable working with knives, tools, and other sharp objects necessary for cooking
You will be required to wash dishes as well as clean/sanitize floors, surfaces, and workstations.
You will be working with foods that are considered common allergens (i.e. gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs… etc.)
Please be able to pick up and move upwards of 30 pounds as well as be able to bend, squat, and reach upwards in order to complete daily tasks.
You will be expected to be punctual, complete tasks in a timely manner, and meet frequently with Program Directors for coaching.
As this is a training program, you are expected to listen, take constructive criticism, and work in unison with all others.
Must have basic literary and computational skills in order to complete modules and read/calculate recipes.