Culinary Services Intern

Howard Hughes Medical Institute • Headquarters, KY

2d • $18 • Onsite

About The Position

As the Culinary Services Intern, you will collaborate with our dedicated team to provide exceptional quality service to our colleagues as well as various conference visitors at our Headquarters campus. You will learn about and support front-of-the-house services and back-of-the-house services, follow standards and guidelines to support events, and assist with maintaining the food and beverage operation as needed throughout the workday. This internship is full-time (40 hours/week) and reports to HHMI headquarters in Chevy Chase, MD five days per week (Monday-Friday). Please note: If selected for an opportunity, interns are responsible for securing their own housing for the duration of the internship (12 weeks during the summer months).

Requirements

• Current enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program with a focus on culinary arts, hospitality, operations management, or a related area of study
• Strong initiative, self-motivation, and capacity for creative problem-solving.
• The ability to read, write, and verbally communicate in English.
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite.
• Organizational skills, knife skills, customer service skills, teamwork skills, and time management skills.
• Attention to detail with a strong enthusiasm for learning, growing, and being mentored.
• Desire to constantly challenge yourself to learn new skills and broaden expertise using available developmental resources.

Responsibilities

• Assisting with daily cafeteria service by helping to manage the flow of employees during busy lunch hours, ensuring that service is quick, efficient, and meets quality standards.
• Maintaining cleanliness and order by helping to keep the dining areas clean, tables properly set, and ensure food stations are replenished.
• Interacting with guests by learning how to professionally engage with employees and guests, responding to questions about the menu, ingredients, and dietary restrictions as well as helping to resolve any concerns.
• Assisting with conference dining services by helping to set up and support dining for in-house meetings and conferences, ensuring that food is delivered on time and served appropriately.
• Assisting with post-event tasks by helping with cleanup, breakdown, and resetting the event space for the next day’s service or conference, ensuring all equipment and dining areas are restored.
• Food preparation for high-volume service by assisting chefs in preparing large quantities of food for cafeteria service while maintaining consistency and quality.
• Supporting conference catering by learning how to execute catering requests for internal meetings, ensuring food presentation, plating, and timing align with the business environment's expectations.
• Following food safety and hygiene protocols by maintaining cleanliness in food prep areas and handling food storage properly.
• Managing inventory and restocking for cafeteria and catering needs, ensuring that all necessary supplies and ingredients are available and in rotation.

Benefits

• Working with a team that believes in continuous learning and cultivates an environment where all members help each other.
• Direct, robust mentorship from the Executive Chef and members of the Culinary Services team.
• Opportunities to develop, apply, and hone your skills in the areas of culinary arts, hospitality, and/or food and beverage operations, based on your career interests and skills.
• Opportunity to earn a ServSafe certification during the course of the internship.
• Professional development and being part of an engaging intern cohort.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees