Sous Chef

The Lighthouse Mission•Bellingham, WA

71d•$20 - $24•Onsite

About The Position

The Sous Chef helps oversee daily food service operations, ensuring meals express Christ’s love and hospitality. The role supports volunteers and residents, maintains safe and clean kitchen environments, manages donated food resources, and models grace-based accountability and spiritual encouragement. This position integrates culinary skill, leadership, and ministry in a high-volume, donation-driven kitchen.

Requirements

Enjoys working with volunteers and residents; able to inspire participation in kitchen ministry.
Bulk-cooking experience and ability to apply food service best practices.
Desire to creatively reduce waste and steward donated resources.
Valid Washington State driver’s license; ability to relate well to guests and community members.
Compassion, emotional maturity, and trauma-aware communication.
Strong work ethic, disciplined lifestyle, and passion for serving Jesus; active in church and prayer.
Ability to lead prayer and offer spiritual encouragement; committed to grace-based accountability.
Must report as regularly scheduled to the worksite.

Nice To Haves

institutional/large-scale kitchen experience
ability to simplify tasks and teach diverse learners

Responsibilities

Support the Food Service Manager, following best practices, health codes, and kitchen procedures.
Train volunteers and residents in safe food handling, prep work, serving, and workstation responsibilities.
Maintain valid food handler card compliance for all kitchen workers.
Track inventory, steward donated food, and ensure equipment remains functional.
Keep kitchen, storage areas, and dining spaces clean and food-safe.
Coordinate with partner restaurants, food trucks, and groups providing meals.
Participate in prayer, devotionals, and collaborative ministry; model Christlike character and accountability.
Prepare large-scale meals (50–300+ portions) and adjust menus based on donations and guest needs.
Use structured systems: batch cooking, prep lists, par levels, and production schedules.
Establish clear stations for prep, sanitation, dishwashing, serving, and donation sorting.
Train individuals with varying skill levels using simple, repeatable methods.
Maintain a trauma-informed, calm, welcoming environment.
Operate industrial equipment including tilt skillets, steam kettles, convection ovens, and steamers.
Maintain temperature logs, waste logs, donation records, and inventory updates.
Mentor residents interested in culinary growth; partner with staff to meet dietary, medical, and cultural needs.
Oversee receiving, sorting, and storing donated food using FIFO and HACCP procedures.
Support holiday meals, community events, and emergency-response food service.