sous chef

head chef

baker

kitchen helper

cook

Lakeside Catering Services

One of the worst experiences I've had in my years of experience cooking in a camp environment. 

Key Issues & Red Flags:

Upon arrival, camp management had no idea I was coming. There was no uniform ready, and no dorm room assigned. I literally had to walk around the camp knocking on doors to find an empty bed. 

On my first day, I arrived at 7:30am to a locked building. When the bakers arrived 20 minutes later, they had no idea I worked there or what I was to be doing. The rest of the team didn't show up until 8:30..also clueless about my arrival or my role. 

There were no recipe books, prep lists, or training guides/protocols. To survive my first day, I just attached myself to a coworker and helped them with whatever task they had. 

The walk in cooler and dry storage were complete disasters when I was there. Apparently the manager who was the one to put product away and keep everything organized had hurt his back a week before I showed up and no one took over his role of putting stuff away. 

Because nobody could give me a concrete task list, I took the initiative to fix their chaotic storage. I spent three days unpacking boxes, rotating product, organizing, etc.  The team knew what I was doing, checked in on me regularly and actively praised my progress. 

After five days, I woke up to a text message sent while I was sleeping, informing me I was fired and that my ride to the bus station would be at 1:30pm.

The justification? Management claimed I was "constantly disappearing" and that "no one could find me"- despite the entire staff knowing I was in dry storage and the fridge cleaning up their mess. At no point did people come and tell me to be doing something else.

Bottom line: a completely toxic, unorganized and unprofessional environment that used communication breakdowns as an excuse for poor management. Moving on was a blessing in disguise.

great experience if you enjoy the outdoors and dont mind hard work. live on site so no commute. working conditions were poor and hours were long. 7am-7pm with a break from 1pm-4pm. kitchen equipment will vary from camp to camp. our kitchen had just enough tools to get us by but things like scales pans and and small wears couldve been updated or restocked. you get one day off a week. bring a vehicle so you can leave the property easily on time off but there are also many activities to do on property. besides that you make great friends of your peers after spending so much time together the work feels easier. there is a feeling of divide between kitchen staff and camp staff as they are separate companies and there can be clashing and hardships in the workplace as well as in time off. overall i think what makes you enjoy the experience are the friends you make there as well as taking advantage of camp equipment and your surroundings. if that is enough for you then you will have a great summer. 

I can say I did really enjoy my time working in Algonquin park. With this job opportunity, I lived on the camp site not too far from the kitchen. The down fall about the job was being there without a vehicle. You only had one day off a week to have to yourself and the strict rules about not bothering the campers while they are around the site make it very difficult to do anything. No internet, and the beds were poor to sleep on making many restless nights. Long hours from 6am till 10pm made you wonder if 500 a week was worth it. The experience alone was pretty amazing, and I had the chance to work beside an interesting diversity of people who came to work here. It was really a job where it was good, but could have been better. I would like to consider trying something like this again in the future.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working with lakeside gave me the opportunity to explore not only my culinary skills but to engage in outdoor activities that brought such a joy to the job being able to work and have outdoor activities all in a days work was incredible. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
I would say when ever there was a problem with the water pump and you lose a few minutes of water pressure. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It’s a camp catering service mostly, so the culture is more along the line of camp culture which is engaging, helpful towards each other, thoughtful, and togetherness. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I enjoyed working dinner mostly, I had til half day to go for early morning hikes and relaxing by the lake. Than going to a fun positive work environment.

The company pays employee's salary with week salary.  Although they told their employees that the working time is 6 days a week and 8 hours a day, 48 hours per week. And they don't pay for extra working hours.
However, if the employees really work 8 hours per day to follow the 48 working hours, the company will fire the employee who doesn't work the over time free. 
 The company will not or refuse to tell the employees the truth that the employees have to work overtime free in the interview nor can get detail working schedule/working hours per day/week after working for this company. However, 10 hours per day should be the mimum daily working hours to meet the boss expection. 

A company that gives you a totally different experience than what you could have.
Experienced before a work team is harmonized, cultural exchange, personal connection with yourself, since they are beautiful and ideal places to connect with nature, your inner self and God. 
I received support from my superiors, not as bosses, but as leaders in each learning experience I received. 
Totally satisfied with the experience, for that reason I will return this summer with the Lakeside Catering team.

Personally, I found working for Lakeside fantastic. I enjoyed the hours, long as they were, because the breaks I got matched them. I enjoyed the fast-paced environment, and being on my feet. I loved the people I was able to work with, and I loved the location. The most enjoyable part of working there was likely learning and growing both as a person and a professional. Management was relaxed and understanding, and easy to speak to if you ever had a problem or an idea. The hardest part of the job, I would have to say, was leaving when the contract expired.

Working for lakeside catering has allowed me to grow, not only as a person, but also as a great worker. Before having to relocate to one of their camps that they cater to, I only had minimal experience working in a kitchen. Since working with them I have cultivated the necessary skills to aptly work in a catering-style setting, albeit only as a prep cook.

I would highly recommend working for this company as I feel it would place you where you need to be.

Good place to work for the summer, ideal if you have a vehicle so you’re not stuck on camp on your days off. Long breaks, but long days. Normally breakfast-break-lunch-long break-supper-end of shift. Some early starts and late nights. I enjoyed working at a smaller camp with my kitchen staff  although I was not a fan of the camp staff— that’s not who I am working with. Be prepared to share a room, with at least one other  erson. I w ou iOS go back if I knew I would have my same coworkers. But I know that is not how it works.

on typical work day in lakeside am in the kitchen at 7am prep for breakfast , serve breakfast at 9:15am. go on a 4hr break at 2:15pm after lunch then come back for dinner at 5:15pm dinner is served at 6:15pm clean up the kitchen and am out before 7:15pm.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Sous chef 63 salaries reported	$1,401 per week
Head chef 21 salaries reported	$1,625 per week
Baker 5 salaries reported	$1,020 per week
Kitchen helper 9 salaries reported	$830 per week
Cook 5 salaries reported	$850 per week

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