Job Purpose
The Chef is a skilled and experienced culinary professional responsible for preparing nutritious, high-quality meals that support the daily operations of Ark Aid’s kitchen. This role combines food preparation expertise with creativity, adaptability, and strong organizational skills to develop menus, manage inventory, and make effective use of available and donated food resources.
This position plays a key role in delivering meals that promote dignity, nourishment, and community for individuals experiencing homelessness and marginalization. Through food service, hospitality, and collaborative kitchen operations, the Chef directly advances the Christian mission of Ark Aid Street Mission Inc. — facilitating opportunities for people to experience love, healing, and liberation while building meaningful relationships within the community.
Key ResponsibilitiesKitchen Operations & Food Preparation
- Meal Preparation: Prepare nutritious, high-quality meals and snacks in accordance with established menus, available resources, and community needs while maintaining consistency, quality, and dignity in service.
- Menu Development: Support menu planning that balances nutrition, food availability, dietary considerations, and operational efficiency.
- Food Resource Management: Properly receive, inspect, sort, store, rotate, and track food inventory, including donated food products, to minimize waste and maximize available resources.
- Food Adaptability: Creatively utilize donated and available ingredients to develop meals while maintaining safe food handling standards and nutritional value.
- Kitchen Organization: Maintain efficient kitchen workflows including food preparation, station setup, equipment readiness, and overall operational organization.
Volunteer Coordination & Community Support
- Volunteer Leadership: Provide guidance, direction, and support to kitchen volunteers to ensure safe, efficient, and collaborative food preparation activities.
- Training & Support: Model safe food handling practices and assist volunteers in understanding kitchen procedures, expectations, and service standards.
- Donor Support: Assist in maintaining positive relationships with food donors and support efforts to identify and engage new food donation opportunities.
- Hospitality & Mission Alignment: Foster a welcoming and respectful environment that reflects Ark Aid’s values of dignity, compassion, and community care.
Kitchen Safety & Administration
- Food Safety Compliance: Ensure adherence to Safe Food Handling standards, Public Health regulations, and internal kitchen procedures.
- Health & Safety: Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment while following Occupational Health and Safety policies and appropriate PPE requirements.
- Documentation & Inventory: Support inventory logging, donation tracking, food rotation records, and any required kitchen reporting processes.
- Operational Support: Participate in kitchen cleaning, equipment maintenance coordination, and additional duties required to support daily operations.
Qualifications & Skills
Required Qualifications
- Safe Food Handling Certification
- Current CPR and First Aid Certification
- Vulnerable Sector Check
- A strong, demonstrable commitment to the Christian values, faith-based mission, and community-led vision of Ark Aid
Preferred Qualifications
- Diploma, certificate, or formal training in Culinary Arts, Hospitality, Food Services, or a related field
- Experience working in commercial, institutional, or high-volume kitchen environments
- Experience working or volunteering within a non-profit or community service setting is considered an asset
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Food Preparation Expertise: Strong understanding of food preparation methods, kitchen workflows, and safe food handling procedures.
- Nutrition Awareness: Ability to prepare balanced, nutrient-focused meals while adapting to available ingredients and food donations.
- Volunteer Leadership: Ability to provide direction, encouragement, and support to volunteers with varying skill levels.
- Organization & Inventory Management: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage inventory, rotate stock, and maintain kitchen efficiency.
- Problem Solving & Adaptability: Ability to think creatively and respond effectively to changing meal requirements, donation availability, and operational needs.
- Collaboration & Communication: Ability to work independently and collaboratively while maintaining respectful and effective communication across teams.
Organizational Requirements
- Health & Safety Compliance: Strict adherence to Occupational Health and Safety requirements, Safe Food Handling standards, and PPE expectations.
- Organizational Policies: Commitment to following internal policies, confidentiality expectations, and operational procedures.
- Collaborative Accountability: Ability to receive direction, adjust priorities, and support broader organizational needs.
- Team Participation: Active participation in meetings, training, kitchen planning discussions, and ongoing professional development.
AI Screening Notice:
Ark Aid Mission values a thoughtful and personal hiring process. All applications are reviewed directly by our hiring team, and we do not use artificial intelligence (AI) or automated systems to screen or filter candidates.
Pay: From $19.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
