JOB POSTING: Community Kitchen Lead
Cambridge Food Bank
The Cambridge Food Bank is looking for an experienced, passionate, and highly organized Community Kitchen Lead to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to lead food rescue and food production initiatives while helping reduce food waste, promote environmental sustainability, and provide balanced, nutritious food to our community.
As the Community Kitchen Lead, you will oversee the day-to-day operation of our commercial kitchen, transforming rescued and donated food into nutritious meals and value-added food products that support the Community Pantry, Wellness Hub programming, FoodForward, Seed to Plate, and other food security initiatives. Working alongside volunteers and the Wellness Hub team, you’ll help create an efficient, welcoming kitchen that supports food production, food literacy initiatives, and meaningful community impact.
If you’re an exceptional culinary professional who enjoys mentoring volunteers, thrives in a collaborative environment, and is passionate about food rescue, sustainability, and community wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead food rescue initiatives by maximizing the use of donated food while minimizing food waste.
- Transform rescued and donated food into balanced, nutritious meals and food products using a variety of preparation and preservation techniques, including chopping, blanching, freezing, preserving, cooking, and baking.
- Coordinate food production for the Community Pantry, Wellness Hub programming, FoodForward, Seed to Plate, and other food security initiatives.
- Provide day-to-day leadership, training, and support to kitchen volunteers.
- Ensure volunteers understand and follow Safe Food Handling practices, Cambridge Food Bank policies, and safe kitchen procedures.
- Maintain a safe, organized, and efficient commercial teaching kitchen.
- Monitor food, equipment, and supply inventories and recommend purchases as required.
- Complete and maintain food safety documentation, including cleaning, sanitizing, reheating, cooling, and thermometer calibration logs.
- Inspect, clean, and report maintenance or repair needs for kitchen equipment and tools.
- Provide kitchen and food production support for Wellness Hub programming, including ingredient preparation, coordination of shared kitchen resources, and support for special events.
- Promote environmentally sustainable kitchen practices through food rescue, waste reduction, food preservation, and responsible use of resources.
- Contribute ideas that strengthen food production, volunteer engagement, environmental sustainability, and food security initiatives.
What We’re Looking For
· Passionate about food rescue, sustainability, nutrition, and community wellbeing.
· Experienced in food production and batch cooking.
· Strong organizational and time-management skills.
· Positive and supportive leader who enjoys working with volunteers.
· Adaptable, collaborative, and solutions focused.
· Committed to food safety and operational excellence.
Qualifications
- Diploma or Certificate in Culinary Arts, Food Service Management, or a related field, or equivalent professional culinary experience.
- Minimum two years’ experience working in a commercial, institutional, or community kitchen.
- Experience with batch cooking and food production.
- Experience working with and/or supervising volunteers.
- Strong knowledge of food safety and sanitation practices.
- Excellent organizational, communication, and time management skills.
- Current Safe Food Handler Certification recognized by Waterloo Region Public Health.
- Physically able to lift, bend, stand for extended periods, and safely lift up to 25 kg (55 lbs).
Assets
- Experience working in food rescue, food security, or nonprofit organizations.
- First Aid & CPR Certification is an asset.
Working Hours:
Part-time 25-30 hours per week
Monday to Friday. Regular shifts are 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with one afternoon shift each week from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend shifts may be required to support programming and special events.
Wage Range:
$24.10–$29.45 per hour
In your cover letter, please share what food rescue, food security, environmental sustainability, or community wellbeing means to you, and how your experience has prepared you to contribute to this work
The Cambridge Food Bank is committed to employment equity. We encourage applications from individuals who reflect the diverse experiences of our community, including those with lived experience of food insecurity. We particularly welcome applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, and members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Accommodation is available throughout the recruitment process upon request.
Pay: $24.10-$29.45 per hour
Application question(s):
- Do you have at least two years' experience working in a commercial, institutional or community kitchen?
Work Location: In person
