Lead Cook

Position: Lead Cook

Program: Community Kitchen

Compensation: $24.00 hourly; health & dental benefits; paid time off

Reports to: Community Services Director

Status: Regular, 36-40 hour/week position. Must be available to work holidays; position is considered Essential Staff during emergencies, including inclement weather

Schedule: Monday – Friday, 7:30am – 3:30pm

Seeking responsible, energetic applicant for IFC’s Community Kitchen. Must be interested in providing quality meals to anyone who is hungry in the community and to be able to function well in a fast-paced environment, providing membercentered

services that are consistent with the agency’s core values and commitment to serving a community of people experiencing poverty and homelessness.

Responsibilities:

• Plan and prepare hot meals from available food donations, including protein, vegetables, starch, and salad
• Promote healthy communication and address conflict among staff, volunteers, members, and guests
• Work with kitchen volunteers to prep food items using appropriate equipment, pick up donations, sort food, cook, monitor, clean, etc.
• Ensure that the kitchen complies with all food safety policies, including providing guidance to volunteers
• Oversee the lunch meal service each day, including being present with the volunteers in the kitchen, replenishing food on the line as needed, washing trays and pots, and ensuring things run smoothly
• Ensure cleanliness and order of kitchen and storage areas, including keeping the dish and pot station organized, putting containers in their proper place after cleaning, and managing after meal clean-up of the dining room, kitchen, according to guidelines
• Keep documentation of meal counts
• Communicate with the Program Director about needs related to volunteers, supplies and equipment
• Professionally address any questions, crises or other issues involving diners, using conflict resolution and de-escalation, problem-solving and accessing other resources
• Attend 1:1 meetings, staff meetings and trainings as scheduled and actively engage in applying feedback and learned information to work performance
• In collaboration with the Food Resources Team Lead, facilitate food distribution with the Community Market, Community House, HomeStart, and other local groups so food surplus is not wasted

Qualifications:

• Experience cooking in commercial kitchen setting, including knowledge of food and kitchen safety procedures
• Ability and desire to work with people of different backgrounds and personality types
• Experience working with volunteers and people who are low income and/or are experiencing homelessness
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, including verbal, written and computer communication
• Physically able to lift boxes, bags, and pans of food (50 lbs.)
• Valid NC driver’s license

Submit cover letter and resume to: HR@ifcmailbox.org. Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

IFC is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people with lived experience of poverty and/or homelessness, people of color, LGBTQ applicants, and people with disabilities.