Ponderosa Kitchen Manager/Chef (opens in a new tab)

Ponderosa Lodge (“PL”) Kitchen Manager/Chef is a Ministerial position. Ministerial staff render their work, stewardship, relationships and behavior as evidence of being followers of Jesus Christ while embracing and affirming Mount Hermon Association, Inc.’s (“MHA”) Christian mission, vision, beliefs, culture code and standards of conduct. All staff are expected to join gatherings, which includes prayer, worship, and Bible-centered teaching.

About the role

The PL Kitchen Manager is responsible for all PL food operations including but not limited to, preparing meals, food and supply ordering and inventory, personnel management, and equipment upkeep in a manner consistent with MHA’s mission, vision, beliefs, culture code and standards of conduct.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all PL food operations including preparing meals, food and supply ordering and inventory, personnel management, and equipment upkeep.
• Recruit, train, schedule, supervise and continually monitor food service staff.
• Report and work closely with direct supervisor and MHA management in support of the Food Service Department vision.
• Create recipes and review menus; provide production sheets for all areas and communicate order needs in a timely and accurate manner.
• Monitor cost per meal, supplies, and labor vs. budget.
• Ensure the dining room is in a set, clean, and sanitary state for each meal in cooperation with hosts and custodial department.
• Supervise and coordinate clean-up duties with Summer Staff and Guest Groups.
• Communicate with department supervisors and MHA management to achieve operational, financial, and guest experience goals.
• Enforce dress code and preparedness standards for service staff.
• Train staff in injury and illness prevention plans per standards.
• Respond to emergencies and report suspected foodborne illness to Health Services.
• Coordinate maintenance, repair, and deep cleaning with maintenance and custodial staff.
• Document food consumption, leftovers, and donations; direct utilization of food surpluses and leftovers.
• Manage kitchen staff by communicating expectations, providing training, conducting team meetings, staff coaching, performance reviews, and engaging in departmental spiritual formation.
• Enforce and train health and safety codes, building security, and proper care of facilities.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• All PL food service staff including part-time cooks, part-time dishwashers, and volunteers.

Requirements

• Culinary education preferred or comparable work experience.
• Serve Safe Certified.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience leading in large quantity food service, catering, or restaurant services.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience supervising food service staff.
• Minimum 3 years of culinary or cooking experience.
• Minimum 1 year of Kitchen Management preferred.
• Christian Ministry or Volunteer experience preferred.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to cook and prepare a variety of foods in a timely, clean, and sanitary manner.
• Demonstrated ability to produce delicious and appetizing meals in large quantities.
• Excellent knife skills required.
• Able to use and supervise dishwashing and kitchen cleaning tasks.
• Ability to remain pleasant and courteous under stress.
• Professional demeanor, sense of humor, adaptable, flexible, self-motivated.
• Ability to take directions and follow procedures.
• Competence in making judgments concerning food taste, palatability, and aesthetics of food quality.
• Working knowledge of menu and recipe development, presentation, portion control, and costing.
• Ability to effectively manage a dynamic, part-time, entry-level workforce.
• Cooperative spirit and desire to learn and improve.
• Ability to work independently.
• Proficient in MS Excel and Word; skilled in food service math.
• Bilingual skills a plus; fluency in English (reading, writing, and speaking) required.

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift and carry at least 50 lbs.
• Ability to stand and move around most of the workday.
• Ability to work in hot and cold environments.
• Requires standing, sitting, squatting, stooping, twisting, seeing, grasping, among other physical labor tasks.
• Ability to safely use a variety of kitchen tools, chemicals, equipment, and utensils, including sharp objects.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to work a flexible schedule including early mornings, late nights, weekends, and most major holidays.
• Must have a clean driving record of at least three years and comply with MHA’s employee driving guidelines for MHA-owned vehicles and use of personal vehicles for business purposes.
• Adherence to MHA’s Mission, Vision, Culture Code, and Standards of Conduct.
• Adherence to company dress code and professional standards for personal grooming and appearance.
• Satisfactory completion of background investigation or valid work permit, and ability to provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.

Pay

$20.53 - $30.27 hourly