Culinary Services Manager

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:
The Culinary Services Manager is responsible for overseeing the culinary services of Hearty Helpings and its parent corporation. The services include a wide variety of prepared meals and meal programs prepared onsite at the commissary, any social enterprise production, new culinary based business development, assistance with culinary community education and the RISE culinary program.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Commissary and Ancillary Kitchens:

• Work in partnership with the general manager to ensure that the culinary aspects of the commissary operate within established budgetary guidelines;
• Partner with the general manager on determining the right staff composition to effectively and efficiently procure food and all necessary products for meal preparation, store, prepare, package and ensure transfer of prepared meals to logistics for delivery to clients, sites, partners and customers;
• Serve as overall culinary lead assigning, directing and supervising food service workers at all levels;
• Assist in the hiring, transfer, promotion, demotion, or dismissal of food service workers;
• Ensure all team members follow proper receiving, storage, preparation, packaging and pack-out processes to ensure that all food items are planned for, prepared and maintained at a high quality through delivery;
• Work with internal and external partners as needed to develop, plan, implement, and review all breakfast, lunch and dinner menus to ensure delicious, nutritionally sound diets meeting multiple diet needs are in place and prepared to fulfill all contracts and client needs;
• Partner with the Quality Assurance and sanitation teams, the culinary teams and the facilities teams to ensure proper maintenance of the highest standards of cleanliness and safety in the commissary and ancillary kitchen(s);
• Prepare all reports and provide data and information as directed or required including ensuring all Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Point standards are followed and logs are maintained, all Health Department and any contractually required documentation is in place;
• Assist with any and all mission work as needed and requested with some or no prior notice including, but not limited to: serving as a truck spotter, helping with FARM Market/Community Garden/Freight Farms/on and off site food distributions, preparation of meals and serving home-delivered meals; and
• Other duties as so assigned or needed.

Social Enterprise/New Business Development:

• Implement strategies to create an atmosphere that will attract and retain customers and work with internal and external partners to identify, secure and retain ancillary business contracts; and
• Develop concepts for replicable and sustainable social enterprise product(s) and in partnership with internal and external partners develop a business plan and execute on that plan to support branding and funding of mission.

Culinary Education:

• Work with RISE team on curriculum refinements, and support for the culinary module;
• In partnership with RISE team, adjust the program to ensure it meets the needs of the students and industry partners and that all graduates learn and hone the skills to succeed in culinary and food manufacturing settings;
• Assist with student guidance/mentoring as requested and needed by RISE leadership; and
• Assist as needed with community culinary education programs including Kids In the Kitchen, Good Cookin’, Just Say Yes, cooking demonstrations and other training opportunities.

• Minimum ten years’ experience as a professional chef in a dual management and food production role;
• Knowledge of and experience in practicing proper safety standards in handling food and all requisite equipment including knives, commercial equipment, etc. to produce thousands of meals daily;
• Must have solid math, reading, writing and analytical abilities and follow oral and written instructions;
• Must be able to measure accurately and have sufficient dexterity to handle food and equipment efficiently and safely and be able to lift a minimum of 50 pounds with minimal effort following required safety guidelines;
• Must be able to tolerate sudden and extreme changes in temperatures;
• Must be able to climb on a ladder the distance of 5 feet to reach stored items and carry them to the floor;
• Must be able to push, pull, and guide carts which weigh approximately 70-325 pounds on a tile surface;
• Must bend or stoop frequently at many intervals during the day and reach short distances into carts to retrieve trays;
• Must be able to twist and rotate 180 degrees during each day and follow DOH food service standards;
• Must be able to stand for at least 8 hours a day;
• At times will require working under stress and managing emergency situations when working with speed is essential;
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills and ability to effectively lead others and manage exceptional and underperforming team members;
• Ability to use and learn food management software and other software needed to complete position responsibilities; and
• Ability and willingness to work with populations of varying educational levels and backgrounds effectively.