Head Chef Gilardi Training and Events Center
: Job Details :

Head Chef Gilardi Training and Events Center

The Opportunity:

Wouldnt you like to work in a business with a clear and proven social mission, where you can earn a good salary and feel great about your work? We are changing lives for the better, every single day, and we want a proven culinary professional to bring their skills and expertise to our mission-driven food businesses. We can offer you a 3-day weekend every single month, a great work culture that incorporates wellness, as well as a competitive salary and a healthy work-life balance.

Homeward Bound of Marin is a dynamic and evolving non-profit agency dedicated to ending homelessness in Marin County through affordable housing development, supportive services, job training, and social enterprise. With a successful 49-year history and strong interdisciplinary partnerships with both private and public organizations, Homeward Bound is poised for impactful growth over the next decade. Our work environment places a strong emphasis on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) values and rewards qualities such as resourcefulness, flexibility, kindness, compassion, and understanding.

Homeward Bound offers culinary training to individuals facing barriers to regular employment through the operation of the Fresh Starts Culinary Academy (FSCA). FSCA offers a training program certified by the American Culinary Federation to provide industry-standard culinary arts training to those with barriers to employment, equipping them with the skills needed for jobs in the food service and hospitality industries. We hire FSCA graduates into four related culinary social enterprise businesses, including an events and catering center, monthly celebrity chef demonstration dinners, meal production for our housing and shelter sites, and a line of high-end dog treats.

Homeward Bound is seeking a Chef to provide hands-on, on-the-job culinary instruction to students and kitchen employees, while also working in a management role in these social enterprise businesses. The Chef will help to provide mentorship, organization, and a nurturing approach to training in the Wagster Treats production bakery business and our kitchens.

The Chef will work closely with the Culinary Management Team in the production and catering kitchens, and the Director of Training & Culinary Operations, to create a holistically educational environment.

So, if you have a heart and passion for our work and you have culinary training experience, we want to hear from you!

The Ideal Candidate:

We are in search of a committed and creative culinary professional, a true advocate for culinary excellence and human dignity. If you have a background in culinary arts, exceptional communication skills, and an unwavering passion for making a difference, we want to hear from you.

The ideal candidate will bring a proven track record in culinary management, with a focus on kitchen operations, public education and staff training. Collaborating effectively within diverse teams and navigating the complexities of a nonprofit environment are highly valued skills.

At Homeward Bound, we recognize the power of diversity, and we encourage applications from candidates with a variety of culinary backgrounds and experiences. If you are someone who brings a unique perspective and a genuine commitment to culinary excellence and inclusion, we invite you to join us in our mission.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree, Culinary Arts Degree, or an equivalent combination of training and experience
• 5+ years of progressive experience in culinary management experience, ideally as an Executive Chef/Head Chef
• 3 years or more of culinary training and education experience, preferably in a classroom setting
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook

Special Qualifications, Qualities & Physical Requirements (skills, abilities, licenses):

• Committed to the mission of Homeward Bound of Marin
• Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire a team
• High-volume production and catering experience
• Production bakery experience preferred
• Warehouse experience preferred
• Excellent organizational and multi-tasking abilities, with keen attention to detail
• ACF certification preferred not essential
• Diplomatic, flexible, and approaches work with a sense of service, humility, and humor
• Compassionate, kind, adaptable, solution-oriented, innovative, and willing to experiment with new strategies in a team environment
• Ability to work under pressure and handle challenging situations with professionalism
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required
• Ability to stand for extended periods of time (6 8 hours per day)
• Ability to sit, and use a computer mouse, keyboard, and monitor for moderate periods of time (1 3 hours per day)
• Ability to stoop, crouch, kneel, and/or crawl, on occasion
• Ability to lift and/or move objects weighing up to 50 pounds and carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds

Relationships:

• Establishes and maintains positive, open, mutually supportive, and collaborative relationships with instructors, directors, managers, board members, and all other community members
• Greets, communicates, and treats all clients, customers, staff, and students with respect, dignity, and an attitude of service
• Maintains and models confidentiality related to all client, student, and resident services as well as any personnel-related issues
• Communicates with supervisor and business services staff regarding relevant administrative needs and issues
• Communicates with facilities staff regarding relevant issues and needs

Major Responsibilities

Kitchen and Facility Management:

• Manage kitchen staff, in collaboration with the Culinary Management Tteam, including hiring, training, and scheduling, to ensure smooth operations and efficient workflow
• Work with the Culinary Management Team to develop and implement standardized recipes and SOPs
• Oversee cleanliness and maintain hygiene standards across all operations in the Gilardi Training and Events Center
• Ensures kitchen activities comply with licensing, sanitation, and safety regulations
• Ensure all facilities and equipment are maintained in excellent condition and working order. Immediately report any deficiencies to Directors and/or Facilities Team
• Work with Director of Social Enterprise and Director of Training and Kitchen Operations to manage cost controls for all operations
• In conjunction with Director of Finance and Director of Social Enterprise, establish and maintain appropriate business systems for enterprise accounting including reporting of sales, staff hours, event tracking and customer database, and assists in preparing reports as needed
• Manage the inventory and proper ordering of ingredients and supplies
• In-lieu of performance reviews, provide guidance to managers on goal-setting and professional development plans for employees

Production Bakery Oversight:

• Provide oversight in the daily Wagster Dog Treat production process
• Help problem solving and treat manufacturing, baking, and staff issues as they arise
• Assist to create, utilize, and reinforce training procedures and materials
• Collaborate with Director of Training and Culinary Operations and Director of Social Enterprise to explore, negotiate, contract, train and execute for co-packing and other new business opportunities to fully utilize the facility and staff

Teaching Kitchen Programming and Logistics:

• Work with the Culinary Management Team to conceptualize, plan, execute and maintain a calendar of public culinary classes for our Community Teaching Kitchen utilizing both internal and external instructors
• Work with our Events Coordinator to be a point of contact for our guests, customers and instructors
• Create a scalable framework, structure and SOPs for our public culinary classes
• Manage all logistics associated with the Community Teaching Kitchen, including but not limited to: staffing, kitchen equipment and inventory, class prep/mise en place, audiovisual equipment, timelines, etc.

Catering and Events Support:

• Work as a Chef to lead catering events, or work in tandem with or supporting our Head Catering Chef, as events and schedules dictate

Job Training:

• Provide hands-on, on-the-job training and culinary instruction to all kitchen employees and create and maintain a classroom atmosphere in the kitchen(s)
• Serve as a culinary instructor, as needed
• Engage with employees, regularly assessing and improving upon skills as it pertains to operations and training goals
• 100% Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance

*$78k-$85k annually with a competitive benefits package which includes 100% employer-paid medical and dental insurance, 4 weeks accrued vacation, and access to a 403b retirement plan. Under California law, Homeward Bound is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary or hourly rate outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range considers the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decision including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. Salary and hourly rate offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications.

Homeward Bound is an equal opportunity employer. We stand for justice and equity. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, and training.

Our competitive benefits package includes:

100% employer-paid medical, dental and vision insurance

Match for 403B retirement savings contribution

#J-18808-Ljbffr