About the NDG Food Depot
Founded in 1986, the NDG Food Depot is a community-based non-profit organization that works collaboratively with its community to address the root causes of hunger and poverty in NDG and the surrounding areas in a manner that ensures dignity, community engagement and the development of human potential.
At the NDG Food Depot, we offer programming to support the food security and healthy eating habits of youth, families and individuals. These activities include community meals, kitchen workshops, after-school programs, gardens and farmer’s markets.
We are currently looking to hire a creative and qualified Community Chef with a passion for knowledge sharing and good healthy food to head the food preparation, transformation and preservation for our community meal program and Good Food Market
This is an exciting time at the Depot. We are rapidly growing our programming to become a community food hub with activities and services geared towards our entire community. The Community Chef is an innovative position that incorporates cooking, education and entrepreneurship. The Chef will be an integral member of our Food Skills team and will help shape and implement our vision of Good Food for All.
The Community Chef Position
The Community Chef will work with staff and volunteers to plan, cook and serve food for our community meals, our weekly Good Food Market and special events. Our twice-weekly free community meal reaches over 150 vulnerable people each day and the proceeds from our Market bistro contribute towards keeping local fresh produce affordable to everyone in our community.
Key Responsibilities/Tasks
Provide leadership, organization and planning for a team of staff and volunteers around food and nutrition
Work with and mentor volunteer cooks to prepare and serve food
Develop and implement menus which offer nutritious, delicious and replicable meals to feed up to 200 people twice a week
Prepare snacks and meals to sell at our weekly Good Food Markets
Find creative ways to use garden produce and donated goods.
Ensure the consistency and excellence of meals produced according to our organisation’s guidelines
Organize the kitchen to accommodate program needs and ensure a proper rotation of produce and food
Ensure and promote a safe, clean and healthy kitchen environment
Develop a training protocol for new kitchen volunteers to ensure ease of integration
Expand capacity for food transformation to reduce waste
Contribute to the development, planning and evaluation of new programs and workshops.
Specific skills and experience required:
3-5 years of experience cooking healthy meals for large groups
Passion for education and knowledge sharing with participants from diverse backgrounds (youth, seniors, vulnerable individuals, etc.)
Experience training and managing kitchen teams and/or volunteers
Capacity for effective and collaborative teamwork and comfort in a diverse community environment\
Creativity and flexibility with menus based on available and in-season food
Strong communication skills in both English and French (please indicate your capacity in both English and French in your cover letter)
Experience working with vulnerable communities
Understanding of food systems and food security issues
Experience ordering food and managing inventory and a budget
Experience with business management an asset
MAPAQ certification an asset
Attributes:
Passionate about good, healthy food for all
Excellent organizational and time management skills and ability to work under pressure
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Ability to see big picture and plan for both immediate and long-term needs
Comfortable working with and managing a diverse team of volunteers and staff
Collaborative, yet self-motivated and independent
Working conditions:
Salary: $19/hr
28 hrs/week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday with the possibility of a few evening and/or Saturdays; possibility of expansion into full time position
Contract begins as soon as possible (April 2017)
To apply
Please drop off or email a cover letter and your CV in a single document (either Word or PDF) to Marguerite Kinfack at office@depotndg.org. Please indicate your capacity to communicate in English and French in your cover letter.
Applications will be read as they are received, so we recommend that candidates submit as early as possible. Applications received after Sunday April 9, 2017 at midnight may not be considered
The NDG Food Depot is committed to creating a workplace as diverse as the communities we serve and thus strongly encourages people from our diverse communities and people who experience marginalization to self-identify in their cover letter.
Suggestions for applying:
Tell us why you want to work with us at the NDG Food Depot as our Community Chef. We want to make sure you understand our mission and our values. Tell us why you think this job is interesting and important for the community.
Tell us about yourself and what makes you right for the job. Have you worked in similar jobs or have you volunteered in similar programs before? Tell us what skills that you gained and how your experience would help you in this job.