Kitchen Manager & Culinary Instructor

Kitchen Manager & Culinary Instructor

Instructors serve not only as educators, but as mentors, supporting individuals as they gain the confidence and skills needed to pursue sustainable careers in the trades. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the community while sharing your expertise.
At Emerge, our values guide how we live, lead, and serve. Rooted in faith and renewal, they reflect our mission to restore lives through hope, integrity, and purpose.

We Serve: We put others first, leading with humility, empathy, and a willing spirit.

We Own: We take responsibility for our actions and choices, demonstrating integrity through accountability.

We Believe: We offer grace and restoration, believing in second chances and the power of forgiveness.

We Excel: We always grow and improve, pursuing continuous learning and a hunger for quality.

We Rise: We grow through challenges, remaining flexible, creative, and steadfast through adversity.
If these resonate with you, we would love to connect to discuss opportunities at Emerge further!

Position Overview: The Kitchen Manager & Culinary Instructor is responsible for the daily operation of the Event’s Kitchen while providing classroom and hands-on instruction and job training to participants in the Arise & Serve Workforce Pathway. This is a hands-on leadership position that combines kitchen management, culinary operations, staff supervision, classroom instruction, and workforce development.

Principal Responsibilities:

Kitchen Management

• Oversee daily opening, closing, and kitchen operations.
• Supervise, train, and coach program participants and volunteers.
• Maintain food quality, portion control, and cleanliness.
• Manage inventory, ordering, receiving, waste, and food costs.
• Support catering and special events.
• Coordinate with Arise Cafe for meal production and special orders.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, PPE, and workplace safety requirements.

Workforce Program Instruction & Training

• Provide classroom and hands-on instruction for Arise & Serve Workforce Pathway participants.
• Teach food safety, sanitation, kitchen safety, PPE, culinary fundamentals, customer service, POS operations, inventory, food costing, teamwork, and workplace professionalism.
• Demonstrate proper kitchen and hospitality techniques and supervise students as they practice those skills.
• Provide hands-on training in both Arise Cafe and the Events Kitchen.
• Guide participants through real-world food preparation, meal production, customer service, catering, and cafe operations.
• Provide coaching, feedback, skills assessments, and performance evaluations.
• Maintain training records and document participant progress and competencies.
• Serve as a professional role model and help participants develop confidence, accountability, and workplace readiness.
• Work with the Director of Workforce to identify participant strengths, areas for improvement, and employment goals.
• Assist with preparing participants for employment, including resume development, interviewing, workplace expectations, and job readiness.

Required Knowledge, Abilities, and Working Conditions

Knowledge of:

• Restaurant and kitchen management principles, including operations, staffing, and budgeting.
• Culinary standards, menu development, and food safety regulations.
• Best practices in leadership, training, and employee engagement.

Abilities:

• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Capacity to build positive relationships across diverse teams and community partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and point-of-sale systems.

Working Conditions: Standard restaurant and kitchen environment. May require early mornings, evenings, weekends, or holiday hours. General exposure to kitchen equipment, heat, and noise associated with food service operations.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in restaurant management or culinary leadership
• ServSafe Manager Certification (or willingness to obtain within 30 days of employment)
• Demonstrated success in staff supervision, training, and operations management
• Strong alignment with Emerge’s mission and values
• Valid Driver’s License