Executive Chef

SUMMARY
The Executive Chef at Maine Media Workshops + College is a full-time exempt position responsible for all aspects of our customer’s experience with food service and dining while on campus. We are looking for someone with passion for cooking fresh, thoughtful, healthy meals in a buffet setting, who can match the same creative and vibrant energy you find in our classrooms. Candidates must have knowledge of a wide range of cooking skills, equipment, food storage, cross-utilization of product, food allergies and dietary considerations, time management and ability to forecast needs and pacing of a kitchen. Maine Media serves three meals a day from May to November, up to 150 students, faculty and staff, and picnic lunches when requested. There are indoor and outdoor dining facilities.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Menu planning, food ordering, food preparation and serving using local products and produce as much as possible.
• Kitchen staff recruitment, supervision, management and training. Kitchen facility management. Including foreign workers through Interexchange.
• Ability to plan, prepare and supervise preparation of high-quality meals with available ingredients for large groups in a commercial kitchen.
• Ability to maintain a clean and efficient kitchen operation to ensure that meals are safely and properly prepared, on time.
• Guide, and support kitchen staff and volunteers in working safely and efficiently.
• Ensure that the dining experience is one of the highlights of the Maine Media customer experience – paying attention to weekly evaluations and customer feedback to make adjustments where needed.
• Responsible for working with the Financial Director to create and maintain budget, the Registrar & Student Services to meet student’s allergy & dietary needs, and the Director or Operations and Maintenance to ensure proper maintenance of the kitchen on campus.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS
The position would also be responsible for catering special events such as weekly faculty dinners, annual fundraising events, and other events during the year.

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 3 years’ experience in a fast paced professional kitchen.
• Catering experience is a plus.
• Food Safety Certification needs to be up to date.
• Detail oriented, organizational skills, punctuality, and reliability a must.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks.
• Great customer relations skills
• Strong management skills
• Excellent organization and communication
• Ability to work effectively as a member of the team.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The job involves all of the following in various degrees but is not limited to only these physical demands:  attendance, standing, sitting, walking, reaching, pulling, pushing, lifting, loading, hearing, seeing, and speaking.

EQUIPMENT
Some of the equipment used to perform this job:

• Knives
• Professional gas range and ovens
• Blenders
• Robocoupes and attachments
• Meat Slicers
• Commercial coffee systems
• Commercial dishwasher
• Hood systems
• Knowledge of refrigeration preferred.