Growing Chefs! Ontario: We’re hiring!

The Growing Chefs! Ontario (GCO) mission is to change the way children and families learn about and develop healthy relationships with food. Our belief is that engaging food education programs for children and families can catalyze the evolution of a healthier, empowered community that is engaged with its food system.

We are looking for the right individual to lead our Food Education Project Chef team, start date in April/​May 2024, to partner in this mission.

This position will coordinate and support the delivery and development of all GCO Food Education Programs. These programs include in-person and virtual school and community programs, webinars, in-person gardening and cooking classes for children and families, adult cooking classes and workshops, day camps and more. They will also support the preparation and execution of fundraising initiatives for GCO, including catering, events at our Headquarters including outdoor pizza nights, private events and more. They may support our hot lunch program, The Beet Cafe with prep and delivery as needed.

The Lead Food Education Chef’s primary responsibility will be to work directly with children and youth (ages 4 – 18) of a variety of cultural backgrounds to help create and facilitate fun, creative and meaningful learning opportunities in our programs. The Lead Food Education Chef will also be responsible for coordinating the logistical and administrative aspects of these programs, such as program planning, curriculum development, recipe writing, researching food stories and history from a variety of different cultures, aligning garden activities and growing timelines with cooking activities, food photography, participant tracking/​reporting for funding while following all applicable health and safety protocols.

Candidates for this position should share GCO’s curiosity about food systems and food literacy, as well as a desire to share their excitement for learning with others. If you enjoy facilitating unique programs for young people and sharing a love of good food, this may be the ideal job for you!

Available Position:

Full-time salaried contract: (40 hrs/​week)

Annual Salary Range: $45,000 – $53,000

Required Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience:

- Culinary training and 3 – 5 years industry experience
- Min 5 years experience working with children/​youth
- Agriculture Degree or equivalent experience in gardening or farming
- Min 2 years baking/​pastry experience in an industrial setting
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Experience supervising a team
- Valid G class drivers license with clean driving abstract
- Strong organizational, planning and time management skills
- Able to work independently with minimal supervision or with a team in a fast paced work environment
- Flexible and adaptable to working on new and changing projects
- Reliable and available to work weekdays, evenings and weekends as needed
- Must be able to pass a Vulnerable Sector Police Check
- Familiarity with G‑Suite
- Experience working with wood fired pizza preparation
- Experience in recipe and menu development
- Experience in a leadership role that includes public speaking

Additional Assets:

- Experience in front of house foodservice and hospitality industry
- Education related to food systems and/​or cooking (geography, environmental studies, nutrition, culinary, earth sciences, child and youth, etc)
- Experience and/​or interest in food photography
- Ability to lift 50+lbs and stand for long periods of time
- Food Handlers Safety Certificate
- First Aid CPR C+ AED
- Smart Serve Certificate

What We Offer You:

- Health and dental benefits package
- Work with significant, meaningful impact on our organization and community
- Opportunities to grow your own understanding of hands-on food education
- Opportunity to work in a growing, fast paced non-profit environment
- Dynamic workplace with plenty of job variety
- Good food! Good people!

How to Apply:

If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter to Katherine Jones at chef@​growingchefsontario.​ca. Please contact us if there are any questions regarding your eligibility or the job details. Those chosen for an interview will be contacted via email. Interviews will be scheduled throughout the hiring process, so please submit your email before May 31^st, 2024.

Please note: Growing Chefs Ontario is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, age, disability, protected veterans status or any other legally-protected factors.

Accommodations will be provided upon request. Please let us know if there are any accessibility needs throughout the hiring process