Culinary Arts Instructor, 2027-2028 School Year, 11 Months

JOB SUMMARY

Under the direction of the CTEC principal, plans and provides appropriate learning experiences for students enrolled in Culinary Arts. Creates a safe, engaging environment that supports students’ intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development. Provides classroom, commercial-kitchen, and work-based learning instruction; designs and evaluates student assessments; analyzes student outcomes; and modifies instruction to meet student needs. Communicates and collaborates with students, families, staff, community partners, and industry stakeholders. Maintains required records and ensures appropriate use and care of culinary equipment, food, materials, and facilities while preparing students for industry credentials, continued education, and employment in culinary and food-service careers.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

The minimum performance expectations include, but are not limited to, the following functions/tasks:

• Using research-based instructional strategies, instruct students through demonstration, direct instruction, guided practice, hands-on lab experiences, appropriate instructional technology, and authentic culinary projects.
• Design engaging and rigorous instructional experiences aligned with Virginia CTE competencies, local curriculum requirements, and applicable industry standards.
• Deliver instruction and provide timely, growth-producing feedback; prepare course objectives, units, lessons, and assessments that support student mastery.
• Assess student performance through formative, summative, and performance-based measures; maintain accurate attendance, grade, progress, and competency records; and use results to determine next instructional steps.
• Maintain a positive, inclusive classroom and commercial-kitchen environment through effective classroom and lab management practices.
• Communicate effectively with parents/guardians, counselors, administrators, and other stakeholders regarding student progress, attendance, behavior, and support needs.
• Demonstrate and teach professional culinary practices including food preparation, knife skills, cooking methods, sanitation, food safety, equipment operation, nutrition, menu planning, production planning, and related culinary competencies.
• Prepare students to earn applicable culinary and food-safety industry credentials, including ServSafe or other credentials identified by the division/program.
• Maintain a safe and sanitary instructional kitchen; teach and enforce proper food handling, cleaning, storage, personal hygiene, equipment safety, and emergency procedures.
• Manage food and supply inventory, purchasing, receiving, storage, cost control, and responsible use of program resources in accordance with school division procedures.
• Participate in faculty and professional meetings, educational conferences, professional learning, and required CTE activities; demonstrate continued professional growth and current industry knowledge.
• Comply with Culpeper County Public Schools policies, regulations, required records, reports, and applicable state and program requirements.
• Assume responsibility for the care, maintenance, and appropriate use of culinary materials, commercial kitchen equipment, facilities, and instructional resources.
• Manage and oversee the Blaze Kitchen catering program as a high-quality work-based learning experience for Culinary Arts students.
• Coordinate with CCPS High Quality Work Based Learning Coordinator, community, business, and industry partners to identify, plan, and fulfill appropriate catering contracts and events that provide students with authentic workplace experiences.
• Engage students throughout the catering process, including client communication, menu development, food preparation, production planning, costing, sanitation, service, event execution, and evaluation.
• Integrate Blaze Kitchen catering experiences with course competencies and provide students opportunities to develop technical skills, employability skills, professionalism, teamwork, customer service, problem solving, and workplace responsibility.
• Coordinate the logistical and instructional components of Blaze Kitchen catering operations, including scheduling, purchasing, inventory, food and supply cost management, production timelines, transportation/service needs, student assignments, and communication with clients and community partners.
• Ensure Blaze Kitchen activities comply with applicable school division procedures, food-safety requirements of the Department of Health, and CTEC program expectations.
• Develop and maintain relationships with culinary, hospitality, restaurant, and community partners to support authentic learning, guest instruction, career exploration, work-based learning, and program growth.
• Promote the Culinary Arts program, support student recruitment and retention, participate in the CTE advisory process, and support the appropriate CTE student organization and student competitions/leadership opportunities.
• Support dual-enrollment opportunities and coordinate with applicable postsecondary partners when assigned and when instructor credentialing requirements are met
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Principal, Director of Career and Technical Education, or Division Superintendent.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK:

• Possess or be eligible for a Virginia teaching license with the appropriate Career and Technical Education endorsement for the assigned Culinary Arts program.
• Meet applicable Virginia Department of Education requirements for the endorsement through education, occupational experience, industry credentials, or an approved licensure pathway.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in culinary arts, commercial food preparation, restaurant operations, hospitality, food service, or a closely related field.
• Current ServSafe certification, or ability to obtain the certification within a timeframe established by the school division.
• Ability to satisfy any additional credentialing requirements associated with assigned dual-enrollment coursework, when applicable;
• Recent, progressive professional experience in culinary arts, restaurant operations, catering, hospitality, or commercial food service.
• Experience supervising or training employees, apprentices, students, or other learners in a commercial culinary setting.
• Experience with catering operations, client relations, menu development, food costing, purchasing, inventory, and event execution.
• Experience preparing learners for recognized culinary or food-safety industry credentials.
• Experience working with adolescents or in a secondary/postsecondary instructional setting;
• Be recommended by the Division Superintendent and approved by the School Board.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Strong knowledge of culinary arts, commercial kitchen operations, food safety and sanitation, and industry workplace expectations.
• Ability to translate professional culinary knowledge into clear demonstrations, structured practice, authentic projects, and competency-based assessment for high school students.
• Ability to organize and manage simultaneous classroom, kitchen-lab, catering, and work-based learning responsibilities.
• Ability to communicate professionally with students, families, colleagues, administrators, clients, community partners, and industry representatives.
• Excellent organizational, technology, recordkeeping, oral communication, and written communication skills.
• Ability to model professional, ethical, safe, and sanitary practices in all instructional and community-facing activities.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

None

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Work is typically performed in the central office and throughout the division. Frequent walking, standing, stooping, lifting, up to approximately 40 pounds, and occasional lifting of equipment weighing up to approximately 50 pounds may be required. Other limited physical activities are required. Travel to schools throughout the division and central office is required. Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer data, determining the accuracy and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work environment exposes the employee to inside and outside environmental conditions. Regular contact with staff members, administrators, and parents is required. Contact with parents by phone and in person is necessary. Timely and regular attendance is an expectation of performance for all CCPS employees. To ensure adequate staffing, positive employee morale, and to meet expected productivity standards throughout the organization, employees will be held accountable for adhering to their workplace schedule. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential tasks.

EVALUATION:

The CTEC Principal will evaluate performance on the ability and effectiveness in carrying out the above responsibilities.