Culinary Producer (Contractor)

Desert Publications Inc. is seeking an experienced Culinary Producer (Independent Contractor) to oversee all culinary production for Palm Springs Life Food & Wine. This is a part-time contract position beginning in the months leading up to the March event and continuing through post-event reconciliation and wrap-up in April.

The Culinary Producer will serve as the lead on all culinary programming and kitchen operations, ensuring an exceptional experience for participating chefs, sponsors, vendors, and guests. This individual will work closely with the Event Director and internal team to develop, coordinate, and execute all culinary components of the festival from planning through event completion.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience producing food festivals, culinary events, chef demonstrations, or hospitality events and possesses exceptional organizational, logistical, and relationship management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead all culinary production for Palm Springs Life Food & Wine.
• Develop and manage the culinary production timeline from planning through post-event wrap-up.
• Recruit, coordinate, and manage participating chefs, restaurants, wineries, mixologists, and culinary talent.
• Develop and distribute comprehensive Chef Kits, including production schedules, load-in instructions, kitchen assignments, equipment inventories, health department requirements, and event logistics to ensure participating chefs are fully prepared for the event
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all culinary participants before, during, and after the event.
• Coordinate chef invitations, confirmations, contracts, schedules, travel logistics (as applicable), and event communications.
• Develop culinary programming and coordinate demonstration schedules, tasting experiences, and stage presentations.
• Manage all kitchen operations, including temporary kitchen build-outs, layouts, workflow, and equipment placement.
• Coordinate kitchen equipment rentals, cooking stations, refrigeration, utilities, sanitation, and operational needs.
• Oversee all culinary vendors and ensure timely delivery, setup, and breakdown.
• Coordinate ingredient sourcing, food deliveries, storage, and distribution for participating chefs.
• Work closely with chefs to identify special equipment, dietary requirements, and production needs.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety regulations, health department requirements, permits, and event operational standards.
• Coordinate with local agencies to obtain and maintain all required culinary permits and approvals.
• Develop production schedules, kitchen assignments, load-in/load-out schedules, and culinary run-of-show documents.
• Coordinate culinary volunteers, kitchen assistants, and back-of-house staffing.
• Supervise kitchen operations during event setup, event days, and breakdown.
• Troubleshoot operational issues in real time while maintaining a high level of professionalism.
• Collaborate with the Event Director to ensure seamless integration of culinary programming with the overall event experience.
• Conduct post-event evaluations and provide recommendations for future improvements.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications & Skills

• Minimum 5 years of experience producing culinary festivals, food and wine events, hospitality events, or large-scale culinary experiences.
• Strong relationships within the culinary and hospitality community preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with celebrity chefs, restaurants, wineries, and culinary talent.
• Extensive knowledge of commercial kitchen operations and event culinary logistics.
• Working knowledge of food safety regulations, health department requirements, and temporary food facility permitting.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills.
• Strong negotiation and vendor management experience.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under tight deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience coordinating volunteers and temporary event staff.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with internal teams and event partners.
• Availability to work on-site during planning meetings, event production, event days, and post-event wrap-up.
  
  

Contract Details

• Independent Contractor (1099)
• Part-time engagement
• Contract term: Planning phase through event execution in March and post-event wrap-up in April
• Based primarily in Palm Springs, California, with on-site presence required during key planning meetings and event dates
  
  

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