Sous Chef!

Are you a culinary creative that also has a passion for teaching and feeding students, families, and the community?

Position Summary

This is a unique opportunity that blends typical restaurant and event style cooking, with culinary education. Candidates should expect to divide their time between traditional restaurant-style kitchen operations—including menu development, catering, pop-up events, ghost kitchen concepts, and public culinary experiences—and mentoring students through hands-on culinary education in a creative, collaborative learning environment.

As our culinary programming continues to grow, the Sous Chef will play an integral role in developing innovative dining experiences, supporting community engagement, and helping build sustainable, revenue-generating culinary initiatives.

The Sous Chef plays a key role in supporting the daily operations of the Space of Mind culinary program and commercial culinary initiatives. Working closely with the Executive Chef, this position helps prepare nutritious meals for students and staff while assisting in menu development, special events, catering, community programming, ghost kitchen operations, and entrepreneurial culinary ventures.

As with any home-y space, our campus kitchen is a key ingredient in our brand, curriculum, and community connections.

This position includes helping prepare breakfast, snacks, and lunches for approximately 50–60 students and staff daily while also supporting public-facing culinary experiences throughout the year

Kitchen Operations

• Assist with the daily preparation, cooking, and service of breakfast, lunch, snacks, and special event meals.
• Follow recipes and food preparation standards established by the Executive Chef.
• Assist with seasonal menu development, recipe testing, recipe standardization, and menu execution.
• Assist with food ordering, receiving deliveries, inventory management, and proper food storage.
• Support food costing, recipe costing, purchasing, vendor relationships, and inventory controls to help maintain strong financial performance.
• Help maintain portion controls, minimize food waste, and maximize product utilization.
• Ensure all food is prepared and served in accordance with health, safety, and sanitation regulations.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary kitchen, including dishwashing, equipment cleaning, preventive maintenance, and end-of-day closing procedures.
• Assist with the planning and execution of ghost kitchen operations, takeout programs, pop-up dining experiences, off-site catering events, and chef-driven culinary experiences.
• Support production planning and kitchen organization for public dinners, chef's tables, private events, culinary camps, and community programming.
• Assist with catering for school events, community gatherings, and special programs.
• Maintain a professional kitchen environment that reflects restaurant-quality standards while remaining welcoming and educational.

Student Learning & Engagement

• Support the Executive Chef in teaching culinary classes and hands-on cooking experiences for students.
• Help students develop safe kitchen habits, teamwork, confidence, professionalism, and fundamental culinary skills.
• Introduce students to commercial kitchen operations, restaurant standards, hospitality culture, and food service best practices.
• Serve as a positive role model by creating a welcoming, encouraging, and inclusive learning environment.
• Assist with supervising students during kitchen activities, culinary projects, and food production.

Community Classroom Project

• Support the planning and execution of Space of Mind's Community Classroom Project.
• Assist with community cooking classes, workshops, chef demonstrations, pop-up restaurants, ghost kitchen concepts, catering events, and other culinary experiences.
• Help prepare ingredients, materials, and kitchen spaces for community programming.
• Represent Space of Mind professionally when interacting with students, families, guests, vendors, and community partners.
• Support the execution of children's and adult cooking classes, culinary camps, happy hours, private culinary events, ticketed dinners, chef collaborations, and hospitality-driven programming.
• Assist with entrepreneurial culinary initiatives, including new business concepts, food product development, partnerships, special events, and other revenue-generating hospitality ventures.

Business & Financial Operations

• Assist with food costing, recipe costing, menu pricing, and profitability analysis.
• Participate in inventory counts, purchasing controls, and vendor management.
• Support budgeting initiatives by managing food costs, reducing waste, and maintaining strong operational efficiencies.
• Assist in sourcing quality ingredients while maintaining cost-conscious purchasing practices.
• Help identify opportunities to improve operational performance, enhance guest experiences, and develop new culinary revenue streams.

Schedule

This position requires a flexible schedule, including some evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events as required by culinary programming and community activities.