Conference Chef Lead: On-Call

The hiring rate for this position is $30.00 per hour. 

Please apply to learn more about the benefits of working for the CIA.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Strategic Initiatives Group (SIG) Conference Chef Lead will be responsible for leading conference culinary prep and production for meals, demonstrations, and overall event execution as well as ensuring effective collaboration between the culinary team, the Special Events Team, and the SIG managers. This position will assist the SIG team with coordination of annual conference and leadership initiative programs that have a range of strategic topics from innovation development to wellness and sustainability. These industry leadership programs reach an influential, national audience of senior-level chefs, journalists, and other industry decision-makers and opinion leaders, therefore effective communication, professionalism, and hospitality will be required.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Lead conference meal prep and production, and execute at a high standard with minimal supervision, including but not limited to:
  • Lead culinary staff members in efficient preparation, execution, and cleanup of meal events to achieve the highest level of guest satisfaction.
  • Work independently to capture data on meal counts, consumption, and waste for each menu item.
  • Execute all required tasks to ensure efficient and qualitative service throughout conference and digital media projects.
  • Work with the culinary team and students to ensure accurate and expeditious production of recipes with strict adherence to all recipe specifications.
  • Proper packaging, storage, organization, and security of all food items at all stages of receipt or preparation with relation to temperature, location, labeling, packaging, and all established procedures.
  • Oversee and support conference meals by ensuring stations and buffets are adequately stocked of all items.
  • Guide the team in cleaning and organizing the kitchen at the end of production.
• Other duties may include the following:
  • Assist SIG Executive Chef with food orders, sponsor orders, sponsor product tracking and distribution.
  • Oversee the receiving, labeling, and organizing of all food, beverage, equipment, refrigeration, and sponsor products for programs.
  • Organization, tracking and distribution of all culinary disposables, plasticware, and paper goods.
  • Organization, tracking, distribution, and collection/inventory of all culinary equipment including rentals.
  • Inventory and storing of all culinary equipment after conferences.
• Manage and coordinate guest chefs in the preparation and execution of their demonstrations including but not limited to:
  • Assisting them with determining how they are going to execute their demos.
  • Advance preparation and staging for guest chef culinary demonstrations.
  • On stage support and assistance during and after the demonstration.  Must be comfortable assisting guest chefs during demonstrations for large audiences.
• Lead and oversee student workers and other on-call culinary staff throughout production to ensure quality of culinary production.
• Manage and track labor including staff meal and rest breaks while in kitchen production mode.
• Maintain clean and sanitary work and storage areas, following health code regulations for handling, storage, portioning and rotation of all food products.
• Interact with SIG sponsor contacts, conference attendees and presenters, guest chefs, as well as CIA staff, faculty and students, to provide information regarding SIG initiatives, solve routine problems, or otherwise respond to requests and questions.
• Assist as needed with general department responsibilities.
• Work in a way that supports the operational policies and procedures of the school.
• Any and all other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

Education:

• AOS degree or equivalent in industry experience in Culinary, Hospitality Management, or a related field, or equivalent culinary work experience. 

Experience:

• Culinary training or professional kitchen experience, preferably with both back and front of the house experience.
• Minimum two (2) years of proven industry experience and background related to hospitality, high volume, fine-dining establishment.
• Worked a minimum of two (2) conferences for the Culinary Institute.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Culinary Institute of America Graduate.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Culinary, Hospitality Management or related field.
• Strong experience is prior event coordination, restaurant, and/or sponsored events.
• Prior experience working for SIG at Copia.
• ServSafe Certified.

REQUIRED SKILLS 

• Strong culinary skills, preferably with world cuisines knowledge, and volume production experience.
• Must be conscientious about event related details especially with respect to program support.
• Proven track record in leading a meal period or culinary team.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and conceptual skills.
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills; ability to be adaptable, dependable and handle multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to show a high level of service responsiveness to customers.
• Must display a high level of energy and self-motivation.
• Strong understandings and thrives on the culture of major event management—with its deadlines and ebbs and flows of workloads, its need for “grace under pressure,” and the passions and sensitivities of its myriad of event stakeholders, from celebrity chefs, sponsors, and media to staff and volunteers.
• Ability to use sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive issues with confidentiality and discretion.

WORKING CONDITIONS 

• Must be available to work nights and weekends as required by business needs.
• Must be able to work at both locations of the CIA California Campus (Copia in Napa, CA and Greystone in St. Helena, CA), and Hyde Park.
• Must possess own transportation in order to travel between locations during the work day as required.
• Regular work requires a great deal of standing, lifting, bending, and stretching.
• Must be able to stand for eight (8) hours.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 30 pounds and 50 pounds with assistance.

Salary : $30