The Head Chef / Kitchen Manager oversees all culinary operations within the Columbia Valley Center for Recovery, ensuring nutritious, appealing, and therapeutic meals are prepared and served in accordance with dietary guidelines and clinical recommendations. This position is responsible for menu development, food quality, kitchen operations, sanitation compliance, and staff supervision. The Head Chef / Kitchen Manager plays a key role in supporting the center’s mission by designing meals that promote physical wellness and recovery, collaborating with clinical and administrative teams to align food services with client needs.
The Head Chef / Kitchen Manager also provides culinary leadership for Opportunity Kitchen, a no-cost, 12-week vocational food training program designed to prepare participants for careers in the food service, catering, and hospitality industries. The Head Chef / Kitchen Manager works closely with the Program Specialist to deliver real-world training, reinforce industry standards, and support participants’ successful transition into employment in the hospitality industry.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Menu Planning and Nutrition
- Develops and implements regular and modified menus in accordance with dietary guidelines, physician-approved meal plans, and client needs.
- Ensures menus support recovery-oriented nutrition goals by balancing taste, nutrition, and therapeutic requirements.
- Collaborates with dietitians, healthcare providers, and leadership to ensure nutritional adequacy and cultural inclusivity of meals.
Food Preparation and Quality
- Oversees preparation and presentation of all meals, ensuring consistency, portion control, and adherence to established recipes.
- Conducts quality checks by tasting and evaluating meals daily to maintain high culinary standards.
- Ensures food meets required safety and temperature standards prior to service.
Staff Management and Training
- Hires, trains, schedules, and supervises kitchen staff to maintain an efficient and collaborative team environment.
- Provides ongoing training on food safety, sanitation, and therapeutic meal preparation.
- Encourages staff engagement and professional development to enhance performance and retention.
Public Catering and Special Events
- Oversees planning, preparation, and execution of catering services for public and private events, ensuring high-quality food, professional presentation, and exceptional customer service.
- Develops catering menus that align with production capabilities, training objectives, and client needs while maintaining cost controls and food safety standards.
- Coordinates event logistics, including staffing, scheduling, transportation, setup, and breakdown.
- Integrates trainees into catering operations as appropriate, providing supervised, hands-on experience in event preparation and service.
- Ensures all catering activities comply with health, safety, and sanitation regulations.
- Collaborates with administrative staff to support event scheduling, pricing, and client communication.
- Represents the organization professionally during public-facing events and community engagements.
Opportunity Kitchen Program Leadership
- Provides culinary leadership for Opportunity Kitchen, a no-cost, 12-week vocational food training program designed to prepare participants for employment in food service, catering, and hospitality.
- Oversees hands-on culinary training conducted located in the Columbia Valley Center for Recovery, ensuring trainees gain real-world foodservice experience in a professional production environment.
- Works closely with the Program Specialist to deliver structured instruction, reinforce workplace readiness skills, and support participants’ successful transition into employment.
- Designs and facilitates experiential learning opportunities that combine classroom instruction with daily food production, emphasizing industry standards, teamwork, and accountability.
- Serves as a mentor and role model, fostering confidence, professionalism, and skill development among program participants.
- Ensures training activities align with program objectives, production needs, and food safety requirements while supporting the mission of workforce development and community impact.
Operations, Safety, and Compliance
- Develops and maintains cleaning and maintenance schedules for kitchen equipment, storage areas, and service spaces.
- Ensures compliance with local, state, and federal health and sanitation regulations; maintains records for inspections and audits.
- Implements and enforces all facility safety procedures and protocols.
- Manages inventory, ordering, and cost controls to maintain operations within budgetary guidelines.
Collaboration and Communication
- Partners with administrative and clinical staff to support individualized dietary needs and recovery goals.
- Participates in interdisciplinary meetings and client wellness initiatives.
- Engages in quality improvement programs and supports satisfaction surveys and feedback systems.
Qualifications
Education and Certification
- Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Food Service Management, or related field preferred.
- Associate’s degree or culinary certification with equivalent experience considered.
- WA Food Handler’s Certificate required (or ability to obtain within 14 days).
- Additional nutrition or healthcare food service certifications preferred.
Experience
- Minimum of 3–5 years of progressive culinary or kitchen management experience in healthcare, residential, or institutional settings.
- Demonstrated success in leading culinary teams and managing large-scale meal preparation.
- Experience with therapeutic or dietary-specific menu planning strongly preferred.
- Proven record of maintaining regulatory compliance and achieving high inspection scores.
- Experience with vocational training, culinary education, or workforce development strongly desired.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong leadership and interpersonal communication skills.
- Excellent knowledge of nutrition principles, food cost control, and production management.
- Ability to teach and mentor diverse trainees in a supportive environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, inventory systems, and digital menu management tools.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a recovery-oriented healthcare environment.
Physical Requirements
Ability to stand for extended periods, lift up to 50 pounds, and work in a high-temperature kitchen environment. May require occasional evening, weekend, or holiday shifts to meet facility and event needs.
Equal Employment Opportunity & Reasonable Accommodation
Columbia Ability Alliance is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Columbia Ability Alliance is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process are encouraged to contact Human Resources.
