Job Description
Sous Chef - Events & Retreats
Vanderkamp Center Temporary Position with Potential for Long-Term Employment
Pay: $23-$27 per hour, based on experience
Vanderkamp is seeking an experienced, dependable Sous Chef to help lead our growing culinary program. This is initially a temporary position with the potential to develop into a long-term leadership role.
Our culinary operation serves weddings and special events primarily on weekends, along with retreats and group programs during the week. The Sous Chef will work closely with the Culinary Director to build a creative, organized, and hospitality-driven food program in a truly unique natural environment.
This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys both hands-on cooking and team leadership-and who wants to help shape menus, systems, and the future of a developing culinary operation.
Responsibilities
- Assist the Culinary Director with planning and executing weddings, retreats, banquets, and special events
- Lead kitchen staff during prep, service, and cleanup
- Help maintain an organized, efficient, and positive kitchen environment
- Prepare and oversee high-quality food for both small groups and large events
- Create menus or contribute individual dishes and components to existing menus
- Coordinate production schedules, station assignments, and service timing
- Communicate effectively with front-of-house staff and event leadership
- Assist with ordering, receiving, inventory management, food-cost control, and waste reduction
- Maintain sanitation, food-safety, and kitchen-cleanliness standards
- Step into a kitchen leadership role when the Culinary Director is unavailable
Qualifications
- Previous catering, wedding, banquet, or high-volume event experience required
- Experience supervising or leading a kitchen team
- Strong cooking, organization, communication, and time-management skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and remain composed during busy services
- Understanding of proper food handling, sanitation, and temperature control
- Ability to work independently while also collaborating closely with the Culinary Director
- Availability for weekend weddings and weekday retreats
- Willingness to work a flexible schedule based on the event calendar
- ServSafe certification preferred
What We Offer
- $23-$27 per hour, depending on experience
- Temporary employment with the potential for a long-term position
- Opportunities to develop original dishes and contribute to menu creation
- A meaningful leadership role in building Vanderkamp's culinary program
- A collaborative workplace in an exceptional natural setting
- Potential for increased responsibility as the program grows
The right candidate will be a capable cook, a steady leader, and someone who takes pride in creating memorable experiences for guests.
