KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Kitchen and Food Operations

• Coordinate the day-to-day operation of the Stella’s Place kitchen, ensuring that the space is clean, safe, welcoming, and well organized.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, food handling, sanitation, and kitchen hygiene in accordance with Toronto Public Health requirements and organizational policies.
• Receive, sort, clean, organize, and appropriately store food received from donors, grocery stores, food vendors, and community food partners.
• Manage food inventory and monitor supplies to ensure appropriate stock levels and minimize food waste.
• Develop snack plans, recipes, menus, and a seasonal or monthly snack calendar that reflects program needs and available resources.
• Develop shopping lists and coordinate food purchases based on planned programming and available inventory.
• Prepare and set up snacks and food for programs, workshops, and other activities.
• Prepare food packages for participants to take home and ensure food is appropriately packaged, labelled, stored, and made available through the Café space.
• Coordinate the timely pick-up of food from grocery stores, food vendors, donors, and community food partners, including organizations such as Second Harvest.
• Ensure food is stored and handled appropriately to maintain quality and safety.
• Identify opportunities to reduce food waste and make effective use of donated food and available resources.

Program Collaboration

• Collaborate with peer support workers and program staff in planning and delivering cooking and food-related programming.
• Work with peer support workers to incorporate mental health, wellness, and lived-experience perspectives into cooking and food programming.
• Support a welcoming and inclusive kitchen environment where participants feel comfortable engaging in food-related activities.
• Contribute ideas and creative approaches to enhance food programming and participant engagement.
• Communicate effectively with staff regarding kitchen needs, program requirements, food supplies, and emerging concerns.
• Collaborate with research and development team staff as required, to support food-related events for donors and program participants. 

Health, Safety and Compliance

• Consistently follow food safety, sanitation, infection prevention, and workplace health and safety practices.
• Maintain required food safety certification and ensure food preparation and handling practices meet or exceed applicable public health standards.
• Report equipment, food safety, maintenance, or other kitchen concerns promptly to the appropriate manager.
• Ensure kitchen equipment and supplies are used safely and appropriately.
• Manage and create confidential documentation in client databases, as needed. 

Professional Development and Other Duties

• Participate in relevant training, professional development, team meetings, and learning opportunities.
• Contribute to a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, equity, and inclusion.
• Perform other duties as required.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strong knowledge of food preparation, food handling, sanitation, and kitchen safety.
• Ability to maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with peer support workers, program staff, volunteers, participants, donors, and community partners.
• Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

• Creative approach to menu planning, snack preparation, and food programming.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and adapt to changing program needs.
• Resourceful approach to working with donated food and available resources.

• Commitment to working within a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, culturally responsive, and participant-centered approach.
• Demonstrated ability to create a welcoming and respectful environment for young adults with diverse experiences and needs.
• Experience working with vulnerable or underserved populations is an asset.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within the Stella’s Place environment and contribute to its mission, vision, and values.
• Commitment to creating an inclusive environment that respects participant choice, dignity, autonomy, and lived experience.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• 2 years of experience working as a cook, kitchen coordinator, food program worker, or in a community kitchen or related setting.
• Food Handler Certification or equivalent food safety certification.
• Experience with menu planning, recipe development, and food inventory management.
• Experience preparing food for groups or community-based programs.
• Experience working with vulnerable, underserved, or diverse populations is an asset.
• Experience working in a mental health, social services, community, or non-profit environment is an asset.
• Experience as a group facilitator. 
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and teamwork skills.
• Ability to lift, carry, and safely handle food supplies and kitchen equipment as required.
• Experience working alongside people with lived experience of mental health challenges is an asset.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Peer Support Workers
• Program and Clinical Staff
• Volunteers and participants
• Management
• Food donors, vendors, and community partners
• Other Stella’s Place staff as required