Soups and Sweets Instructor

SAMOST JEWISH FAMILY AND CHILDREN’S SERVICE OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY

Soups and Sweets Instructor

Soups and Sweets Manager, Disability Services Department

To instruct and evaluate the students in the Soups and Sweets Culinary Training Program, and assist the Soups and Sweets Manager with all programmatic needs.

Part-Time – 24 hours per week

$21-$24 per hour

The Soups & Sweets Culinary Instructor is responsible for delivering high-quality culinary instruction, mentorship, and hands‑on training to individuals participating in the Soups & Sweets Culinary Training Program. This role blends professional kitchen expertise with an instructional approach, ensuring trainees gain the technical, safety, and work-readiness skills necessary to thrive in food service environments.

• Teach culinary fundamentals, advanced techniques, and industry best practices in a professional kitchen setting.
• Provide hands‑on training in food preparation, cooking, baking, plating, and presentation.
• Instruct trainees in proper use of commercial kitchen equipment, sanitation protocols, and food safety standards (Serv Safe compliance).
• Model professional kitchen organization, time management, and workflow efficiency.

• Enhance and collaborate with the team to develop and maintain the Culinary, Café, and Market Training Manual.
• Collaborate with the team to design additional lesson plans, recipes, and training modules that accommodate varying skill levels and learning styles. Co‑lead discussions during Work Readiness Classes.
• Integrate customer service, teamwork, and hospitality principles into instruction.

• Conduct intake assessments for potential trainees to determine skill level and training goals.
• Track attendance, performance, and skill progression, providing feedback to trainees and families as appropriate.
• Assist with evaluations as required by funding agencies (DVRS, DDD) and ensure compliance with reporting requirements.
• With the assistance of the Manager, maintain compliance for any students funded through DDD, including developing Annual Report, Emergency Cards, and Fire Drill Reports.
• Promote a safe and supportive learning environment, intervening in conflicts and modeling positive workplace communication.

• Assist with product inventory, packaging, and delivery as needed.
• Support outreach and marketing efforts for the Soups & Sweets Culinary Training Program.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and hazard‑free training kitchen in compliance with health department standards.

Education:

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts (or equivalent professional training) preferred.

Experience:

Minimum two years as a chef, sous chef, or culinary instructor in a professional kitchen or food service operation. Experience in bakery, café, or catering settings highly valued. Experience with customer‑based operations preferred.

• Ability to break down complex kitchen tasks into teachable steps.
• Excellent communication skills and patience when working with individuals with diverse abilities.
• Knowledge of adaptive teaching strategies in a culinary environment.
• Valid driver’s license, registration, and insurance preferred.

• Thorough understanding of Federation’s mission, policies, values, strengths, and weaknesses; understanding of the tri‑county Jewish community; creatively identify problems and develop and implement solutions to achieve organization goals.
• Ethics – Treat staff and donors with respect, regardless of their status or position. Work with integrity and ethically.
• Interpersonal Skills and Donor Relations – Adapt to changing work environments and maintain a good working relationship with co‑workers, donors, lay leadership, and members. Manage difficult or emotional staff or volunteer situations.
• Teamwork – Exhibit objectivity and openness to others’ views. Contribute to building a positive team spirit. Put success of team over own interests.
• Strategic Thinking – Develop strategies to achieve organization goals,…