Culinary Arts Instructor

Under the direction of the CTEC principal, plans and provides appropriate learning experiences for students enrolled in Culinary Arts. Creates a safe, engaging environment that supports students' intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development. Provides classroom, commercial-kitchen, and work-based learning instruction; designs and evaluates student assessments; analyzes student outcomes; and modifies instruction to meet student needs. Communicates and collaborates with students, families, staff, community partners, and industry stakeholders.

Maintains required records and ensures appropriate use and care of culinary equipment, food, materials, and facilities while preparing students for industry credentials, continued education, and employment in culinary and food-service careers.

• Using research-based instructional strategies, instruct students through demonstration, direct instruction, guided practice, hands-on lab experiences, appropriate instructional technology, and authentic culinary projects.
• Design engaging and rigorous instructional experiences aligned with Virginia CTE competencies, local curriculum requirements, and applicable industry standards.
• Deliver instruction and provide timely, growth-producing feedback; prepare course objectives, units, lessons, and assessments that support student mastery.
• Assess student performance through formative, summative, and performance-based measures; maintain accurate attendance, grade, progress, and competency records; and use results to determine next instructional steps.
• Maintain a positive, inclusive classroom and commercial-kitchen environment through effective classroom and lab management practices.
• Communicate effectively with parents/guardians, counselors, administrators, and other stakeholders regarding student progress, attendance, behavior, and support needs.
• Demonstrate and teach professional culinary practices including food preparation, knife skills, cooking methods, sanitation, food safety, equipment operation, nutrition, menu planning, production planning, and related culinary competencies.
• Prepare students to earn applicable culinary and food-safety industry credentials, including Serv Safe or other credentials identified by the division/program.
• Maintain a safe and sanitary instructional kitchen; teach and enforce proper food handling, cleaning, storage, personal hygiene, equipment safety, and emergency procedures.
• Manage food and supply inventory, purchasing, receiving, storage, cost control, and responsible use of program resources in accordance with school division procedures.
• Participate in faculty and professional meetings, educational conferences, professional learning, and required CTE activities; demonstrate continued professional growth and current industry knowledge.
• Comply with Culpeper County Public Schools policies, regulations, required records, reports, and applicable state and program requirements.
• Assume responsibility for the care, maintenance, and appropriate use of culinary materials, commercial kitchen equipment, facilities, and instructional resources.
• Manage and oversee the Blaze Kitchen catering program as a high-quality work-based learning experience for Culinary Arts students.
• Coordinate with CCPS High Quality Work Based Learning Coordinator, community, business, and industry partners to identify, plan, and fulfill appropriate catering contracts and events that provide students with authentic workplace experiences.
• Engage students throughout the catering process, including client communication, menu development, food preparation, production planning, costing, sanitation, service, event execution, and evaluation.
• Integrate Blaze Kitchen catering experiences with course competencies and provide students opportunities to develop technical skills, employability skills, professionalism, teamwork, customer service, problem solving, and workplace responsibility.
• Coordinate the logistical and instructional components of Blaze Kitchen catering operations, including scheduling, purchasing, inventory, food and supply cost management, production timelines, transportation/service needs, student assignments, and communication with clients and community partners.
• Ensure Blaze Kitchen activities comply with applicable school division procedures, food-safety requirements of the Department of Health, and CTEC program expectations.
• Develop and maintain relationships with culinary, hospitality,…