Chef Instructor; Sur La Table

Position Overview

With over 58 stores and the largest avocational cooking program in the US,
Sur La Table offers an unsurpassed selection of exclusive and premium-quality goods for the kitchen and table – and the culinary expertise and inspiration to go along with it. Whether the job entails interacting with our customers, driving digital growth, or providing vital behind-the-scenes support, we’re all here for the same reason – to roll up our sleeves and create happiness through cooking and sharing good food.

As a Chef Instructor at Sur La Table
, you are the in-store expert and advocate for all things education. You deliver #bestincenter service by sharing product knowledge, brewing techniques, knife skills, and personalized instruction that supports all company initiatives. The Chef Instructor plays a key role in driving sales of espresso machines, coffee makers, coffee grinders, and cooking tools through active demonstrations, coffee classes and knife skills classes.

• Represent Sur La Table’s brand and culture by creating memorable, educational experiences that inspire repeat visits and customer loyalty.
• Lead engaging and informative culinary and coffee-focused demonstrations that showcase our expertise and elevate the in-store experience.
• Deliver high-quality, hands‑on classes that teach fundamental and advanced cooking techniques, including essential knife skills.
• Educate customers on a variety of brewing methods, including pour‑over, French Press, Aero Press, espresso, and cold brew.
• Guide customers in selecting coffee beans based on flavor profiles, roast levels, and origin.

• Promote and sell cooking tools, coffee products, equipment, and accessories as part of class experiences and demos.
• Support the store in achieving revenue goals by driving customer engagement and conversion through education.
• Consistently meet or exceed monthly sales goals, contributing to overall store revenue. Performance is measured by key KPIs such as individual sales volume, average transaction value, and customer conversion rates.

• Partner with store leaders to ensure alignment between culinary programming and store priorities.
• Collaborate on merchandising strategies that highlight key tools and products featured in classes.

• Ensure compliance with food safety standards, local health codes, and sanitation regulations.
• Properly handle all tools, ingredients, and kitchen equipment to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
• Maintain accurate inventory levels, minimize shrink, and control supply and culinary expenses.
• Ensure store safety and cleanliness, addressing any maintenance needs promptly.
• Adhere to applicable wage and hour laws. Accurately record time worked according to SLT Policy.
• Model and ensure consistent adherence to all Sur La Table policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

• Ability to communicate verbally and work cooperatively with associates and customers.
• Ability to remain standing for up to 4 hours at a time.
• Ability to move about the store directing class participants while selling to customers and retrieving merchandise from stockroom or sales floor.
• Capability to accurately perceive and differentiate variations in intensity or quality of flavors or odors, or to identify specific tastes or scents using the tongue or nose.
• Ability to grab, reach, push, pull, bend, stoop, kneel, and crouch to retrieve and replenish merchandise from stockroom or sales floor.
• Ability to use hands to seize, hold, grasp, turn, or otherwise to chop, whisk, slice, stir, juice and/or demonstrate other techniques.
• Ability to lift and/or move merchandise weighing up to 50lbs.
• Ability to ascend/descend ladders to retrieve and/or move merchandise.
• Ability to operate a computer, POS system, keyboards, merchandise scanners, and mouse to accomplish work.
• Available to work between 12 and 16 hours per week, with a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Regular and predictable attendance with the flexibility to adjust class assignments…