Culinary Operations Manager - FEAST Senior

Job Opportunities

Use the Government Jobs tab to search through your municipality's employment opportunities. Subscribe to job posting notifications to be automatically alerted of the latest career opportunities by clicking on the Notify Me® button.

Hours: 30–32 hours per week
Location: Montpelier Senior Activity Center - Montpelier, Vermont
Reports to: FEAST Program Manager
Compensation:$27-$29 per hour
To Apply: Send an introduction email and resume to Kim Myers at (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).

FEAST Senior Meals provides nutritious, locally sourced meals to older adults and individuals with disabilities in Montpelier, Berlin, and Middlesex. Through home-delivered and community meals, we foster social connection, promote health and well-being, and expand access to nutritious food.

Our kitchen is a vibrant, intergenerational workspace where professional staff, senior volunteers, and high school students work side by side to prepare hundreds of meals each week. It is both a production kitchen and a teaching kitchen. A place where community members practice culinary techniques, develop job skills, and learn employment soft skills in a supportive, hands‑on environment.

The success of this program depends on maintaining a lively, collaborative kitchen full of volunteers and learners, including senior community members, Department of Labor participants, and local youth. The Chef plays a central role in cultivating that energy by balancing mentorship and meal production with grace, patience, and professionalism.

This position leads all aspects of daily kitchen operations while serving as a mentor and role model in this dynamic community kitchen. Working closely with volunteers, youth workforce participants, and the FEAST Program Manager, this position prepares 400–500 scratch‑made meals weekly while modeling teamwork, kitchen safety, and professional culinary standards.

This role combines hands‑on cooking, leadership, teaching, and community‑building—perfect for a chef who values fresh, local food and finds purpose in connecting people through food.

• Plan, prepare, and oversee balanced menus that meet nutrition and budget guidelines
• Manage all aspects of meal production: prep, cooking, portioning, packaging, and service
• Maintain a frozen meal inventory of at least 600 meals for all dietary needs
• Maintain high standards of food safety, sanitation, and workplace organization
• Establish and uphold clear systems for cleaning, labeling, and storage
• Oversee kitchen equipment upkeep, maintenance, and efficient workspace design
• Coordinate with the Program Manager on menu development, inventory, and purchasing
• Ensure compliance with CVCOA and Older Americans Act nutrition standards
• Supervise, train, and support a diverse team of kitchen volunteers, Department of Labor participants, and high school youth interns
• Teach culinary skills, food safety, and professional kitchen practices while modeling patience, flexibility, and positive communication
• Mentor youth in both culinary and employment readiness skills, including teamwork, time management, and accountability
• Create a welcoming, inclusive, and educational environment where volunteers and students feel valued and successful
• Foster a spirit of collaboration and joy while maintaining focus on meal quality and timeliness
• Collaborate with the Program Manager to track and support youth learning outcomes

• Incorporate gleaned/resourced food products, donated, and locally produced foods into menus creatively and efficiently
• Demonstrate flexibility and resourcefulness in using unexpected or surplus ingredients
• Build and maintain relationships with local farms, gleaning organizations, and food producers
• Support seasonal food preservation and nutrition education initiatives
• Promote sustainability and reduce food waste through thoughtful menu planning and production management

• Ability to pass a background check
• Professional experience in food service, institutional cooking, or culinary leadership
• Knowledge of…