Job Details

Summary:

The Kitchen Manager (KM) holds primary accountability for all aspects of foodservice at Spirit Rock including the residential retreat center as well as our Community Meditation Center (CMC), special events and catered meetings. The KM supervises all kitchen staff including the Assistant Kitchen Manager (AKM) and Cooks. This role supervises the day-to-day operations of the kitchen while the AKM handles all of the supplies and food purchases. The KM is responsible for personnel management, menu planning, recipe development and quality control of all food served by the Spirit Rock kitchen.

The KM fulfills all administrative needs of the kitchen including budget forecasting and expense management. The KM functions as liaison between the kitchen staff and all other departments of Spirit Rock, keeping the mission and values of the organization in mind. The KM is responsible for adapting and innovating the systems of the kitchen to meet the growing foodservice needs of Spirit Rock including future plans that call for a two-retreat center campus and the design and construction of a new kitchen and dining hall.

Reporting Relationships:

Direct Reports: Assistant Kitchen Manager (1), Cooks (6) and Extra Hire Cooks (2-4)

Specific Responsibilities

Kitchen Operations

• Creates, updates and drives timelines for project plans related to campus wide food requirements.
• Collaborates with and supervises the AKM through weekly meetings and ongoing check-ins regarding food purchases, team needs, planning, and problem-solving.
• Develop the annual kitchen budget. Reviews and analyzes expense variances on a monthly basis.
  

Residential Retreat Logistics and Oversight

• Communicates with retreat teachers, staff and administration around scheduling needs and other concerns related to residential retreats; troubleshoots and resolves problems.
• Communicates with retreatants to plan for special needs and dietary restrictions, prior to and throughout retreat; transmits relevant information to kitchen and Spirit Rock staff.
• Interfaces with retreat operations staff, teachers, and facilities staff to ensure smooth operations in the kitchen.

Strategic Planning

Expand and operationalize the culinary needs for Spirit Rock as we move towards our vision for a new dining hall and kitchen including:

• Consulting on the design/build of a new kitchen and dining hall bringing knowledge of efficiency in layout and equipment needs.
• Further refinement and implementation of CMC food-service/catering within the current kitchen structures.

Staff Development and Staff Supervision

• Oversees administrative aspects of recruiting and hiring all kitchen staff with support from the Department of People and Culture.
• Develops ongoing training protocols and ensures safe food-handling for kitchen staff; reviews/refines as needed.
• Conducts annual performance evaluations for all direct reports.
• Available to all kitchen staff for support, guidance, and coaching on interpersonal communication skills; mediates staff disputes as needed.
• Reviews and submits kitchen staff timesheets to payroll, ensuring accuracy of time logged and categorization of work hours.

Food Management and Administration

• Ensures the overall quality of meals prepared by Cooks.
• Designs cost-appropriate vegetarian menus for retreats, special events, and meetings using nourishing, balanced whole foods.
• Creates and updates daily prep lists and task lists for kitchen staff.
• Develops new recipes and updates database by utilizing cookbook-management software and staying abreast of food trends. Adds relevant information to the database to support the workflow of team members.

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Works in on-going collaboration with other Managers in Retreat Operations and Facilities to ensure smooth program operations.
• Teams with the Development Department on food elements for all fund-raising programs including the bi-annual donor residential retreat and CMC donor recognition events.
• Partners with Facilities Manager on an ongoing basis to ensure cleanliness standards and equipment maintenance are met.
• Collaborates with marketing staff to profile recipes for monthly newsletters and other promotional materials.
• Collaborates with marketing and external publishers on the creation and production of Spirit Rock's first cookbook.

Organizational

• Stays abreast of and plays an active role in shaping organizational policy related to kitchen operations.
• Disseminates Spirit Rock's operational, financial, and personnel policies and procedures where applicable and provides upward feedback from kitchen staff as needed.

Ongoing Staff Meetings

• Holds regular kitchen staff meetings and attends all Spirit Rock all-staff meetings as well as Quarterly Staff Sangha meetings.
• Attends (as scheduled) Spirit Rock Leadership Team Meeting and Department Leadership Meetings

Qualifications:

• Four to five years of experience as a manager/supervisor in the foodservice or hospitality industry.
• Five to ten years of hands-on experience cooking (within a contemplative retreat setting preferred).
• Proven administrative and business sense: able to integrate people, facilities, and processes to optimize food quality within cost guidelines.
• Required skills include staff supervision and motivation, performance management, high-volume purchasing and cooking, knowledge of commercial kitchen equipment and appliances.
• Expert knowledge of vegetarian organic ingredients and sources as well as regional and seasonal availability.
• Exceptional interpersonal communication skills, including conflict resolution and wise decision-making; ability to function as both team leader and team player.
• Values-aligned personal and ethical commitment of bringing mindfulness to all activities of daily life; background or interest in Vipassana meditation or another compatible spiritual tradition.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills; ability to coordinate, follow through, and manage a variety of tasks simultaneously.
• Flexibility in schedule required. Some weekend and holiday work is required.
• Physical stamina; ability to work up to 8 hours in the kitchen; ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Excellent working knowledge of Outlook, Microsoft Word, Excel, cookbook-management software, and other computer tools.
• Current ServSafe Food Manager's Certificate

Employment Status: Full time (37.5 hours/week) / exempt

Schedule: 5 days/week; Varies with weekend and holiday availability

Compensation: $97,500 - $100,000/year

Benefits:

• Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Retreat time accrual
• Participation in 403b retirement plan

Spirit Rock is an equal opportunity employer and strongly values workforce diversity. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, especially those who identify as People of Color and/or as members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Please note, our organization is unable to provide visa sponsorship at this time.