Join us in
Elevating the health of people and the planet
by sharing your talents and becoming a valuable member of our growing team!
Available Positions
Assistant Culinary Manager— Part-Time, Onsite (Brewster, NY)
Are you passionate about food, reducing waste, and making a difference? Second Chance Foods is looking for an Assistant Culinary Manager to help lead our volunteer-driven kitchen, transform rescued food into nutritious meals, and create a welcoming space for all!
Posted February 7, 2025 – Open until filled. Start date asap
The Assistant Culinary Manager plays a vital role in overseeing food preparation, managing volunteers, and ensuring smooth kitchen operations. You will work closely with the Culinary Director, Operations Coordinator, and Volunteer Coordinator to ensure our kitchen is efficient, well-stocked, and welcoming.
This role requires culinary expertise, leadership skills, and adaptability. You’ll lead volunteer cooking sessions, develop recipes based on available ingredients, and help maintain an organized, food-safe kitchen environment.
Key Responsibilities
Kitchen & Volunteer Management
- Lead volunteer groups on Thursday cooking days (8 AM – 2 PM).
- Maintain an open, friendly, and inclusive kitchen culture.
- Arrive before volunteers to set up and prepare for cooking sessions.
- Stay until the kitchen is clean, organized, and ready for the next use.
- Manage weekly Sunday cook days, leading volunteers in prepping & processing ingredients.
- Train and support volunteers and interns with varying skill levels.
Food Preparation & Recipe Development
- Develop and adapt recipes based on available ingredients and meal needs.
- Maintain an updated recipe database in Google Workspace.
- Sort through food donations and create a cooking plan for upcoming sessions.
- Ensure meals are correctly labeled and packaged for distribution.
Inventory & Food Safety
- Monitor inventory of containers and supplemental ingredients, notifying the Culinary Director when supplies need replenishment.
- Ensure food safety standards are met, maintaining a clean and organized kitchen.
Typical Weekly Schedule
Initial training will include additional hours with the Culinary Director on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and/or Fridays.
- Sunday Prep & Process Day → 5 total hours (3 hours with volunteers).
- Tuesday → 4 hours (sort food donations, plan meals, create/convert recipes, print labels).
- Thursday Cook Day → 8 total hours (5 hours with volunteers), 1 hour pulling/prepping items for Sunday, 1 hour Operations Team Meeting.
Average Weekly Hours: 17-19 (additional hours may be required based on needs).
Compensation: $25/hour non-exempt
We are eager to review applications from candidates from a variety of backgrounds and experiences who are passionate about our mission and motivated by the idea of joining a hands-on and growing organization.
Qualifications
- ServSafe Food Safety Manager Certification (or willingness to obtain, with training provided).
- Prior commercial kitchen experience (as a volunteer or employee).
- Basic proficiency in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive) is a plus.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
- Must have reliable access to a computer
Key Competencies
- Warm & Friendly – Ability to engage and support diverse volunteers.
- Reliable & Punctual – Shows up on time and completes all kitchen tasks.
- Highly Motivated & Independent – Can work autonomously and take initiative.
- Organized & Detail-Oriented – Manages schedules, inventory, and kitchen cleanliness.
- Flexible & Creative – Can adapt recipes and food prep based on available ingredients.
- Strong Communicator – Effectively collaborates with the Culinary Director and volunteers.
This is a part-time, non-exempt, position (approximately 17-19 hours per week) paying $25 per hour.
Please send an email introduction and resume to Culinary Director, Kathryn LaCombe Kathryn@SecondChanceFoods.org
telling us about yourself, your interest in the position, any relevant experience, and your available start date.
- We will reply to all candidates. If you are invited to interview, we will share some sample interview questions in advance so you have time to think & reflect. We invite you to also forward questions to us so we can reply in the most thoughtful way possible.
- We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
The Assistant Culinary Manager plays a vital role in overseeing food preparation, managing volunteers, and ensuring smooth kitchen operations. You will work closely with the Culinary Director, Operations Coordinator, and Volunteer Coordinator to ensure our kitchen is efficient, well-stocked, and welcoming.
This role requires culinary expertise, leadership skills, and adaptability. You’ll lead volunteer cooking sessions, develop recipes based on available ingredients, and help maintain an organized, food-safe kitchen environment.
Key Responsibilities
Kitchen & Volunteer Management
- Lead volunteer groups on Thursday cooking days (8 AM – 2 PM).
- Maintain an open, friendly, and inclusive kitchen culture.
- Arrive before volunteers to set up and prepare for cooking sessions.
- Stay until the kitchen is clean, organized, and ready for the next use.
- Manage weekly Sunday cook days, leading volunteers in prepping & processing ingredients.
- Train and support volunteers and interns with varying skill levels.
Food Preparation & Recipe Development
- Develop and adapt recipes based on available ingredients and meal needs.
- Maintain an updated recipe database in Google Workspace.
- Sort through food donations and create a cooking plan for upcoming sessions.
- Ensure meals are correctly labeled and packaged for distribution.
Inventory & Food Safety
- Monitor inventory of containers and supplemental ingredients, notifying the Culinary Director when supplies need replenishment.
- Ensure food safety standards are met, maintaining a clean and organized kitchen.
Typical Weekly Schedule
Initial training will include additional hours with the Culinary Director on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and/or Fridays.
- Sunday Prep & Process Day → 5 total hours (3 hours with volunteers).
- Tuesday → 4 hours (sort food donations, plan meals, create/convert recipes, print labels).
- Thursday Cook Day → 8 total hours (5 hours with volunteers), 1 hour pulling/prepping items for Sunday, 1 hour Operations Team Meeting.
Average Weekly Hours: 17-19 (additional hours may be required based on needs)
Compensation: $25/hour non-exempt
We are eager to review applications from candidates from a variety of backgrounds and experiences who are passionate about our mission and motivated by the idea of joining a hands-on and growing organization.
Qualifications
- ServSafe Food Safety Manager Certification (or willingness to obtain, with training provided).
- Prior commercial kitchen experience (as a volunteer or employee).
- Basic proficiency in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive) is a plus.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.
- Must have reliable access to a computer.
Key Competencies
- Warm & Friendly – Engages and supports diverse volunteers.
- Reliable & Punctual – Shows up on time and completes all kitchen tasks.
- Highly Motivated & Independent – Works autonomously and take initiative.
- Organized & Detail-Oriented – Manages schedules, inventory, and kitchen cleanliness.
- Flexible & Creative – Adapts recipes and food prep based on available ingredients.
- Strong Communicator – Effectively collaborates with the Culinary Director and volunteers.
This is a part-time, non-exempt, position (approximately 17-19 hours per week) paying $25 per hour.
Please send an email introduction and resume to Culinary Director, Kathryn LaCombe Kathryn@SecondChanceFoods.org
telling us about yourself, your interest in the position, any relevant experience, and your available start date.
- We will reply to all candidates. If you are invited to interview, we will share some sample interview questions in advance so you have time to think & reflect. We invite you to also forward questions to us so we can reply in the most thoughtful way possible.
- We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Working WIth Us
What We Believe
All peoples have the right to inclusion, opportunity, and equitable treatment without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. All peoples have the right to self-determination. They freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development by virtue of that right. No person shall be subject to coercion that would impair their freedom of thought, conscience, or religion.