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Head Cook

Clydehurst endeavors to hire 1 Head Cook each year. All 5 of the Kitchen Staff (1-2 Assistant Cooks and 2-3 Prep/Line Cooks) work under the supervision, guidance, and discipline of the Head Cook. The Head Cook plans daily meals and orders the required food every week. However, the Head Cook delegates responsibility for different areas in the kitchen based on the skills, qualifications, strengths, and interests of the 5 subordinate personnel. These areas include kitchen prep work, bakery, and stocking/organization/inventory to name a few.

• Training Weeks: Approximately 2 weeks in lengths, the Head Cook and Kitchen Staff Training Weeks are a requirement. These weeks involve familiarization with the camp grounds and facilities, training in camp policies and administration, skills training, personal spiritual development, and community spiritual development as well as training and preparation in other areas. The experience is rounded out with All Staff Training prior to the start of the Youth Camp season.
• Youth Camps: The demands of the Youth Camp are much different from family camp. The Youth Camp numbers reach up to 200 campers each week. Six meals in all are produced each day: 3 for staff (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and 3 for campers and Counselors (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). With the Counselors eating with their campers, the number of those needing to be served in the Dining Hall can reach almost 230 each meal. Typically food for the Youth Camps change in type over the progressing weeks (e.g. chicken nugget type meals for 3rd and 4th grade camp but salad bar and yogurt bar for High School week; specialty meals for any week would include a hamburger cookout and maybe other options). Oversight of special dietary needs is of utmost importance during these weeks.
• Family Camps: The demands of the Family Camp are much different from youth camp. Family Camp numbers hit around 120 or so but depending on the popularity of a certain week or week’s speaker numbers can reach 150. Six meals in all are produced each day: 3 for staff with Counselors back in the mix (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and 3 for family campers (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Family Camp meals should be more varied than Youth Camp weeks to include things like Salad Bar and Yogurt Bar. Family Camps have specialty meal days including a Buffet Night, a Steak Night, a Sack Lunch Day, and other special events.

Some requirements for the Head Cook include:
1. Significant experience baking and/or cooking and planning for medium to large groups (firm requirement)
2. Ability to follow a recipe and to perform mathematical recipe calculations to accommodate large numbers
3. Consistent practice and clear understanding of the importance of cleanliness and sanitation in regard to personal hygiene, as well as working in a kitchen/dining setting
4. Desire to grow in impactful, Christ-centered relationships with his or her leader and peers, which includes both personal and group Bible studies, periodic chapel attendance, and meaningful engagement in the overall Clydehurst community
5. The Head Cook would need to have cooking/kitchen experience that significantly elevates him/her above the level of Cook's Assistant. Additionally, the Head Cook would need to have experience in personnel management, spiritual discipleship, and conflict management among other experiences.
6. Preference for this position may be given to someone who has served as a Cook's Assistant previously at Clydehurst.

Additional requirements for our Head Cook include:
1. Supervise Prep/Line Cooks as needed/directed
2. Ability to manage the Kitchen efficiently and fluidly mitigating conflicts and delegating responsibilities where needed
3. Work supervision includes (but is not limited to):
o Overseeing daily inventories, cleaning, etc.
o Specialty duties such as ordering of paper supplies or accepting the delegation of special dietary needs oversight
o Training the Prep/Line Cooks
o Coordinate with the High School Staff Leaders in training the High School Crew concerning their Kitchen specific responsibilities
4. Reports directly to the Director of Operations

Different Head Cooks operate the Kitchen responsibilities in different ways each year. This is considered a high-stress/high-demand job with significant responsibility. Both the Assistant Cooks and Prep/Line Cooks can expect to work on some semblance of a shift-based system with fairly set mornings, afternoons or evenings off; Head Cooks would need to possess a strong ability to self-manage when it comes to their own day/times. Days are allotted to reduce the number of needed staff in the Kitchen so as to provide adequate rest and recovery for the Kitchen Staff; the Head Cook heads up this scheduling. That being said, this is a demanding job requiring long periods of time on one’s feet and the ability to pay attention to fine details. Every effort is made to reduce the propensity for mishaps and accidents inside the kitchen area especially considering the equipment that is being utilized. Additionally, Kitchen Staff are expected to be available for and accessible to the Head Cook as the dietary needs of the camp grow and shift week to week.

General Expectations - Those applying for this position should very strongly demonstrate the following qualities which are also requirements for other parts of staff.
o Create a welcoming and hospitable environment for all staff and for campers of all ages, both inside respective areas of responsibility and at Clydehurst in general. This includes exercising wisdom and insight regarding campers and how to interact with each one and engaging in Christ-centered and impactful friendships with their campers.
o Serve as a spiritual leader, which may include developing and implementing Bible-based devotionals, as well as finding opportunities to actively engage fellow staff members meaningful spiritual conversations
o Interact meaningfully and selflessly in an intentional and authentic community by providing spiritual support for their peers, leaders and subordinates through prayer, mutual friendships, and honest communication

Time:  Full-Time Seasonal
Salary:  Paid
Category:  Food Services

Updated: 3/25/2025 12:57:11 PM