Food Ministry Lead Cook

Food Ministry Lead Cook Job Description

Position: Food Ministry Lead Cook
Department: Operations
Reports to: Dining Services Manager
FLSA Classification: Non-exempt

Full-time/part-time: Full-time, Monday through Friday with rotating weekends

Starting Wage: $23-$24.50

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Summary

The Food Ministry Lead Cook oversees daily kitchen operations and meal preparation with a commitment to culinary excellence, safety, and stewardship. As the senior culinary team member, this role models Christ-centered professionalism while treating every guest with dignity and respect.

Working closely with the Dining Services Manager, the Lead Cook provides hands-on culinary leadership, guidance, and training to Food Ministry Associates, volunteers, and program participants. This position leads by working alongside the team and helps ensure meals are prepared safely, efficiently, consistently, and according to established quality, sanitation, and hospitality standards.

The Lead Cook provides day-to-day culinary direction but does not assume the personnel-management or departmental responsibilities of the Dining Services Manager.

At New Life Center, our work is rooted in our Christian faith and driven by our mission to guide people experiencing homelessness or addiction toward holistic transformation through the love of Jesus. Every role contributes to this ministry and advances our shared vision. Our team members are followers of Jesus Christ, affirm our Statement of Faith, and demonstrate our BEACON values—Bring Your Best, Engage with Empathy, Act in Unity, Choose Humility, Offer Hope, and Never Stop Growing—in the way they serve guests, support one another, and represent New Life Center each day.

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Essential Functions

Essential Function 1: Food Preparation and Production

- Lead meal preparation with a commitment to excellence, consistency, and quality following established menus, recipes, portion sizes, and production schedules.

- Monitor food quality, temperatures, taste, appearance, and presentation.

- Assist with special meals, events, holiday meals, and community outreach meals.

- Assist with meal planning, feedback, and recipe execution.

- Minimize waste while maintaining established standards for food quality and portioning.

- Ensure meals are served in a manner that promotes dignity and hospitality.

Essential Function 2: Kitchen Operations and Organization

- Help coordinate daily kitchen workflow to ensure meal preparation and service are completed safely, efficiently, and on schedule.

- Organize and maintain refrigerators, freezers, dry storage areas, and other kitchen workspaces.

- Assist with receiving, storing, labeling, dating, and rotating food products and donated food.

- Monitor available food products and communicate inventory needs, shortages, or concerns to the Dining Services Manager.

- Ensure kitchen workstations are properly set up and prepared for meal production and service.

- Help coordinate the use of available food products and donations to support established menus and minimize unnecessary waste.

- Maintain an organized kitchen environment and ensure work areas are properly cleaned and prepared for subsequent meals and shifts.

- Communicate operational concerns, equipment issues, supply needs, and other matters affecting kitchen operations to the Dining Services Manager.

Essential Function 3: Food Safety and Compliance

- Follow all applicable health department guidelines and regulations regarding proper food handling, sanitation, and safety.

- Properly store, label, date, and rotate food according to established FIFO procedures.

- Maintain required temperature logs for refrigerators, freezers, and prepared meals.

- Maintain cleanliness and organization throughout kitchen and food-storage areas.

- Support successful health inspections and ongoing regulatory compliance.

- Ensure kitchen equipment is used safely and report safety concerns or equipment issues promptly.

Essential Function 4: Volunteer and Guest Support

- Welcome, guide, and support kitchen volunteers.

- Provide clear direction so volunteers and guests understand assigned tasks, procedures, and expectations.

- Engage guests with dignity, kindness, and Christ-like compassion.

- Recognize that excellence in service communicates value and care to each individual.

Essential Function 5: Job Skills Training and Mentorship

- Actively support and participate in the Genesis job skills training program.

- Provide hands-on training to Genesis guests in basic culinary skills, food safety practices, and kitchen procedures.

- Model and reinforce essential workplace behaviors, including punctuality, accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and consistency.

- Help create a structured, goal-oriented training environment that promotes excellence in both skill and character development.

- Assist in evaluating Genesis guest progress in collaboration with the Job Training Program Liaison.

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ADA & Reasonable Accommodation
New Life Center complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Qualified individuals are considered for positions based on their ability to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable law unless doing so would cause undue hardship or pose a direct threat to safety.

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Position Reports to James Redding, Dining Services Manager

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This job description identifies the major responsibilities of this job. It does not include all aspects of the position such as the potential additional duties assigned by the Operations Director, the requirement for flexibility in helping others, or the highly valued team-oriented approach used for the overall benefit and success of New Life Center.

Qualifications

Personal:

- Personal, evident, and growing relationship with Christ.

- Compassionate heart for those in need.

- Willingness to serve others.

- Desire to see the lost be transformed through the love of Christ.

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Required Education and Experience:

- Minimum 2 years experience working in a commercial kitchen or food-service operation.

- Demonstrated experience in food preparation, meal planning, and cooking for large groups.

- ServSafe certification preferred.

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Additional Eligibility Requirements:

- Ability to pass a pre-employment drug test and background check.

- If in recovery, a minimum of one year of sustained recovery with active participation in a 12-step program is required; two or more years is preferred

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Skills:

- Strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, and commercial kitchen practices.

- Demonstrated ability to prepare quality meals efficiently for large groups.

- Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage time effectively in a fast-paced kitchen environment.

- Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and accomplish assigned goals with minimal supervision.

- Ability to coach, motivate, and respectfully provide direction to Food Ministry Associates, volunteers, shelter guests, and program participants.

- Ability to model teamwork, accountability, professionalism, and a positive attitude.

- Ability to creatively utilize available food resources to produce nutritious, appealing meals.

- Willingness to learn, receive constructive feedback, and continually improve.

- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.

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Work Environment:

- Primarily kitchen- and dining hall-based, with frequent interaction with staff, volunteers, program participants, and shelter guests.

- Ability to stand for extended periods.

- Ability to lift up to 30 pounds.

- Position requires frequent repetitive movement, including lifting, pushing, carrying, bending, and reaching.

- Ability to work in areas with high temperatures and around gas burners, heated equipment, grease, sharp utensils and equipment, and other normal commercial-kitchen hazards.

- This position works in a recovery-adjacent environment and requires adherence to professional boundaries, respectful workplace conduct, and organizational policies.

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Religious Bona Fide Occupational Qualification BFOQ

New Life Center is a faith-based Christian ministry. Consistent with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, alignment with New Life Centers Statement of Faith and values may be considered a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) for this position. Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the organizations Christian mission, beliefs, and code of conduct.