Chef

About OzHarvest: OzHarvest is a leading food rescue organisation on a mission to ‘Nourish our Country’ by stopping good food from going to waste and delivering it to charities that help feed people in need. Through our education programs and our advocacy work, we hope to inspire others to change their behaviour and help reach the national target of halving food waste by 2030.  

About the Role: We’re looking for an experienced chef to join the OzHarvest Perth team. This role is quite different from a typical chef position, you will be preparing meals for our charity partners from rescued food as well as assisting with our Cooking for a Cause corporate engagement classes. We are looking for someone who is patient, supportive and enjoys mentoring volunteers with a wide range of abilities and experience. The successful candidate will be able to produce high-quality meals while being adaptable to changing ingredients; in addition to cooking you will be a people-person passionate about creating a positive and inclusive environment while maintaining efficiency, and ensuring excellent food safety standards. Experience in high-volume catering or production kitchens, teaching others to cook (ideally non-chefs) along with strong organisational skills, is essential.

This is a casual position approximately 2 days per week with the option to take on additional shifts as they arise.  

A little more about the programs you will be supporting: Cooked Meals Program and Cooking for a Cause! The Cooked Meals Program prepares nutritious, ready-to-eat meals for people experiencing food insecurity across WA. Ingredients are sourced through a combination of rescued food and purchased produce, depending on availability and program requirements. Our Cooking for a Cause program delivers team-building cooking sessions to corporate supporters, utilising quality rescued food to produce nourishing meals in an innovative and creative way!  

Responsibilities for this role include: 

• Assist in the preparation of high volume cooked meals from rescued ingredients that delivered to our charity partners
• Prepare, label and store food in line with food safety requirements
• Adapt creatively to rescued ingredients and changing menus
• Deliver the Cooking for a Cause (CFAC) program with passion, motivating and mingling with guests, facilitating discussion about OzHarvest and the work we do
• Convey WHS information at the start of each session and prioritise participant and volunteer safety
• Ensuring that FSANZ food standards are practised, including maintaining cooling records, temperature records and cleaning records daily
• Be a point of contact during classes, resolving issues or escalating to Kitchen Operations Lead
• Work collaboratively with volunteers to support their OzHarvest experience

  What you will bring to the role: 

• Minimum Certificate III in Hospitality/Commercial Cookery or equivalent
• Confident and experienced in leading teams in a kitchen
• Natural and confident public speaker, excellent communication and engagement skills
• Creative eye for turning rescued food into a delicious meal
• Demonstrated understanding of Food Safety standards and food handling best practices.
• Experience inclusive of approved professional cookery training
• Excellent problem-solving and planning skills, balanced with the ability to react quickly to events and to prioritise in a fast-moving environment
• Well-developed time management and organisational skills
• A passion for sustainability and reducing food waste

To apply: Please attach your CV, a cover letter, and include a message as to “Why would you like to work at OzHarvest?” (creativity encouraged!)  Please note that only applications with a cover letter addressing the question above will be shortlisted.  

OzHarvest is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that supports diversity, inclusion and belonging. Please note: If you have a Language or Cultural special consideration, a disability or impairment or use assistive technology, please let us know in your Cover Letter when applying. You can ask a support person to help you through the application and interview process.