Kitchen Prep Cook & Food Reclamation Driver

Description

Reports to: Kitchen Manager/Head Chef

Work Location: Downtown Campus

Hours: Full Time, Regular 7:30am - 4:00pm

Status: Non-Exempt / Hourly

Salary Range: $23.83-$24.54/ per hour

Position Summary

The Kitchen Prep Cook & Food Reclamation Driver plays a vital role in ensuring that St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County fulfills its mission to serve nutritious meals with dignity to our community. Approximately 70% of the position involves preparing large-scale meals, assisting with kitchen operations, and supporting food service for hundreds of guests daily. The remaining 30% focuses on recovering, transporting, and unloading donated food from partner agencies, grocery stores, and restaurants to support meal production and minimize waste.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Kitchen Prep Cook Duties (70%)

• Assist the Head Chef in preparing nutritious, large-scale meals for daily service to unsheltered guests and community members.
• Wash, chop, and prepare vegetables, meats, and other ingredients for meal service.
• Follow standardized recipes and portion guidelines to ensure consistency and quality.
• Assist with plating and serving meals during service periods.
• Support kitchen organization by labeling, dating, and properly storing all food items.
• Maintain kitchen cleanliness, sanitation, and safety in accordance with local health department regulations.
• Creatively utilize reclaimed and donated ingredients to minimize waste while maximizing nutritional value.
• Work collaboratively with staff, trainees, and volunteers in a fast-paced environment.

Food Reclamation & Transportation (30%)

• Drive a St. Vincent de Paul vehicle to pick up donated food from local grocery stores, vendors, and food distributors according to a scheduled route.
• Load, secure, and unload donations in compliance with food safety and vehicle safety standards.
• Inspect donations for quality, ensuring compliance with health and safety guidelines.
• Accurately document and report all donations received, including donor information and quantities.
• Maintain cleanliness and basic upkeep of assigned vehicle, reporting any maintenance needs promptly.
• Interact professionally and courteously with donors, representing SVdP’s mission and values.

Requirements

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong work ethic. Willingness to work hard to accomplish difficult goals.
• Complies with written and verbal instruction and willingly performing assigned tasks.
• Accountability to supervisor and to a performance plan. Willingness to accept supervision.
• Positive attitude and ability to be a positive influence on a team.
• Demonstrates proactivity, flexibility, creativity, and enthusiasm.
• Professionalism, maturity, good decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Disciplined self-starter who can set and achieve goals.
• Can feel and express passion for the mission of a leading human service charity.
• Is reliable, dependable and trustworthy.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills in English (Spanish a plus).
• Ability to communicate well with external and internal customers.
• Excellent customer service skills, for both internal and external customers/stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to serve stakeholders in a professional, welcoming, and efficient manner.
• Ability to thrive in a flexible, fast-paced and growth-oriented environment, while maintaining a sense of humor and a positive, solution-oriented approach.
• Ability to work well with others, to ensure positive, constructive environment within the program or department, and throughout the organization, and to resolve conflict and avoid difficulties.
• Cooperative, friendly, and helpful attitude with clients and co-workers.
• Attention to detail.
• Excellent administrative and organizational skills.
• Ownership of job’s responsibilities and of accomplishing goals.
• Ability to model highly professional work etiquette including informing supervisor of your activities, responding to communication in a timely manner, doing what you say you will do, respectful behavior in meetings, avoiding any behavior which could cause negative perceptions of you or of SVdP.
• Interest in seeking out additional challenges and opportunities. A commitment to ongoing learning and self-development.
• Coordinating, managing, developing, and engaging volunteers.
• Ability to utilize, engage, and develop others, including volunteers, to work enthusiastically and productively on your team.
• Ability to control unusual situations as they arise without escalating.

SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• At least 1 year working in a commercial kitchen, preferably in a high-volume environment.
• Valid California driver’s license and clean driving record.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs repeatedly, and to work in hot, fast-paced kitchen environments.
• Knowledge of food safety standards (ServSafe certification preferred).
• Ability to follow recipes and verbal instructions accurately.
• Ability to learn, understand, and model the nine core values we promote at SVdP: Vincentians, Storytelling, Grit, Accountability, Volunteerism, Kindness, Joy, Kaizen, and Engagement.
• Proficiency with Windows, Word, Excel, e-mail, and Web Browser.
• Excellent time and priority management skills. Ability to successfully manage projects from conception to completion. Ability to prioritize projects, work independently, meet deadlines, manage several projects simultaneously and work well under pressure.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• High School Diploma or GED
• ServSafe Food Handler Certification

This job description is a general description of essential job functions. It is not intended as an employment contract, nor is it intended to describe all duties that someone in this position may perform. All employees of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul are expected to perform tasks as assigned by St. Vincent de Paul’s supervisory/management personnel, regardless of job title or routine job duties.

Salary Description

$23.83-$24.54/ per hour