Teaching Pastry Chef

The hiring establishment is a youth development organization focused on empowering young individuals, particularly adolescent girls from underserved communities, by integrating culinary arts with social and emotional learning. This organization operates afterschool and community-based programs designed to provide safe, supportive, and trauma-informed environments where youth can explore new skills and career paths. Emphasizing principles rooted in trauma-informed care and the Sanctuary Model's Seven Commitments, the organization strives to build resilience, teamwork, and enthusiasm for healthy living among youth ages 8 to 18. They aim to create inclusive and nurturing spaces that promote emotional intelligence, self-expression, and confidence-building through practical learning experiences.

The role available is for a Youth Pastry & Baking Instructor, also referred to as a Teaching Pastry Chef. This position is integral to the Youth Development team and requires coordination, planning, and delivery of hands-on baking and pastry instruction tailored for young learners. The instructor will develop a seasonal curriculum covering age-appropriate topics such as bread basics, pastry techniques, and healthy dessert options, ensuring that classes not only focus on culinary skills but also incorporate life skills like nutrition, budgeting, entrepreneurship, and career exploration.

This position demands a creative, patient, and passionate pastry chef who is enthusiastic about teaching children and teens how to bake and prepare food from scratch. The instructor must be adept at demonstrating fundamental to advanced pastry techniques while fostering an inclusive and engaging environment. This role also emphasizes building meaningful, supportive relationships with youth where baking becomes a tool for social-emotional growth, self-confidence, and teamwork.

In addition to teaching, the instructor is responsible for maintaining a safe and sanitary kitchen workspace, managing ingredient inventory and equipment budgets, supervising youth during activities, and preparing baked goods for organizational events and community showcases. Collaboration with staff, meticulous documentation of attendance and outcomes, as well as active participation in team meetings and training sessions, are also essential aspects of the role.

The ideal candidate should possess formal culinary or pastry education or comparable professional experience, with a strong background in pastry and baking that spans at least 2-3 years. Experience working with youth in community, educational, or afterschool settings is strongly preferred. The ability to apply trauma-informed care principles, communicate effectively across diverse learning styles, and support emotionally sensitive youth is critical.

This position requires a willingness to work some evenings and weekends based on program schedules and the ability to travel to different site locations. Candidates should hold a valid driver's license with a clean record, have reliable transportation, and possess the necessary insurances. Food safety knowledge is a must, and ServSafe certification is preferred or should be obtained upon hiring.

Overall, this role offers a unique opportunity for culinary professionals passionate about youth development and education to make a meaningful impact in the lives of young people by combining culinary expertise with life-enhancing skills. The successful candidate will work in a dynamic, culturally diverse setting committed to nurturing the potential of girls and young women through hands-on, experiential learning in the culinary arts.