Head Chef

Position Summary

Thistle Farms is a nonprofit justice enterprise dedicated to helping women survivors recover and heal from prostitution, trafficking, and addiction. We do this by providing a safe place to live, meaningful jobs, and a lifelong sisterhood of support.

The Head Chef at The Café at Thistle Farms is more than a traditional kitchen or food preparation role. This role combines culinary leadership and operational excellence with a commitment to provide culinary training and workforce development to our community.

The Head Chef is responsible for leading the creation, execution, and continuous improvement of all food and beverage offerings at the Café at Thistle Farms, including daily Café service, catering, events, and afternoon tea. Reporting to the General Manager, this role ensures that all offerings reflect high standards of quality, consistency, and care while aligning with the mission and values of Thistle Farms.

This role is ideal for a trained chef or experienced food and beverage professional who is passionate about both craft and community. The Head Chef plays a key role in training and developing a team largely made up of individuals in recovery, creating a kitchen culture that is structured, supportive, and rooted in dignity, skill-building, and growth.

Position Responsibilities

Essential Responsibilities

1. Food & Beverage Leadership + Execution

   1. Oversees all food and beverage production for Café service, catering, events, and special programs (including afternoon tea).

   2. Provides immediate supervision and daily oversight for the back-of-house staff to include hiring, training, performance management, and scheduling.

   3. Ensures consistent quality, presentation, and execution across all offerings.

   4. Maintains clear recipes, prep standards, and systems to support consistency and scalability.

   5. Leads daily kitchen operations, including prep, service flow, and cleanliness.

   6. Trains and coaches team members on kitchen skills, food safety, and professional standards.

   7. Creates a structured, supportive learning environment that builds confidence and transferable skills.

   8. Adapts training approaches to meet individual learning styles and needs.

   9. Models consistency, patience, and accountability in a trauma-informed environment.

2. Menu Development + Product Innovation

   1. Develops and evolves menus in partnership with the General Manager to reflect seasonality, customer preferences, and brand alignment.

   2. Balances creativity with operational feasibility and expense management.

   3. Ensures offerings are fresh, approachable, and reflective of the Café’s role as a welcoming community space.

   4. Supports the creation and development of catering and event menus that drive revenue and enhance guest experiences.

3. Inventory, Cost Control + Financial Performance

   1. Manages food and beverage inventory, ordering, and vendor relationships.

   2. Monitors and controls food costs, waste, and portioning.

   3. Contributes to budgeting and financial reporting related to food and beverage operations.

   4. Identifies opportunities to improve margins while maintaining quality.

4. Compliance + Safety

   1. Ensures full compliance with all food safety, sanitation, and health regulations.

   2. Maintains a clean, organized, and safe kitchen environment.

   3. Ensures all team members are trained and adhering to safety standards.

5. Collaboration + Community Engagement

   1. Partners with the General Manager and broader team on Café strategy, programming, and events.

   2. Collaborates with local suppliers and community partners to source ingredients and support local artisans, when possible.

Additional Responsibilities

1. Supports the Café’s role as a “third place” by contributing to a warm, welcoming, and mission-aligned experience.
2. Models core values, policies and operational procedures for team members.
3. Completes required training, as assigned.
4. Attends meetings, as assigned.
5. Performs other duties, as assigned.