Head Cook/Kitchen Manager

Head Cook – Residential Special Needs Summer Camp

Season: May 17 – August 27
Schedule: Sunday–Friday
Meals Served: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Population: 130+ campers and staff

We are seeking an experienced, dependable, and organized Head Cook for a residential summer camp serving children and adults with special needs.

The Head Cook is responsible for overseeing all daily kitchen operations, supervising a team of three international kitchen staff members, and ensuring the safe and timely preparation of three nutritious meals each day for at least 130 campers and staff.

This position requires strong leadership, excellent organization, large-volume food preparation experience, and careful attention to the individual dietary and nutritional needs of our campers.

Responsibilities

• Plan balanced and nutritious menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Prepare and oversee the preparation of meals for 130+ campers and staff.
• Supervise, train, schedule, and coordinate a kitchen team of three staff members.
• Organize daily food preparation to ensure all meals are ready and served on schedule.
• Order food and kitchen supplies and maintain appropriate inventory levels.
• Monitor food usage and assist with minimizing unnecessary food waste.
• Maintain proper food storage, labeling, rotation, and temperature controls.
• Ensure compliance with food handling, sanitation, cleanliness, and kitchen safety requirements.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary kitchen throughout the camp season.
• Coordinate with camp leadership and nursing staff regarding camper dietary requirements.
• Prepare appropriate meal substitutions and modifications for campers with allergies, dietary restrictions, and other nutritional needs.
• Assist with and oversee kitchen cleanup and end-of-meal sanitation procedures.
• Ensure kitchen staff consistently follow camp policies and applicable health and safety standards.

Special Dietary & Modified Food Needs

Experience preparing meals for individuals with special dietary needs is strongly preferred.

Campers may require accommodations including:

• Gluten-free diets
• Dairy-free diets
• Dye-free diets
• Diabetic-friendly meals
• Food allergy accommodations
• Other medically necessary dietary restrictions
• Specific portion sizes
• Modified food textures
• Food cut into 1/4", 1/2", or 1" pieces
• Ground foods
• Puréed foods

Attention to detail is essential. The Head Cook must be able to follow individual dietary instructions carefully and prevent cross-contact when preparing meals for campers with food allergies or other medical and nutritional requirements.

Requirements

• Current Suffolk County Food Manager’s Certificate required
• Professional cooking, food service, or kitchen management experience
• Experience preparing food in large quantities
• Previous experience supervising or leading kitchen staff
• Ability to efficiently and consistently prepare meals for 130+ people
• Strong organizational, time-management, and communication skills
• Knowledge of proper food handling, sanitation, storage, and kitchen safety procedures
• Ability to maintain a clean, safe, and organized commercial kitchen
• Experience with special diets, food allergies, and modified food textures strongly preferred
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced residential camp environment
• Dependable, flexible, and able to work collaboratively with camp leadership, nursing, and program staff
• Ability to work the full camp season from May 17 through August 27

About the Position

The Head Cook plays an essential role in the health, safety, and overall camp experience of our campers.

We are looking for someone who takes pride in providing safe, nutritious, consistent, and enjoyable meals while understanding that many of our campers have individualized dietary, medical, and texture-modification requirements.

The ideal candidate is a confident kitchen leader who can manage a high-volume food service operation while creating a positive, organized, and professional kitchen environment for their team.

Job Type: Temporary

Pay: $2,000.00 per week

Work Location: In person