Production Kitchen Job Coach

About the Role

Are you a kitchen professional looking for a more meaningful career?

At Taimahi Trust, we operate across our interconnected pillars to empower young adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). We are looking for a Production Kitchen Job Coach to use our commercial kitchen as a real-world training ground, mentoring trainees to help them become fully competent Kitchen Assistants.

This role is perfect for a hands-on culinary professional who doesn't just want to demonstrate food prep, but wants to coach trainees on everything working in a busy kitchen encompasses—from time management and hygiene to teamwork, stamina, and workplace communication.

What You’ll Be Doing

As our Production Kitchen Job Coach, you will guide our trainees through practical, real-world kitchen operations:

• Comprehensive Work Skills Coaching: Coach trainees in the essential habits of working life in a kitchen setting—punctuality, following shift routines, taking feedback, teamwork, and maintaining focus during production runs.
• Food Prep & Kitchen Operations: Work side-by-side with trainees to build practical culinary skills, including knife work, food safety, recipe adherence, and sanitation standards.
• Assessment & Evidence: Conduct practical, on-the-job evaluations to track trainee progress and gather simple evidence of their developing workplace competencies.
• Positive Learning Culture: Foster a safe, structured, and patient environment where trainees can learn from mistakes and build real confidence on the production line.

What We Value in this Role (And What’s Out of Scope!)

We believe in focused roles and healthy boundaries so you can do your best work.

• In Scope: On-the-job kitchen coaching, practical culinary instruction, work habit development, progress evaluations, evidence gathering, and fostering a patient learning environment.
• Out of Scope: You won't be handling admin-heavy assessment frameworks, running kitchen logistics alone, or managing non-culinary training streams—we have dedicated leads and assessment tools to support you!

What You Bring

• Required Experience: Practical experience in a commercial or production kitchen with strong foundational food prep skills.
• Desirable Experience: Previous experience in coaching or mentoring others—or simply a strong desire to learn how to coach and mentor effectively.
• Growth & Open Mindset: An open mindset, unfailing patience, engaging and collaborative, and an adaptable attitude.
• Structured Approach: An understanding of how to break down kitchen tasks and workplace behaviours into clear, achievable steps.
• Core Strengths: Exceptional patience, clear communication, and an encouraging nature.

Why Taimahi Trust?

• Structured Support: Full training provided on our job coaching techniques and workplace assessment tools.
• Deeply Rewarding Work: A unique environment where your kitchen expertise creates a direct pathway to meaningful employment for others.
• Clear Boundaries: A structured environment where your operational and coaching focus is protected.

How to Apply

Ready to use your culinary expertise to create real pathways for others? Click Apply Now