Kitchen Lead Cook

Job summary

The Kitchen Lead Cook oversees the daily operations of the kitchen, including menu planning, food preparation, and inventory management. They are responsible for ensuring high standards of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance while providing leadership to kitchen staff.

Job details

AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY: The Kitchen Lead Cook is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and operation of the kitchen at Oskâyak Waakaa'igan Dibinawaang. The position ensures the safe, timely and efficient planning, preparation and service of nutritious meals and snacks while maintaining high standards of food quality, sanitation, kitchen safety and regulatory compliance. The Kitchen Lead Cook oversees menu planning, food preparation and service, purchasing, inventory, portion control, food-cost management, waste reduction, kitchen equipment and maintenance needs, kitchen records, and the coordination of assigned kitchen staff. QUALIFICATIONS: Culinary Management Diploma, culinary training, or an equivalent combination of three (3) or more years of relevant experience in kitchen operations or kitchen management, preferably within a residential, housing, shelter, community-based or similar service environment. education and relevant experience. Knowledge of food safety, food storage, sanitation, cross-contamination prevention and safe commercial kitchen practices. Knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, WHMIS, Safe Food Handling requirements and other legislation applicable to kitchen operations. Knowledge of safe storage, preparation and handling requirements applicable to traditional foods and wild game. Ability to plan and prepare nutritious, varied and culturally relevant menus while considering dietary requirements, available resources and program needs. Ability to support participants in developing food-related life skills, including cooking, meal planning, budgeting, grocery planning, food safety and healthy eating. Knowledge of, and respect for, traditional food practices and Indigenous approaches to food, wellness and community. Strong organizational, time-management and prioritization skills. Strong leadership, coaching and interpersonal skills. Ability to provide clear work direction, establish expectations and monitor assigned work. Effective verbal and written communication skills. Sound judgment and problem-solving skills. Ability to remain composed and respond effectively when urgent or unexpected kitchen or program situations arise. Ability to maintain accurate kitchen, inventory, financial and program records. Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries. Ability to operate and monitor commercial kitchen equipment safely. Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team. Ability to work flexible hours, including shift work, days, evenings, weekends and statutory holidays, as required by program needs. Commitment to providing respectful, culturally safe, trauma-informed, harm-reduction-informed and participant-centered services. Standard First Aid Level C with CPR/AED certification and Valid Safe Food Handling certification. Or ability to maintain certification as required by TBIFC Submission Date: November 4, 2026 Please submit resume with three (3) references to the: Attention: Hiring Committee Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre 401 North Cumberland Street Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 4P7 For a complete job description, please visit our website https://tbifc.ca/get-involved/job-postings/ Email: careers@tbifc.ca or Fax: (807) 344-8945 The Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request for all parts of the recruitment process. Miigwetch to all who apply, however only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted

What you’ll do

The Kitchen Lead Cook oversees the daily operations of the kitchen, including menu planning, food preparation, and inventory management. They are responsible for ensuring high standards of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance while providing leadership to kitchen staff.

Requirements

Candidates must possess a Culinary Management Diploma or at least three years of relevant kitchen management experience. Essential certifications include Standard First Aid Level C with CPR/AED and a valid Safe Food Handling certificate.

Listed skills

• Food safety · Preferred
• Inventory management · Preferred
• Leadership · Preferred
• Coaching · Preferred
• Time management · Preferred
• Problem solving · Preferred
• Sanitation · Preferred
• Budgeting · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Culinary management
• Menu planning
• Food safety
• Kitchen operations
• Inventory management
• Food cost management
• Leadership
• Coaching
• Time management
• Problem solving
• Sanitation
• Budgeting
• Commercial kitchen equipment operation
• Trauma-informed care
• Harm reduction
• Indigenous food practices
• Menu Planning
• Food Quality Assurance And Control
• Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Certification
• Meal Planning And Preparation
• Culinary Management
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification
• Cultural Responsiveness
• Shift Work
• Planning
• Kitchen Management
• First Aid
• Cost Management
• Communication
• Regulatory Compliance
• Confidentiality
• Cooking
• Occupational Safety And Health
• Food Safety And Sanitation
• Food Preparation
• Interpersonal Communications
• Problem Solving
• Legislation
• Life Skills Development
• Operations
• Purchasing
• Kitchen Safety
• Time Management
• Waste Minimization
• Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems
• Coordinating
• Trauma Care
• Prioritization

Job areas

• Food & Beverage
• Social Services
• Management & Leadership
• Hospitality
• Kitchen Leader
• Cook
• Cooks
• Cooks, Restaurant

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