Lead Cook

Lead Cook

Department/Program: Bethany Women's Center

Reports To: Food Services Manager

Location: Flagship

FLSA Status: Non- Exempt

EEO Classification: Service workers

Supervisor: No

Job Function: Essential Onsite

About N Street Village:
N Street Village (NSV) is a community of empowerment and recovery for homeless and low-income women in Washington, DC. With comprehensive services addressing emergency and long-term needs, N Street Village helps women achieve stability and make meaningful gains in their housing, income, employment, mental health, physical health, and addiction recovery. N Street Village also provides affordable rental housing for low and moderate-income individuals and families. Please visit our website for more information at: www.nstreetvillage.org.

Overview

The Lead Cook (LC) reports directly to the Food Services Manager (FSM) and is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the kitchen during their shift. This includes ensuring food quality and consistency, delegating tasks, training junior cooks and client volunteers, managing food inventory, and maintaining cleanliness in the kitchen, and actively participating in food preparation as needed. As a supervisory role, the Lead Cook must have strong culinary skills, experience with various cooking techniques, and the ability to lead and motivate a team. Excellent communication skills are essential for interacting effectively with clients, staff, directors, and administration. This position plays a critical role in supporting the mission of our organization, which serves unhoused women, by providing nutritious and high-quality meals in a collaborative and efficient kitchen environment.

Key Role Responsibilities

• Prepares a variety of foods utilizing standardized recipes and various cooking methods while ensuring consistency and high quality
• Maintains a clean and organized kitchen, following Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety protocols, and adheres to sanitation standards to prevent foodborne illness
• Manages inventory and monitors food, chemical, and dry storage needs
• Assigns tasks to cooks based on their skill level, monitors their performance, and addresses any issues that arise during the shift
• Actively cooks dishes on the line, ensuring adherence to recipes and quality standards
• Implements menu changes and ensures all dishes are prepared consistently across different cooks
• Monitors food stock levels, orders supplies, and manages food costs
• Coaches and mentors junior cooks on proper techniques, food safety practices, and kitchen procedures
• Inspects food before serving to ensure quality, presentation, and proper cooking temperatures
• Enforces proper hygiene standards in the kitchen, including clean workstations and equipment
• Collaborates with servers and the Health & Wellbeing Director to ensure smooth service and address client/resident concerns regarding food presentation and quality

Key Organizational Responsibilities

In addition to role responsibilities, every staff member has the following responsibilities as a part of their employment:

• Models and reinforces the mission, vision and values of the Village:  
  • Treats everyone with dignity and respect, including colleagues, clients, and vendors 
  • Nurtures our community, encouraging cross-functional collaboration and mutual growth  
  • Is open, honest, and constructive  
  • Moves forward together and takes action together 
• Completes assigned trainings as required by N Street Village and in accordance with grant contractual requirements 
• Actively participates in performance improvement and advocacy activities that support the mission  
• Protects clients’ personal health information by maintaining compliance with HIPAA and other relevant health care-related IT security regulations 
• Responsibly manages resources, ensuring they are used with integrity, transparency, and care to maximize impact.   
• Demonstrates commitment to maintaining consistent attendance and punctuality, recognizing the importance of reliability in supporting the organization’s mission and operations.  
  • Staff classified as essential personnel are expected to fulfill their responsibilities onsite, regardless of weather, emergencies, or other conditions, unless otherwise directed by leadership. 
• Performs other duties as assigned on an as-needed basis 

Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Minimum Qualifications

• A current SERV Safe certificate is required.
• A culinary arts certificate, an associate degree from a culinary school, or equivalent (2 years of professional cooking experience)
• A solid foundation in cooking techniques
• Substantial experience as a lead cook
• A strong understanding of food safety and sanitation practices
• The ability to lead and train other kitchen staff
• Prior supervisory experience
• Hospitality, healthcare, or long-term care experience preferred

Qualifications and Competencies

General Culinary Skills

• Proficiency in various cooking techniques (grilling, sautéing, roasting, etc.) 
• Knowledge of different cuisines and menu development 
• Excellent knife skills 
• Ability to prepare dishes with consistency and quality

Leadership

• Delegates tasks effectively to volunteers (internal and external)
• Assists in coaching and training new volunteers 
• Maintains a positive and productive team environment

Communication

• Communicates clearly and concisely with volunteers, team members, and management
• Provides feedback and instructions effectively 
• Addresses all service and line needs efficiently 

Food Safety and Sanitation

• Thoroughly understands food safety regulations and proper food handling practices 
• Maintains a clean and organized workstation 
• Monitors food temperatures and proper storage

Operational Management

• Manages inventory and orders supplies 
• Optimizes workflow and efficiency in the kitchen
• Identifies and addresses potential problems and finds solutions quickly 
• Adjusts to seasonal mandates
• Assists with food service, if/when needed

Why Join N Street Village?
At N Street Village, you’ll find a supportive team environment where your work directly impacts the lives of women in need. We are committed to fostering personal and professional growth for our staff while championing the mission of empowerment and recovery for our community.

If you’re ready to use your expertise to make a meaningful difference, we’d love to hear from you!

The Village Benefit Offerings:

Health/Wellness:

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Accident, Hospital, and Critical Illness Plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability

Financial:

• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• SmarTrip Pre-Tax Commuter Benefits

Insurance:

• Life Insurance

Time Off:

• Annual Leave
• Sick Days
• Floating Holidays

N Street Village’s (NSV) goal is to ensure every woman in Washington D.C. has a safe place to call home. We offer a welcoming and inclusive environment in service to one another, our clients, and to our community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.