Kitchen Assistant

About Us

Rooks to Cooks is the GTA's leading culinary school for children, offering a wide variety of hands-on cooking programs for youth ages 4–14 — from our popular summer culinary camps to in-school workshops, community activations, and special events. Our mission is to empower children to become more independent, self-sufficient, and confident while discovering the joy of cooking and baking.

About the Role

We are looking for reliable and experienced Kitchen Assistants with strong dishwashing and prep skills to join our summer camp team

In this role, you will support the Lead Chef and Sous Chef in preparing and executing daily culinary activities, maintaining kitchen cleanliness, organizing inventory, and assisting with mise en place. You will also help supervise and support campers, ensuring a safe, fun, and engaging environment.

This position is perfect for individuals with a passion for cooking, experience in fast-paced kitchen operations, and a desire to try something new and work with kids in an energetic and educational setting.

Hours of work:

• Mondays: 8:30am - 5:30pm
• Tuesdays - Thursdays: 9:00am - 5:30pm
• Fridays: 9:00am - Close (approximately 8:00pm)

Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Dish Pit & Kitchen Cleanliness

• Wash, dry, and put away dishes efficiently and safely, maintaining high cleanliness standards.
• Take out garbage to designated locations and ensure proper waste management.
• Sweep, mop, and sanitize floors and surfaces daily.
• Assist with kitchen cleaning during the Friday night Pop-Up Restaurant and other special events.
• Execute and maintain all cleanliness and hygiene standards as prescribed by the head office.

2. Equipment, Mise en Place & Inventory Support

• Assist with organizing inventory of food and supplies, keeping fridges, freezers, and pantry clean and orderly.
• Conduct mise en place preparation for campers and support lead chef and sous chef as needed.
• Receive and properly store inventory, checking order forms and reporting discrepancies to the sous chef.
• Support sous chef in the oversight and guidance of Counsellors-in-Training (CITs) and volunteers.

3. Camper Supervision & Support

• Support the Lead Chef in building and maintaining a physically and emotionally safe environment for campers and staff.
• Supervise campers during cooking activities to ensure safety, engagement, and adherence to rules.
• Assist camp counsellors with break-time activities, games, and exercises as outlined in the camp manual.
• Help define and reinforce camp rules and expectations to maintain a positive camp culture.

4. Recipe Execution Support

• Assist in finishing camper recipes using ovens, stovetops, and other kitchen equipment.
• Ensure recipes are completed accurately according to curriculum packages provided by head office.
• Monitor and support cooking processes to maintain consistency, safety, and quality.

Qualifications / Experience

• 2+ years of experience working in the culinary industry
• 1+ years of professional dishwashing experience
• 1+ years inventory management experience
• Legally entitled to work in Canada
• Can speak fluent English
• All employees will be required to obtain and demonstrate proof of completion of the following documents before the start date of their training and employment: First Aid & CPR, Food Handlers Certification and a clear Vulnerable Sector Screening

Benefits of working for Rooks to Cooks

• Competitive compensation
• Rewarding and meaningful work
• Complimentary staff lunch & demo products to enjoy.
• Amazing work-life balance with weekday evenings and weekends off all summer long
• Work with like-minded people in a healthy work environment
• Welcoming and family-oriented culture
• It's fun teaching kids to cook
• Rapidly growing company with opportunities for growth & learning.

About Rooks to Cooks:

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Rooks to Cooks is committed to employment equity. We thank all applicants, however, only those considered for an interview will be contacted. We welcome and encourage applications from all people including disabled, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+ people and BIPOC. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Job Types: Full-time, Contract

Contract length: 10 weeks

Pay: Up to $780.00 per week

Benefits:

• Discounted or free food
• On-site parking

Application question(s):

• The position at hand is a seasonal contact. The contract is full time for weeks running in the summer months only? Are you able to make that commitment at this moment in time? Yes or no, please explain.
• What attracts you to the Rooks to Cooks Programs we run? Why are you interested in joining our team?
• Our camps will likely take place in the following areas. Please indicate which sites you'd be willing to work:

Bathurst & Lawrence

College & Bathurst

Danforth

East York

Etobicoke

High Park

Missisauga (Hartland)

Markham

North York (Yonge)

Richmond Hill

Roncessvalles

Rosedale

Scarborough

Thornhill

• Have you been convicted of a criminal offense for which you have not been pardoned? Yes or No

• Why do you think you would be a great fit for this role? Why do you believe you would make an excellent Kitchen Assistant.

• A significant portion of this job involves dishwashing, cleanup, and mise en place prep. Are you fully comfortable with this, and what makes you feel you can handle this workload successfully?

Experience:

• Professional culinary : 2 years (required)
• Inventory management: 1 year (required)

Language:

• English (required)

Licence/Certification:

• First Aid Certification (preferred)
• Food Handler Certification (preferred)

Work Location: In person