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The Garden Chef de Cuisine Application

Wizards of flavour and thyme,
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We're on the lookout for a chef to join our team at our nonprofit cultural incubator and renaissance factory. This is a rewarding & demanding job in nature. We are kind, direct communicators, and believe in efficient systems and clean, delicious food.
✅ Do you wish to cook for a diverse and evolving community of passionate, creative artists, builders, and elves from around the world?
✅ Do you want to live and work in stunning nature, with access to excellent facilities, hikes, waterfalls, the beach, hotsprings.
✅ Do you want to experiment with creative culinary experiences? If yes, this is the place for you :)

As a hub of creativity and inspiration, our property is a playground for the mind and a haven for the soul. We not only host experimental co-created festivals, but also the Portuguese Burn, a co-creative residency program, and values-aligned external productions.

As a base-line, you'll be managing the kitchen operations and feeding a group of 20-70 core team, volunteers, and artistic residents lunch and dinner, Monday to Friday, with some volunteer help in the kitchen. 40 hours per week. In event season (summer), we may need you to lead meals to serve up to 300 people (with additional support).


If & only if you are a world-class chef [we care about taste & operational capacity, not michelin stars] and want to partner with us to do something amazing, we are open-minded. There is space, vision, and team for a restaurant, culinary experiences, cooking school, etc. The path from imagination to reality here is short and sweet. Email us your CV, dream, and availability. Mortals, please fill out this form <3.

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So, what's the role? Details below.

Availability:

The position is open now. We'd like to begin your engagement this December 2024 and we will give preference to those who are committed to investing themselves in this project long-term.

Compensation

Compensation is competitive & room & board can be included. Depending on your experience, your capacity to cater large events, and whether or not you live near by, or would be living on-site. This is a full-time role, with expectations 10 proper meals a week M-F, organizing the kitchen sourcing and maintaining kitchen.

Bonuses around big events. If you wish to live on-site, room and board is included, and may be factored into compensation. We prefer off-site but it is definitely not a deal-breaker.

Scope of Work & Responsibility

1. Create and produce delicious, healthy, seasonal and varied meals (lunch and dinner) Monday - Friday.
2. Responsible for preparing breakfast the night before weekdays (overnight oats, chia pudding or similar).
3. Responsible for sourcing and procurement of ingredients (we have local suppliers but you may outreach to new supplioers to maintain fresh, local and seasonal ingredients).
4. Responsible for organising and cleaning of the kitchen.
5. Responsible for kitchen equipment and cleaning supplies.
6. Responsible for organising and scheduling support staff, including volunteers.
7. Ensure health and safety protocols and record keeping.
8. Reporting maintenance and health and safety issues in a timely fashion.
9. Reporting and managing food production budgets.
You’ll be cooking out of a fairly well-equipped industrial kitchen.

A few times a year we organize larger, experiential, co-created events. These are events of 100-300 people.

Ideally, you’d be able to be head-chef during these events, or at the very least, be a sous chef for those larger productions 😎

Our Philosophy

Food brings people together, and is central to our experience here. We want to offer delicious, nutritious, abundant meals to everyone who participates in this place.


We want to always have enough food that there is a feeling of abundance.

We want there to be fruit, bread, & nut butters as snacks in between eating times.

We want to encourage a plant-based diet with supplemental fat and protein options.

We want our shopping to buy locally focused and lower our impact, buy and source efficiently, and find a balance of abundance and frugality.

We avoid individually packaged things, too many simple carbs & added sugars. We work and play hard here, and we want to ensure there is ample protein & healthy fat within each meal. Our target is 50-75g of protein per day.

We invite rich, diverse flavors, culinary cultures, colors, textures, sensations. We especially welcome these influences: Japanese, new wave vegan fusion. Thai, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Mediterranean, Moroccan, and more. We are open to a locally sourced meat or fish options 1-2 times a week. We avoid seed oils. Love EVOO, Rice Bran Oil, Avocado Oil.

The Ideal Candidate:

- B2 or equivalent level in English. Portuguese language skills desirable.
- Proven track record managing similar environments.
- Excellent research and problem-solving skills.
- High attention to detail and organisational skills.
- Ability to multitask and manage competing priorities effectively.
- Excellent budget management skills
- Cool under pressure (we want fun and happy kitchen vibes, not Gordon Ramsey ;))

>> Does this sound like you? Then, let's cook up some magic together!

Location

The project is between Ponte de Lima and Viana do Castelo, 15 minutes from each and 1h from downtown Porto.
We aren't equipped to welcome children/families, or dogs.
You must either live on site, or somewhere you're comfortable commuting from.

Apply now and join our culinary mischiefs! 🌍🍴