About the Role
Personal Touch Food Service, Inc. is seeking an experienced and adaptable Traveling Support Chef to provide hands-on culinary and operational support across multiple foodservice locations. This position will travel between a variety of operations, including USDA school nutrition programs, private schools, residential facilities, universities, and commissary/central production kitchens. The Traveling Support Chef will assist with food preparation and production, menu and recipe execution, staff training, special projects, and day-to-day operational needs. The ideal candidate is a hands-on culinary professional who can quickly adapt to different kitchens and teams, maintain high standards for food quality and safety, and provide support wherever it is needed.
Responsibilities
- Travel to assigned locations to provide hands-on culinary and operational support.
- Prepare and produce food according to established menus, standardized recipes, and quality standards.
- Assist with high-volume food production, meal service, special events, and menu implementations.
- Provide culinary training and coaching to cooks and foodservice staff.
- Help teams improve food quality, consistency, presentation, production methods, and kitchen efficiency.
- Assist with staffing shortages, operational challenges, and other short-term support needs.
- Work effectively in a variety of environments, including schools, universities, and commissary production facilities.
- Follow USDA meal pattern requirements and applicable nutrition standards in school nutrition operations.
- Maintain proper food safety, sanitation, HACCP, and ServSafe practices.
- Ensure proper cooking, cooling, holding, storage, and handling of food.
- Assist with inventory, food storage, production records, temperature logs, and other operational documentation as needed.
- Communicate operational needs, challenges, and recommendations to unit and company leadership.
- Represent Personal Touch Food Service professionally at all assigned locations.
Requirements
- Previous professional culinary or foodservice experience required.
- High-volume or institutional foodservice experience preferred.
- Experience with standardized recipes and large-scale food production preferred.
- Knowledge of USDA school nutrition programs is a plus.
- ServSafe certification preferred or willingness to obtain certification.
- Strong understanding of food safety and sanitation practices.
- Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Ability to quickly adapt to different kitchens, equipment, menus, and teams.
- Professional attitude with a strong commitment to food quality and service.
- Valid driver's license and reliable transportation required.
- Regular travel between multiple company locations throughout Western New York is required.
- Mileage reimbursement is provided.
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to work in hot, cold, and fast-paced kitchen environments.
- Ability to bend, stoop, reach, push, pull, and perform repetitive kitchen tasks.
- Schedule may vary based on the needs of assigned locations, including early morning starts.
Skills
- Culinary support
- Operational support
- Food preparation
- Menu execution
- Recipe execution
- Staff training
- Food quality standards
- Food safety standards
- High-volume production
- Meal service
- Special events support
- Menu implementation
- USDA meal pattern requirements
- Nutrition standards
- Sanitation practices
- HACCP
- ServSafe
- Food storage
- Production records
- Temperature logs
- Communication
- Organization
- Problem-solving
- Adaptability
Location
- Western New York
Work Type
- Traveling
- Full-time
Experience Level
- Experienced
Benefits
- Mileage reimbursement
About the Company
- Personal Touch Food Service, Inc.
