Kitchen & Pastry Coordinator

Position Purpose

The Kitchen and Pastry Secretary/Coordinator is the administrative backbone and flexible operational support for the culinary leadership team.

This roles core purpose is to ensure the accurate efficient and confidential management of all kitchens administrative functions purchasing and documentation. They are vital in translating event requirements into actionable kitchen schedules and must possess the flexibility to assist with hands-on production and attend outside events to guarantee seamless organizational and logistical support.

The Culinary Secretary provides comprehensive administrative support to the culinary department including the Corporate Executive Chef and Culinary Director. This role involves coordinating schedules managing communications organizing documents and ensuring efficient operation of the culinary office. The Culinary Secretary plays a crucial role in facilitating communication within the department and supporting the overall culinary operations.

Main Responsibilities

Administrative Support and Communication

• Executive Support: Serve as the primary administrative point of contact for both Executive Chefs. Manage their correspondence calendars phone calls and inter-departmental communications.

• Documentation Mastery: Organize file and maintain all critical kitchen documentation including standardized recipes costing sheets food safety logs (HACCP records) staff files and general compliance paperwork.

• Reporting: Assist both chefs in compiling and tracking operational reports including labor hour summaries food waste data budget reports and inventory variance analyses.

• Confidentiality: Handle sensitive information related to staffing payroll and proprietary recipes with the utmost discretion and professionalism.

• Meeting Coordination: Schedule and prepare for all culinary and tasting meetings accurately taking and distributing meeting minutes and tracking follow-up actions.

Production Inventory and Procurement

• Event Order (EO) Translation: Receive final Event Orders from the sales team and translate them into detailed accurate kitchen production schedules and prep lists for the Sous Chefs and Chef de Parties.

• Order Processing: Manage the administrative side of procurement. Process daily/weekly food and supply orders cross-check vendor invoices against purchase orders and track delivery schedules.

• Recipe System Management: Maintain and update the computerized recipe management and costing system ensuring ingredient costs yields and final plate costs are always accurate and current.

• Logistics Checklists: Create and maintain comprehensive checklists for off-site events detailing all equipment smallwares packaging and specific menu item quantities required for transport.

Operational and Event Support (Hands-On)

• Production Assistance: When needed due to high volume staff shortages or priority tasks provide hands-on assistance in the central unit. This may include basic prep work labeling and organizing inventory or running errands for the chefs.

• Off-Site Event Attendance: Attend outside catering events as required by the Executive Chefs. This support role focuses on assisting the on-site management team with administrative tasks final packing/unpacking ensuring supplies are readily available or helping with basic back-of-house organization.

• Office & Kitchen Liaison: Ensure a smooth flow of paperwork information and supplies between the administrative office and the active production kitchen.

Administrative & Organizational Mastery

These competencies ensure the smooth accurate and organized flow of information and documentation.

• Detail Orientation (Meticulousness): The ability to focus on and ensure the accuracy of minute details which is critical when managing recipes costing sheets order quantities and logistical checklists. Accuracy prevents costly errors in production and purchasing.

• Organizational Management: Exceptional skill in managing multiple projects documentation systems (physical and digital) and competing deadlines simultaneously. This includes file management calendar coordination and tracking follow-up actions efficiently.

• Data Integrity and Costing Acumen: Proficiency in Excel or specialized software for entering and reconciling inventory tracking labor hours and maintaining accurate recipe costing data directly impacting the profitability of the kitchen.

• Discretion and Confidentiality: Proven ability to handle sensitive informationincluding staff performance salary data and proprietary recipeswith professionalism and unwavering discretion.

Communication & Interpersonal Flexibility

These skills are necessary for effectively bridging the gap between the executive office and the production floor.

• Cross-Functional Communication: Excellent verbal and written skills to clearly communicate with diverse groups including senior chefs (formal reports) line staff (production schedules) sales teams (event details) and external vendors (invoices and orders).

• Proactivity and Initiative: The ability to anticipate the administrative needs of the Executive Chefs identify bottlenecks (e.g. missing paperwork or supply shortages) and initiate solutions without constant direction.

• Time Management & Prioritization: Skill in assessing urgency prioritizing tasks based on event deadlines and allocating time effectively between office work and hands-on support.

Operational & Hands-On Adaptability

These competencies reflect the unique requirement for the coordinator to leave the office and provide physical support.

• Operational Agility (Flexibility): The willingness and ability to quickly transition between administrative duties (desk work) and hands-on physical tasks (kitchen or event support) requiring a change in focus and pace.

• Basic Kitchen Familiarity: A working knowledge of standard kitchen terminology equipment and safety/sanitation (HACCP) procedures to provide effective and safe assistance during production or at events.

• Logistical Support: Practical ability to assist with the packing inventory checking and organization of supplies and equipment for off-site transport