This role combines hands-on cooking, baking, food production, and commercial kitchen operations while mentoring adults with disabilities in developing practical food service skills.

Ideal for experienced cooks, bakers, chefs, or catering professionals interested in combining their culinary expertise with mentoring others in a busy, fast-paced environment.

This role offers a consistent weekday, daytime schedule, providing a great opportunity for food service professionals seeking an improved work–life balance. Occasional evening or weekend events may arise throughout the year.

The successful candidate will work Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM at both the main Dartmouth location (22 Fielding Ave) and on occasion at our remote Halifax location (inside the Nova Scotia Rehab Centre - 1341 Summer Street).

The Opportunity

New Leaf Enterprises is seeking a dependable and committed Food Service Instructor to join our commercial kitchen and catering team. In this role, you will support daily kitchen operations while mentoring adults with disabilities as they build practical skills in cooking, baking, catering production, and café service.

New Leaf Enterprises, a program of Easter Seals Nova Scotia, offers a wide range of opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities, including job readiness training, employment support, recreation, and health and wellness programming.

The Food Service Instructor works collaboratively with the Manager of Catering & Food Service, fellow Food Service Instructors, program employees, and the broader New Leaf Enterprises and Easter Seals Nova Scotia team. The ideal candidate is punctual, dependable, and organized, with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced commercial kitchen while maintaining a positive and professional demeanor.

This role supports a combination of cooking and baking production, including catering orders, café products, and baked goods, while providing hands-on instruction and mentorship to Program Employees.

Key Responsibilities

- Prepare a variety of cooked foods for catering orders and café service, including hot meals, soups, sandwiches, salads, and other savory items.
- Prepare a variety of baked goods for café sales, catering orders, special events, and seasonal production,



including breads, desserts, squares, cookies, and other baked products.
- Guide Program Employees in developing practical cooking, baking, food preparation, and café service skills while supporting individual goals in a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.
- Support daily operations of the commercial kitchen, bakery production, catering services, and cafés, including coordinating production schedules and balancing cooking and baking workloads.
- Maintain safe food handling, storage, preparation, sanitation, and kitchen organization practices.
- Document inventory, including prepared foods, baked goods, and dry goods, and support efforts to minimize food waste.
- Assist with grocery shopping, ordering food and baking ingredients, and purchasing kitchen supplies as needed, while supporting cost-effective purchasing and productive inventory management.
- Provide customer service and support café operations as required.
- Maintain consistent communication with the staff team regarding scheduling, training progress, production needs, and participant support needs.

Qualifications

- Formal culinary training or equivalent experience in commercial kitchen operations, catering, or food service
- Experience with commercial cooking and/ or baking, including high volume food production, catering orders, baked goods, or café production.
- Demonstrated commitment to supporting persons with disabilities, with prior experience considered an asset.
- Strong communication, organizational skills and time management with the ability to mentor and teach food service skills
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team while maintaining a positive and encouraging work environment
- Demonstrated reliability and dependability, with consistent attendance and punctuality




- Physical ability to lift 50 lbs and operate commercial kitchen equipment
- Valid Food Handler Training Certificate (recertification provided if necessary)
- Valid Nova Scotia driver’s license with a clean driver’s abstract
- Clear Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check
- Experienced cooks, bakers, chefs, pastry professionals, catering professionals, are encouraged to apply

As a program of the Department of Opportunities and Social Development, all staff are required to obtain certification in the following core competencies. If you do not already have them, training will be provided: Fire and Life Safety, Medication Awareness, Standard First Aid/CPR, Crisis Intervention, Behavioral Supports, and Individualized Planning

Additional Information

Job Type: Full-time, 1 – year contract

Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–3:00 PM (40 hours/week)

Salary: $51,504 - $55,839 annually To Apply

Please send your résumé and a cover letter outlining your interest in the role to:

Amanda Williams

Executive Director – New Leaf Enterprises [email protected]

Deadline: Thursday, October 8th at 4:00PM

About Easter Seals Nova Scotia

Easter Seals Nova Scotia is a non-profit organization committed to building a barrier-free province. We deliver high-quality programs that support mobility, inclusion, and independence for children, youth, and adults with disabilities.

Learn more at www.easterseals.ns.ca and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @eastersealsns

Equity and Accessibility Statement

Easter Seals Nova Scotia and New Leaf Enterprises are committed to Employment Equity and Diversity. We strongly encourage applications from historically underrepresented groups, including Indigenous Peoples, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

We are also committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process. If you are contacted regarding this opportunity, please let us know of any accommodation required.

Thank you for your interest in working with New Leaf Enterprises. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Pay: $51,504.00-$55,839.00 per year

Benefits

- Casual dress
- On-site parking
- Paid time off

Work Location: In person

📌 Food Service Instructor - Culinary, Baking & Catering (Dartmouth)
🏢 New Leaf Enterprises
📍 Dartmouth