Dan's Legacy is seeking a Lead Chef Instructor to lead the delivery of our trauma-informed culinary job skills training program for youth at risk ages 15–25 who face barriers to employment. The Lead Chef Instructor provides leadership in both participant development and commercial kitchen operations by delivering hands-on culinary instruction, coaching participants toward employment readiness, and ensuring protected, efficient food production for Dan's Diner and catering operations.

This position balances high-quality food production with meaningful skill development, ensuring participants receive practical, industry-relevant experience that prepares them for sustainable employment. This position also provides day-to-day leadership to Cook Instructors, volunteers, and participants while maintaining compliance with food safety, health and safety, and organizational standards.

This Position Reports Directly To: Program Manager – Job Skills Training Programs

Location: 150-131 11th Street, New Westminster & 3690 Vanness Ave, Vancouver

Employment Type: Full-Time

Term: Fixed term until March 31, 2026 (with potential for extension)

Salary Range: $31.00/hour - $32.00/hour

Duties & Responsibilities:

Program Leadership & Instruction

- Lead the planning, coordination, and delivery of Dan's Legacy's culinary employment training program.
- Design and deliver engaging, hands-on learning experiences that develop participants' culinary, workplace, and employability skills.
- Apply trauma-informed, culturally safe, and participant-centred teaching practices that promote engagement, confidence, and personal growth.
- Adapt instruction to accommodate diverse learning styles, abilities, and barriers to employment.
- Assess participant progress and provide ongoing coaching, mentorship, and constructive feedback.
- Support participants in achieving individualized employment readiness goals.
- Collaborate with Employment Coaches and Program staff to support participant success.

Kitchen Operations & Food Production

- Lead daily commercial kitchen operations while maintaining high standards of food quality, efficiency, and safety.
- Plan daily production schedules to balance participant learning with operational requirements.
- Oversee food preparation, catering production, inventory management, purchasing, and kitchen organization.
- Ensure compliance with FoodSafe standards, WorkSafeBC requirements, sanitation procedures, and organizational policies.
- Monitor food costs, waste reduction, inventory rotation, and equipment maintenance.
- Contribute to menu planning and continuous improvement of food services.

Leadership & Supervision

- Provide leadership, guidance, and support to Cook Instructors, volunteers, and participant trainees.
- Model professional workplace behaviours and culinary best practices.
- Delegate tasks effectively while creating learning opportunities for participants.
- Support staff development through coaching and knowledge sharing.
- Address workplace challenges using collaborative problem-solving and conflict resolution strategies.
- Promote a positive team culture grounded in accountability, respect, and continuous learning.

Participant Support





- Recognize barriers to learning and adapt teaching approaches accordingly.
- Support participants in developing workplace confidence, communication skills, professionalism, and independence.
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries while providing encouragement and mentorship.
- Collaborate with internal and external support professionals when additional participant supports are required.

Administration & Documentation

- Maintain accurate participant attendance, progress notes, assessments, and program documentation using organizational databases (ShareVision) and Microsoft Office applications.
- Complete production records, catering documentation, inventory records, and incident reports.
- Participate in program evaluation, quality improvement initiatives, and team meetings.
- Assist with reporting requirements and other administrative duties as assigned.

Working Conditions

- Work is performed primarily in a commercial kitchen and training environment.
- Regular standing, lifting (up to 50 lbs), bending, and repetitive movements.
- Exposure to hot surfaces, kitchen equipment, cleaning chemicals, and food allergens.
- Evenings, weekends, and early mornings for catering and special events.
- Travel between Dan's Legacy program sites may be required.

Qualifications & Requirements:

- Red Seal Cook certification or equivalent combination of education and significant commercial kitchen leadership experience.
- Minimum 5 years of commercial kitchen experience, including supervisory or leadership responsibilities.
- Experience teaching, coaching, mentoring, or training adults or youth.
- FoodSafe Level 1 (Level 2 preferred).
- Valid Class 5 BC Driver's Licence and reliable transportation.
- Successful Criminal Record Check including Vulnerable Sector Screening.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, email, and electronic documentation systems.
- Experience in nonprofit or employment training environments.
- First Aid certification.

Interpersonal Skills:
- Attention to detail
- Organizational skills
- Problem solving skills
- Ability to work independently
- Adaptability & flexibility
- Teamwork & co-operation
- Dependability & responsibility
- Strong communication skills

About Dan’s Legacy: Dan’s Legacy provides trauma-informed and culturally sensitive counselling, outreach and job-skills training to youth at risk in Metro Vancouver. These young people, aged 15 to 25, are at significant risk of overdose, self-harm, homelessness, and suicide. Dan’s Legacy’s therapy and outreach teams go directly to the youth, our wait list times are minimal, and all our programs and services are free.

In 2025, Dan’s Legacy helped over 700 youth stabilize their mental health, and begin working towards their educational, employment and recovery goals.



For more information about Dan’s Legacy: www.danslegacy.com

Dan’s Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and we seek to hire employees who reflect the diversity of our clients - Indigenous, Black, Hispanic, South Asian and LGBTQ2S+ people are encouraged to apply. We respectfully and gratefully acknowledge that our work takes place on the unceded, and traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples.

All employees are required to be immunized against COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases. These include, but are not limited to, measles, mumps, rubella, Hepatitis B, whooping cough (pertussis), and chickenpox (varicella).

We understand that there may be circumstances preventing vaccination. Dan's Legacy will review accommodation requests from staff who can provide reasonable justification for not being vaccinated. Please be aware that your vaccination status for these preventable diseases may be requested for work in certain facilities and locations.

While Dan’s Legacy does not formally request proof of vaccination at the start of employment, the Foundation may require this proof to be provided throughout your employment due to the nature of our work. As we work with vulnerable populations and occasionally operate in healthcare facilities, Dan's Legacy follows the same vaccination protocols as the Province of BC.

Cook Training Program / Dan’s Diner Social Enterprise

Dan's Legacy’s Cook Training and Dan’s Diner Social Enterprise job-skills programs provide clinically supported training in cooking skills to youth aging out of care, Indigenous youth, young women survivors of gendered abuse and new Canadians.

The Cook

Instructor, supported by Dan’s Legacy’s counselling and outreach team, works with a cohort of young adult students with various mental health challenges in the Cook Training program. Training is provided to the Cook Instructor from the counselling team to learn best practices in supporting youth with trauma-based mental health challenges.

Dan’s Legacy knows that at-risk youth need opportunities to not only maintain their mental wellness but also grow and thrive in the community. The Dan’s Legacy job-skills training programs are designed to provide youth with the training they need to work immediately in the hospitality industry, or move on to further post-secondary culinary skills training, eventually obtaining Red Seal Certification.

The entire program operates with clinical support from Dan’s Legacy’s therapists and social work/outreach teams, ensuring the youth have mental health counselling support before, during and after the training. This position reports to the Program Manager Dan’s Diner, and is responsible for a variety of tasks, managing staff and clients, building program awareness and structure.

Pay: $31.00-$32.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits

- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Discounted or free food
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- Paid time off
- Store discount
- Vision care
- Work from home

Work Location: In person

📌 Lead Chef Instructor (Vancouver)
🏢 Dan's Legacy
📍 Vancouver