Join The Team

Overview

As one of the first Lead Cooking Instructors at Little Chefs, Big Change, you would join a small, mission-driven group of individuals who are passionate about bringing healthy cooking to after school programs in Knoxville, TN. This is a dynamic role that requires the instructor to take charge of a full cooking class, including set up and clean up, managing teenage and adult volunteers, working directly with 12 students in elementary or middle school, and most importantly, sharing enthusiasm about healthy cooking and eating. Check out this video to see us in action!

Responsibilities

• Ensure that recipes are ready within the time limit and that the food tastes great

• Manage student safety and behavioral challenges for up to 12 students in elementary or middle school

• Maintain a positive, energetic attitude that gets kids excited to make the recipes and try new foods

• Manage 2-4 teenage and adult volunteers by delegating tasks, giving clear directions, and providing positive and constructive feedback

• Demonstrate proper food prep techniques, like peeling, cutting, measuring etc.

• Teach students how to use cooking equipment and tools

• Offer information about the ingredients and cooking methods

• Oversee three cooking stations (each with a group of children and volunteer working on a recipe)

Class format 

• Timeframe: Week days, after school

• Pre-class communication with LCBC team, recipe review, ingredient pick-up: 1 ½ hours

• Class set up time: 1 hour

• Class duration: 1 ½ hours 

• Clean up time: 30 minutes to 1 hour

• Teaching team: One lead instructor and four to eight volunteers
  

Hours and Compensation

$20-$25/hour as a 1099 contractor (up to $125 per class), depending on experience. Instructors can teach one or more classes per week based on availability.

Requirements

• Experience with plant-based cooking and confident in the kitchen

• Two or more years of experience working with kids, ideally in an educational, summer camp or coaching capacity

• Effective classroom management skills 

• Ability to problem solve in a fast-paced environment

• Must be resourceful, patient, confident, and fun

• Ability to multitask and adapt to new information and situations is critical

About Us

Little Chefs, Big Change teaches kids how to cook healthy food, using plant-based recipes that employ a variety of ingredients, tools and techniques. Kids build confidence and independence in a kitchen environment, while expanding their familiarity with and preference for foods packed with vegetables, whole grains and legumes.  We teach how to safely use a sharp knife, cook on a stovetop, and how to use the kitchen equipment crucial to making healthy eating easier, including a food processor, high speed blender, and pressure cooker.  

Little Chefs, Big Change believes in the power of kids to steer their family’s food choices and that kids can cook, choose healthy options, and enjoy a wide-variety of foods if they have early exposure. We strive to be inclusive as an organization and are sensitive to income, race, religion and gender.  We value each person’s identity and strive to ensure our programming is inclusive of all families, diets, and budgets. We celebrate dietary differences, offer culturally diverse recipes, and do not stigmatize any family’s food practices. We acknowledge the health disparities felt by low income and people of color and prioritize equity in our work.

To Apply

Send resume and cover letter to Sarah Wharton at sarah@littlechefsbigchange.org. Please include your availability for an interview and how many cooking classes you would like to teach per week.