Culinary Team Member (Seasonal, Part-Time)

Ox-Bow as an artist-built community is dedicated to the preservation of time and space for arts education, research, practice, and community building for artists at all stages of their artistic journey.

The main objectives of Culinary Team Members are to prepare food for the Ox-Bow community, clean and maintain the kitchen and dining facilities, and provide an atmosphere of excellent hospitality and professionalism. Working closely with the culinary management team, Team Members have the opportunity to share their ideas and creatively collaborate at the intersection of food and art. Ox-Bow’s kitchen is public-facing, and all Culinary Team Members interact directly with participants on a regular basis. Team Members must be proactive and responsive communicators and problem solvers, equipped to answer questions, respond to guests’ needs, and provide excellent, professional customer service while expressing knowledge and enthusiasm about Ox-Bow’s mission and programming. The culinary team also supports the food-based aspects of occasional special events taking place on Ox-Bow’s campus.

This is a seasonal, part-time position working an average of 16-20 hours per week, beginning in late April, specific schedule to be determined by the Head Chef and Deputy Director. This position is appropriate for candidates living within a commuting distance. On-site housing is not available for this part-time position. Meals are provided during work days.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Prepares breakfast, lunch, and dinner foods based on menu including salads, soups, sides, main courses, desserts, and baked goods

Makes accommodations to serve guests with allergies or specific diet concerns

Maintains cleanliness of preparation and food storage areas

Safe operation of kitchen equipment and tools

Trash removal

Works with meat, poultry, fish, and other animal products

Ensures maintenance of and cleanliness of all service areas, including kitchen, dining room, adjacent bathrooms, outdoor prep and service areas, drink bar, toast bar, and surrounding areas

Maintains sense of urgency to ensure timely delivery of meals

Positive service and guest interactions

Receives and stocks bulk order deliveries

Properly stores and labels food

Daily ongoing cleaning including dishwashing and completion of opening and closing checklists

Attends and contributes to regular meetings, including the opportunity to develop meal planning ideas

Wears appropriate professional attire

Other project- and event-based support as determined by the culinary management team and Deputy Director; including but not limited to event, office, housekeeping, maintenance, and hospitality support

EDUCATION/JOB EXPERIENCE/CERTIFICATION

Though previous experience in food service is preferred, anyone with a passion for food and art is welcome to apply

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of basic standard food preparation and storage practices

Knowledgeable in usage of kitchen equipment

Experience in preparing meals

Essential basic computer skills

Effective and positive communicator

Express enthusiasm for Ox-Bow’s mission

Keen sense of professionalism and hospitality skills

Highly organized and reliable

A savvy multi-tasker

Finds inspiration in the distinctive or idiosyncratic

Comfortable taking creative risks

Thrives in dynamic environments

An eye for detail

Must be a team player, able to work independently as well as in a group

Must be innovative, reliable, patient, tenacious

A passion for the arts and familiarity with artist communities preferred

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to stand and walk for extended periods of time and be able to move about in indoor and outdoor environments.

Operate computer, tools, and vehicles and must have the ability to use hands to move, set up, adjust, assemble, control, operate, or feel objects, tools or controls and reach with hands and arms.

Must be able to traverse uneven terrain and stairs

Constantly communicate and exchange information with team members and must be able to effectively communicate correct information

Read/comprehend, write, communicate orally, reasoning, and analytical abilities, and mental flexibility

Frequently move objects up to 50 pounds

The employee will routinely climb, bend, squat, kneel, crouch, and reach above shoulder

Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus to compare and distinguish administrative data.

Hearing ability to perceive the nature of sounds at normal speaking level with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make discriminations in sound.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly working in an indoor and outdoor work environment, at times in high heat and humidity.

Working environments will sometimes involve hazardous materials and loud noise

Requires wearing common protective and safety equipment

Position may involve extended work hours, weekends and holidays

Working At Ox-Bow

Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency, founded in 1910, offers a wide range of opportunities for artists at all stages of their careers. Our campus is nestled on a peninsular interdunal wetland in Saugatuck, MI. With programs that target degree-seeking students, professional artists and those new to the field, Ox-Bow builds a supportive frame in which artists can push their practices in new directions. Ox-Bow’s community is expansive and ever-evolving. Working at Ox-Bow is a unique experience. Our staff consists of both year-round and seasonal positions. Some staff live on campus during their working months, while others commute or work remotely both within the state of Michigan and beyond. 

Working at Ox-Bow is working at the intersection of education, hospitality and culture. Together we seek to create a welcoming environment that nurtures the creative process while building community across generations, career stages, disciplines and identities. With over 100 years of arts education behind us, we have a vast community of alumni, including staff, students, resident artists, faculty, and community supporters, who love and care for Ox-Bow. Working at Ox-Bow is to become part of that community, and help sustain a historic non-profit arts organization for current and future generations of artists and art lovers. 

At Ox-Bow we have a vision to be a place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, lend their creativity, and work in support of an evolving, yet historic, art school. We pride ourselves on thinking and acting creatively, and recognize that part of what makes us a unique place for both our staff and students, is the talent and dedication of our employees. 

Ox-Bow is committed to diversity and inclusion, we believe deeply in diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity and national origin and work to reflect that in our classrooms, programming, faculty, staff and board.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists' Residency is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for its students, visitors, faculty, and staff, and to ensuring that educational and employment decisions are based on an individual’s abilities and qualifications. Ox-Bow does not tolerate unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or former military status, or any other status protected by federal, state or local law, in its programs and activities, public accommodations or employment practices.