Culinary Director

The Sun Valley Culinary Institute (SVCI) is a community-supported, not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving as a culinary education hub. As an educational institution, SVCI caters to two distinct groups of students: aspiring professionals and enthusiastic home cooks. Our Professional Program is tailored for individuals committed to launching a career in the foodservice industry. This one-year program offers a unique blend of hands-on kitchen instruction and practical experience at an affordable cost, with a focus on maintaining small class sizes. SVCI's approach stands as an alternative to traditional college-level culinary arts programs. The Professional Program is a non-accredited initiative, comprised of two 10-week blocks of intensive training and eight months of industry experience through two four-month externships. Meanwhile, we offer a wide range of Enthusiast Classes to the general public while our professional students are engaged in their externships. This scheduling aligns with Sun Valley's peak seasons when there is a high demand for expertly delivered cooking classes and catering services.

Due to our school's small size and the mix of professional curriculum, enthusiast classes, and community activities, the role of Culinary Director is multifaceted. We seek a Culinary Director with strong culinary skills, instructional prowess, and program management expertise. The primary responsibility of the Culinary Director is to provide daily instruction to both professional and enthusiast students. Additionally, the Culinary Director plays a pivotal role in identifying and developing innovative programs and revenue streams that align with SVCI's mission.

Required Experience:
- A minimum of 10 years of experience as a Chef Instructor.
- Substantial experience in culinary education, ideally encompassing instructional and administrative roles.
- Proven leadership capabilities.

Recommended Experience:
- Professional experience across various foodservice segments.
- An ability to thrive in a start-up environment.
- Experience in non-vocational (enthusiast) cooking classes.
- Possession of professional certifications.

Ideal candidates for this position are self-starters with a demonstrated track record of guiding organizations toward excellence. This individual should also exhibit strong leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills. Some proficiency in fundraising, public relations, and community engagement is desirable.

Responsibilities of the Culinary Director include:
- Overseeing day-to-day culinary operations for both professional and enthusiast classes. This encompasses:
  - Ordering and managing food inventory.
  - Delivering professional classes.
  - Developing and delivering enthusiast classes.
  - Managing all kitchen assets, staff, and activities.
  - Recruiting professional students, supervising externships, conducting student assessments, and providing career advising.
  - Adapting the professional curriculum as needed.
  - Maintaining the operational budget.
  - Developing and delivering other innovative culinary activities as appropriate.
  - Supporting marketing, media, public relations, and event activities as required.

Reporting: The Culinary Director reports to the Executive Director.

About Sun Valley Culinary Institute

The Sun Valley Culinary Institute's (SVCI) mission is to provide culinary education to students, professionals, and enthusiasts. Attract and develop workforce talent for our diverse hospitality industries. Strengthen and diversify the local economy. Promote community health and wellness with a focus on local food sources and sustainability. SVCI is an educational institution dedicated to preparing professional culinarians to begin a career in the foodservice industry. SVCI also prepares students to confidently enter into an accredited culinary arts program with relevant industry experience and skills. SVCI is not an accredited institution of higher learning and cannot issue college credits or a formal degree. This allows SVCI to solely focus on culinary education. SVCI is dedicated to training industry professionals to begin a career in the foodservice industry. At the same time, SVCI provides culinary classes and experiences to amateur cooks and enthusiasts. While SVCI serves these two distinct clienteles, programming operates independently and the two will not overlap in terms of facility use. During the periods of intensive professional coursework, there is not a focus o...n enthusiast classes. While the professional students are on paid externships, SVCI will offer a variety of enthusiast classes to a non-professional clientele. In conjunction with its food and beverage industry partners, students will have the opportunity to attend locally hosted national and international meetings and forums. SVCI is located in Ketchum, ID home to the Sun Valley, the first destination ski resort in the United States.

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