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Culinary Instructor Jobs in Grand Rapids, MI (NOW HIRING)

Culinary Aide

Grand Rapids, MI ยท On-site

$13 - $17.50/hr

Culinary Aide Kent Career Tech Center Non Union Hourly Classified 7 Hours Daily (FT) / 182 Days ... assisting instructors and students in both the classroom and lab environments to maintain ...

Executive Chef

Grand Rapids, MI ยท On-site

$68K - $94K/yr

As the campus culinary expert, the Executive Chef works within the Dining Services Department to ensure that high-quality, properly seasoned, nutritious food is provided throughout the operation in a ...

Executive Chef

Holland, MI

$66K - $91K/yr

A highly personal and explorative culinary journey, a commitment to using the best ingredients from our local farms and purveyors and seeking to make every aspect of the guest experience impactful ...

Executive Chef

Holland, MI ยท On-site

$66K - $91K/yr

A highly personal and explorative culinary journey, a commitment to using the best ingredients from our local farms and purveyors and seeking to make every aspect of the guest experience impactful ...

Sous Chef

Holland, MI ยท On-site

$47K - $64K/yr

Ensuring consistency in culinary excellence across the vessel your primary responsibility. You will work closely with other members of the culinary team every day to ensure that the kitchen ...

Sous Chef

Holland, MI ยท On-site

$47K - $64K/yr

Ensuring consistency in culinary excellence across the vessel your primary responsibility. You will work closely with other members of the culinary team every day to ensure that the kitchen ...

Sous Chef

Grand Rapids, MI ยท On-site

$48K - $64K/yr

Culinary REPORTS TO: Director of Culinary FLSA STATUS: Exempt, Salaried LEGENDS GLOBAL Legends Global is the premier partner to the world's greatest live events, venues, and brands. We deliver a ...

Sous Chef

Grand Rapids, MI ยท On-site

$48K - $64K/yr

Culinary REPORTS TO: Director of Culinary FLSA STATUS: Exempt, Salaried LEGENDS GLOBAL Legends Global is the premier partner to the world's greatest live events, venues, and brands. We deliver a ...

Executive Chef

Grand Rapids, MI ยท On-site

$68K - $94K/yr

Culinary labor, food and small ware financial management experience required. Primary Responsibilities for Job Executive Chef: * Achieve 100% resident satisfaction through plate presentation and ...

Sous Chef

Rockford, MI ยท On-site

$44K - $60K/yr

Supervises culinary staff regarding product quality, portion, cost controls, scheduling, and staffing * Responsible for quality of food served by tasting items and plate presentation * Assists with ...

Sous Chef

Rockford, MI ยท On-site

$42K - $57K/yr

Supervises culinary staff regarding product quality, portion, cost controls, scheduling, and staffing * Responsible for quality of food served by tasting items and plate presentation * Assists with ...

Sous Chef

Rockford, MI ยท On-site

$44K - $60K/yr

Supervises culinary staff regarding product quality, portion, cost controls, scheduling, and staffing * Responsible for quality of food served by tasting items and plate presentation * Assists with ...

Executive Sous Chef

Holland, MI ยท On-site

$62K - $79K/yr

Exceptional cuisine is prepared by chefs who have extensive culinary credentials and training from some of the most prestigious culinary institutes. Using only the freshest ingredients, menus are ...

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Culinary Instructor information

See Grand Rapids, MI salary details

$20K

$54.6K

$93.8K

How much do culinary instructor jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for culinary instructor in Grand Rapids, MI is $54,568.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $40,800.00 and $58,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a culinary instructor?

As a culinary instructor, also called a chef instructor, you often teach in culinary arts programs where students train to work in professional kitchens. Your job duties as a culinary educator include preparing lesson plans and demonstrating cooking techniques. You supervise students as they practice their new skills and provide feedback on their execution. As a culinary instructor, you may teach general skills courses or specialized classes like butchery, sauces, or classes on regional cuisines. As students advance, you help cultivate professionalism in your students and help them prepare to work in the industry.

What does a culinary instructor do?

A Culinary Instructor teaches students about cooking techniques, food safety, kitchen equipment, and various cuisines. They develop lesson plans, demonstrate recipes, and oversee hands-on practice to help students build practical culinary skills. Culinary Instructors may work in culinary schools, community colleges, or private cooking classes, and they often assess students' progress through exams or practical evaluations. Their goal is to prepare students for careers in the culinary industry or to improve their cooking abilities for personal use.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a culinary instructor, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Culinary Instructor, you need advanced culinary expertise, teaching experience, and often a degree or certification from a culinary school. Familiarity with industry-standard kitchen equipment, food safety regulations, and learning management systems is typically required. Strong communication, patience, and the ability to inspire and mentor students are vital soft skills in this role. These skills ensure high-quality instruction, safe kitchen practices, and effective student engagement, which are crucial for student success and program reputation.

What are some common challenges culinary instructors face when teaching diverse groups of students?

Culinary Instructors often teach students with varying skill levels, cultural backgrounds, and learning styles, which can make it challenging to ensure everyone keeps pace and feels included. Balancing hands-on instruction with classroom theory, maintaining kitchen safety, and managing time effectively during practical sessions are frequent hurdles. Additionally, adapting teaching methods to engage both beginners and advanced students requires flexibility and creativity. Successful instructors foster an inclusive, supportive learning environment while maintaining high standards and encouraging teamwork.

What is the difference between Culinary Instructor vs Pastry Chef?

AspectCulinary InstructorPastry Chef
CredentialsCooking certifications, culinary degreesPastry arts certifications, culinary degrees
Work EnvironmentEducational settings, culinary schoolsRestaurants, bakeries, hotels
Employer & IndustryEducational institutions, culinary schoolsFood service industry, hospitality
Primary FocusTeaching cooking techniques and recipesCreating and preparing baked goods and desserts

While both Culinary Instructors and Pastry Chefs have culinary expertise and certifications, Culinary Instructors focus on teaching cooking skills in educational settings, whereas Pastry Chefs specialize in baking and pastry creation in commercial kitchens. Their work environments and primary responsibilities differ, but both roles require strong culinary knowledge and passion for food.

What are popular job titles related to Culinary Instructor jobs in Grand Rapids, MI?

For Culinary Instructor jobs in Grand Rapids, MI, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Culinary Instructor jobs in Grand Rapids, MI look for?

The top searched job categories for Culinary Instructor jobs in Grand Rapids, MI are:

What cities near Grand Rapids, MI are hiring for Culinary Instructor jobs?

Cities near Grand Rapids, MI with the most Culinary Instructor job openings:

Infographic showing various Culinary Instructor job openings in Grand Rapids, MI as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, and 11% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $54,568 per year, or $26.2 per hour.

Culinary Aide

Kent Career Tech Center

Grand Rapids, MI โ€ข On-site

$13 - $17.50/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Posted 19 days ago


Job description

Culinary Aide

Kent Career Tech Center

Non Union Hourly Classified

7 Hours Daily (FT) / 182 Days (Full School Year)

Summary:

Oversee and facilitate the logistical operations related to inventory control, maintaining operations, and providing general supervision of Culinary lab environments at Kent Career Technical Center. Additional responsibilities include the facilitation of food product transportation, supporting catering events and food service operations, managing point of sale systems and processes, and assisting instructors and students in both the classroom and lab environments to maintain operational flow of the program.

Job Qualifications:

  • Associates degree or higher in culinary/hospitality preferred.
  • Maintain Sanitation and Safety Certifications commensurate with duties.
  • Ability/skills, and knowledge to operate commercial food service equipment.
  • Knowledge of Michigan Department of Health standards and regulations affecting food service, including FIFO, HACCP, MSDS, and MIOSHA.
  • Ability to read, comprehend, and transmit detailed instructions in order to plan and perform job duties.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively interact with teachers, students, and the general public.
  • Strong attention to detail with excellent concentration abilities; capable of independent organization, prioritization, and time management to consistently deliver quality work on schedule.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Meeting and working with various vendors and representatives.
  • Help and assist with inventory and store ordered products and supplies in accordance with MDPH policies.
  • Maintain the organization of allocated storage rooms and coolers.
  • Maintain temperature logs according to HACCP standards and keep these records for the MDPH, if needed.
  • Facilitate catering orders including receiving catering requests, booking and scheduling, and organizing special requests and orders with instructors.
  • May be requested to assist in the costing and billing of certain items and events.
  • Be available to set up in-house special events. This may include an occasional evening function.
  • Maintain a monthly physical inventory of all small wears, linens, dishes, and ensure proper working condition of equipment by maintaining up to date equipment maintenance logs.
  • Demonstrates initiative and creativity and works in a self-directed manner.
  • Support and demonstrate for students industry-standard lab (kitchen/restaurant/bakery) management, logistics, inventorying, and ordering processes.
  • Ability and skill to assist students and staff, when needed, demonstrating and using industry acceptable practices.
  • Assist program staff with general student non-instructional support and supervision when not managing ordering, inventorying, and lab responsibilities (including safety, questions, and logistics).
  • May occasionally need to transport students on field trips or to industry related placements, drive to catered events (or back to main campus), in an approved school vehicle.
  • Retain all stored departmental records (inventories, logs, MSDS sheets, other items) needed for TRAC compliance.
  • Assist with managing Point-of-Sale (POS) processes, including counting of all monies received from the day (Frontline, Cafe', and Bakery) and reconcile with POS reports consistent with Kent ISD policies.
  • Submit and maintain a list of maintenance requests to facilitate and organize necessary repairs with facilities team and instructors.
  • Complete opening and closing duties in lab spaces to ensure equipment is safely turned off, food product is stored properly, and kitchen lab spaces are cleaned and maintained for sanitation purposes.
  • Any other duties as assigned by administration.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Alternative requirements that may be appropriate and acceptable to the School Board may be considered. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Benefits: Robust benefit package includes full medical, dental, and vision insurance; generous paid sick and personal days; State of Michigan School Employment retirement program; Kent ISD is a participating employer for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF/ SAVE plan) for eligible Federal student loans.

Please note, due to the large number of applications, we are unable to attend to e-mail or telephone inquiries on application status.

The final candidate for this position will be required (at their cost) to furnish Kent Intermediate School District with a current Michigan State Police and FBI criminal records LiveScan check prior to our recommendation to hire.

The District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex (including gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth, or a related condition), age, height, weight, familial status, marital status, military service, veteran status, genetic information, disability, or any other legally protected basis, and prohibits unlawful discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, in any education program or activity that it operates, including in admission and employment. The Coordinator for Title IX, Section 504, the Age Discrimination Act and Title II is: Dave Rodgers, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources