Weekly Volunteer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Hope Mission Statement

The mission of Hope the Mission is to prevent, reduce and eliminate poverty, hunger, and homelessness by offering immediate assistance and long-term solutions.

Position Purpose and Summary

HTM's events program includes donor dinners, VIP lunches, volunteer sessions, public events, and off-site catering. Running it well requires someone who can lead a culinary team, manage logistics, and deliver consistent quality across all of it. The Events Sous Chef is the person who makes that happen.

Reporting to the Event Chef de Cuisine, the Events Sous Chef leads the day-to-day work of the events culinary team. This includes food production, menu planning, staff and volunteer supervision, inventory management, and event logistics. This role also runs HTM's weekly volunteer sessions and steps in to lead the kitchen whenever the Event Chef de Cuisine is unavailable.

Food safety is non-negotiable. Quality is consistent regardless of event size. Volunteers are led with purpose. At HTM, the events program is a mission asset — one that builds relationships, generates resources, and represents the organization to the public. The Events Sous Chef is accountable for the culinary integrity of that program every day.

Responsibilities

Event Execution & Production

• Lead the Events team in preparing for and executing a variety of events including on and off-site catering, executive and VIP lunches, small to large-scale volunteer work sessions, company social functions and ceremonies, and special events open to the public

• Ensure all food is prepared and ready for service or packing at the designated time, maintaining consistency and quality in every dish

• Work closely with the Kitchen Logistics Team to manage cold and dry storage and all logistical concerns of event setup, packing, and transport

• Assist in client meal production, bakery team production, and kitchen logistics as needed

Menu Planning & Culinary Development

• Collaborate with the Event Chef de Cuisine on event menu planning, recipe development, and culinary projects for volunteers, ensuring variety, balance, and adherence to dietary needs

• Creatively utilize donated food to minimize waste and maximize resources in menu planning and production

• Place orders for all necessary products including food items and service wares under the guidance of the Event Chef de Cuisine and Executive Chef

Volunteer Programs

• Run regular weekly volunteer sessions as well as special group sessions, curating meaningful and safe culinary experiences for the public that benefit the organization and Food Services operations

Team Leadership & Staff Management

• Assist in hiring, training, scheduling, and disciplinary actions of kitchen team members

• Assist in directing and mentoring lead cooks, line cooks, bakers, and dishwashers in all aspects of food production including proper techniques, cleanliness, and storage

• Maintain open and effective communication with the culinary team, providing guidance, feedback, and support as needed

Operations & Compliance

• Manage day-to-day operations of the Events team, ensuring company policy compliance, strict adherence to food safety standards, productivity and efficiency, and achievement of food quality standards set by the Event Chef de Cuisine, Executive Chef, and Senior Director of Food Services

• Establish and enforce rigorous sanitation protocols, conducting daily and weekly deep cleaning schedules

• Maintain and track food inventory, special equipment, service wares, and utensils reserved for Events use

• Inspect and report any maintenance issues with kitchen equipment on a weekly basis

• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Must pass pre-employment background check

• Must pass pre-employment and ongoing drug and TB testing

• Must provide proof of legal authorization to work in the United States

• Must comply with all HTM policies including safety, conduct, and food safety standards

• Valid California driver's license required

• Manager ServSafe Certification required

• Ability to stand, walk, climb stairs, stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, reach, and stretch on a continuous basis in a working kitchen environment

• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull items regularly as required by kitchen operations

• Ability to perform sustained visual tasks including close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with exposure to heat, cold, and variable kitchen conditions

• Ability to drive vehicles in and around Los Angeles County as needed

• Schedule includes evenings, weekends, and event-specific hours as required

• Full-Time | Exempt | Management classification

Qualifications

• Minimum six years of cooking experience required; catering environment strongly preferred

• High school diploma or GED preferred

• Demonstrated experience in a high-volume, scratch-cooking kitchen environment

• Experience supervising and developing culinary staff including lead cooks, line cooks, and volunteers

• Experience with food inventory management, product ordering, and kitchen logistics

• Experience leading volunteer groups or public-facing culinary programming preferred

• Commitment to serving the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness

• Bilingual Spanish preferred but not required

Skills

• Mastery of scratch-cooking techniques across a range of cuisines and event formats

• In-depth knowledge of culinary techniques, food safety standards, and current food trends

• Ability to lead and direct a culinary team with clarity, consistency, and professionalism

• Strong organizational and multitasking skills with attention to detail across simultaneous food production priorities

• Knowledge of food safety regulations and best practices in sanitation and kitchen maintenance

• Proficiency in inventory management, product ordering, and cold and dry storage coordination

• Ability to creatively utilize donated food to minimize waste and maximize production quality

• Effective written and verbal communication skills for coordination across teams and departments

• Ability to foster a culture of respect, inclusion, and continuous learning within the culinary team

• Ability to adapt quickly in a fast-paced, event-driven kitchen environment

Mandatory Requirements:

• Background Screening – Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

• Drug and Alcohol Testing – Candidates must pass pre-employment and, if applicable, ongoing drug and alcohol screenings in accordance with company policy.

• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Check – For roles requiring driving, employment is contingent upon an acceptable driving record.

• Legal Eligibility to Work – Candidates must provide proof of legal authorization to work in the United States.

• Compliance with Company Policies – All employees must comply with company policies, including safety, confidentiality, and conduct standards.

Physical, Demands, Environmental Conditions, Equipment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Employee is required to: Routinely required to sit; walk; climb stairs; engage in verbal, written, and email communication; hear; use hands to keyboard, finger, handle, and feel; stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, reach, and stretch. Occasionally required to move around the Administration office. Can observe and respond to people and situations and interact with others encountered in the course of work.

Handle, fingers, grasp and feel objects and equipment; Reach with hands and arms; Communicate, receive and exchange ideas, information by means of the spoken and written word; Be mobile by moving oneself from place to place quickly and easily; Repeat various motions with the wrists, hands, and fingers; Be able to have visual activity for (including, but not limited to) administrative and clerical tasks; Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Drive vehicle in and around Los Angeles County, as needed; be able to enter buildings that may require climbing stairs.

Be periodically subjected to outside environmental conditions. Use a desktop and/or laptop computer, copy, postage, and fax machines. Complete all required forms in personal writing. Employee may work in proximity to service animals and emotional support animals.

• EEO: HOTV (Hope of the Valley) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, HOTV complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, placement, promotion, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

• HOTV will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if HOTV is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s Fair Chance Act webpage.