Position: Head Cook (Senior Camp Cook) - Summer Seasonal
Timing: Summer 2024 Season (Now to Early September), hiring immediately
Location: YBRA Field Camp, Red Lodge, Montana
Salary: $3,500 to $4,000 per month, negotiable based on experience and/or performance; room & board INCLUDED at no cost. Reasonable one-time travel expenses to get to the camp for the summer.
How to Apply: 1) Please REPLY via the link on this job post with resume / contact info 2) apply directly on the YBRA website at www.ybra.org 3) email Rich Fifarek or John Weber at the email address on the www.ybra.org website
If you are an experienced head cook with a positive attitude and love the mountains, the Yellowstone Bighorn Research Association (www.ybra.org) a non-profit summer field geology facility in operation since 1936 on the National Historic Registry is hiring a full-time Head Cook / Senior Camp Cook immediately for the summer of 2024 (mid-May to early-Sep). The Head Cook / Senior Camp Cook plans and prepares meals in a lodge with a fully equipped kitchen at our historic camp near Red Lodge, Montana. The Head Cook / Senior Camp Cook will: 1) manage all aspects of the kitchen, dining room, and kitchen staff, including planning meals so that kitchen crew members each get 1 day off per week; 2) plan, and/or prepare, and/or serve 2 hot family and/or buffet style meals and 1 cold bag lunches to 30-90+ students and faculty seven days per week, 3) live on-site (at no cost), 4) work an average of six days per week. YBRA has a recipe book but is open to the addition of new healthy and memorable camp meals. In addition to a competitive salary, meals and housing in a private cabin will be provided at no cost. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience working as a cook on a ranch, at a summer camp, in a school cafeteria, ski lodge, etc. or similar setting. This is an exciting summer opportunity for an energetic, entrepreneurial culinary professional who loves the mountains.
To learn more about YBRA go to: www.ybra.org. A photo tour of the kitchen and camp can be provided on request.
Candidates ideally should have most of the following traits and qualifications:
- Comfortable living and working at the rustic and historic field camp on Mount Maurice overlooking Red Lodge, Montana
- Comfortable working in a family-friendly environment with an upbeat, team and people-oriented
culture
- Experience as a Head Cook / Senior Camp Cook familiar with meal planning, food ordering and preparation for the varied number of guests at the camp, which can range from 30-90+ guests some weeks.
o The main meals are breakfast and dinner, lunch is typically a bag lunch prepared from supplies provided by kitchen for guests going out into the field.
o Consideration must be made for special menu requirements for individual guests, such as vegan or vegetarian or halal options.
- Experience managing, directing, and training kitchen staff to help set-up, serve and clean-up
after meals.
- Able to manage kitchen staff schedules and meal plans to ensure adequate staff to prepare and
serve the number of guests in camp each night and ensure 1 day off per week for the staff and
Head Cook.
- Familiar with and certified in all applicable food & food safety regulations.
- Must be outgoing and engaging with guests as you, with the other camp staff are the “face” of
YBRA
- Must Pass a background check and provide professional and personal references
- Must be ServSafe certified
- Must be punctual and reliable as meals are prepared and served to guests at set times
- Be a talented multi-tasker and be able to work efficently
- Must be able to stand, walk and work in a warm kitchen environment for extended periods for
meal preparation and clean-up.
- Must be able to lift 25 - 40 pounds
- Experience as a cook in a high-volume ranch, camp, cafeteria, or lodge is required.
- Valid driver’s license to be able to drive a camp vehicle obtain food stocks, supplies at local and
regional stores
- Experience: Cooking: 3+ years, “home cooking” experience and culinary experience required.
- Compensation: Salary starting at $3,500 to $4,000 per month, salary may be negotiated based on experience and/or performance.
- Timing: IMMEDIATE - The job is full-time during the season from mid-May to late August/Early September
depending on the guest bookings and schedule.
- Room & Board: Camp housing includes wifi, laundry and all utilities provided; all meals
(breakfast lunch and dinner) are provided. No-cost housing is a private cabin close to the lodge
where kitchen is located. In the past, spouses or partners of the Head Cook have shared the nocost cabin provided and may also find summer employment opportunities at YBRA.
- Location: YBRA Field Camp Red Lodge, Montana (www.ybra.org). The successful applicate
must relocate to the camp or reasonably daily commute initially in mid-May to help open camp
and train with our Camp Manager before starting work for the summer. Reasonable one-time
travel expense requests to get to the camp for the summer may be considered on a case-by-case basis