Camp Caldera Lead Cook at Caldera – Sisters, Oregon

At Caldera, we believe in the power of creativity. Our mission is to inspire and support youth from underserved rural and urban communities by awakening the potential of their creative voice. We do this through a unique fusion of art, environment and mentorship. Our Youth Program provides students from Portland and Central Oregon with long-term relationships with caring adults, which nurtures individual creativity, beginning in sixth grade and continuing into young adulthood.

Caldera has a $5M budget, a 18-member board, 21 full-time year-round employees, and a range of seasonally contracted artists and staff. Its administrative office is located in Portland, Oregon, and its Arts Center is located outside of Sisters in Central Oregon.

Position Title: Lead Cook

Supervisor: Head Chef and Camp Manager

Full Time: Typical days are 8 hours in length, with sessions that make for up to 10 straight days of work without a full day off. Each staff member will have at least 1 night off per session.

Work Location: Sisters, OR

Compensation: Salary/Rate of Pay: $150/day, with 1% increase for each year of experience working at Camp Caldera (not to exceed 7%)

• Training Rate: $75-150/day depending on whether meals are prepared
• Room and board provided during days with programming; room only during non-programming days. A light dinner will be provided on staff arrival days. Brunch is served on the last day of each session.

Position Description:

At Caldera, the kitchen staff is a very important part of the Caldera Community and is welcome to participate in daily program activities when kitchen duties are complete. Lead Cook, Assistant Cook, and up to five Kitchen Assistants maintain Caldera’s kitchen. Kitchen staff prepare meals that are healthy, delicious, and appealing to both youth and adults (roughly 100-120 each meal).

The Lead Cook oversees all aspects of meal service including menu planning and ordering, food preparation and kitchen maintenance that adheres to industry safety standards, and management of kitchen staff. This person exercises strong leadership in scheduling, training, and supervising the kitchen team.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

MEAL SERVICE (80% OF TIME DEDICATED)

• Oversee all aspects of meal preparation, providing abundant meals on a tight budget; follow serving guidelines while being sensitive to youth who may be familiar with the concept of scarcity and feelings of hunger
• Lead supervision, scheduling, and training of kitchen staff
• Follow meal schedule determined by Camp Manager
• Maintain a clean, healthy work environment

KITCHEN MANAGEMENT (10% OF TIME DEDICATED)

• Oversee inventory and ordering of all food service items
• Support Camp Manager with kitchen-related administrative duties as needed
• Oversee and share dishwashing and cleaning duties

CAMP SUPPORT (10% OF TIME DEDICATED)

• Alert supervisor to relevant camper issues
• Promote program understanding and involvement through Caldera’s goals and agreements, participation agreement, and responsibility process
• Actively participate in all aspects of camp life including: camper orientation, community meetings, evening activities, campfire, free time, etc.
• Model appropriate camper behavior at all times
• Perform duties with consistency and integrity
• Set and respect personal boundaries while acting as mentors, guides, and allies to campers
• Oversee health and safety of charges in fire drills and emergency procedures
• Maintain cleanliness of living and common areas and help with clean-up at the end of each session

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum two years experience working in a kitchen including food inventory, budgeting, and menu planning
• Current Oregon Food Handler’s Permit required (must attach copy)
• Ability to set appropriate boundaries in a proactive and positive manner
• Willingness to live in a camp setting and work irregular and long hours. Additionally, you must have the ability to deal with limited cell and internet service and daily exposure to outdoor factors such as sun, heat, bugs, bats, snakes, etc.
• Prior experience in nutrition, and/or youth programming
• Supervisory experience
• Familiarity with anti-oppression frameworks and experience working with diverse staff and youth

Job Requirements:

• Serve as mandatory reporter, working with Youth Impact Manager to report instances or suspicion of child abuse. Caldera has a zero tolerance policy around child abuse, and any negligence will result in immediate dismissal
• Requires on-site living in shared staff quarters
• Alcohol and drugs are not permitted on campus, even in personal living quarters.
• Must be physically able to move around 116 acres of camp property with varied terrain
• Must have visual, perceptual, and cognitive ability to recognize and respond quickly to health
• and safety concerns of students and appropriately re-direct any behavior that is misaligned with Caldera agreements
• Employees must carry out their duties regardless of inclement weather, which can include but is not limited to, heat, rain, wind, cold, and smoky or dusty conditions.
• Moments of quiet and non-activity are few and spread out
• Creating a cohesive staff environment round the clock can be challenging. It is crucial that staff see youth and adults through a strengths-based lens and prioritize creating the best possible youth experience at all times, despite what challenges may arise at the staff level
• Physical Demands (which can include bending, stooping, hiking, climbing and stretching) are: 5% Sitting, 45% Standing, 20% Walking, 30% Lifting/Carrying/Pushing/Pulling Pounds 5 -80 lbs.

To Apply:

Please fill out and submit an application. Please also submit a reference, ideally from each of the following categories: a food service organization, a family member, and one other professional reference. All applications must contain a resume and completion of the screening questions. All materials are reviewed and considered as part of the hiring process.

Application Deadline: May 15. 2026