Drive Change is a vibrant and growing company in the New York City hospitality scene. Drive Change envisions a world where all young people have access to opportunity and the support needed to thrive. We believe that workplace culture plays a big role in career development and we are working with like-minded restaurants that are committed to running businesses that are grounded in social justice values. 

Drive Change utilizes the food truck and restaurant workplace to run a bi-directional Fellowship for young people coming home from jail and leaders in the hospitality industry. 
 

We believe the workplace is ripe for learning and developing community. 

We are building a network of like-minded businesses committed to using hiring and management as a tool for social change. The network is called Hospitality for Social Justice. 

Position: Culinary Director
 

The Culinary Director is a manager, mentor, educator and visionary for social justice. You must be motivated by the injustice in our country, in black and brown communities, and in the hospitality sector and you must be committed to transforming the industry. Your ability to turn our kitchen into a learning environment that builds skills in culinary/food systems as well as social emotional skills is key to fellows having a successful experience at Drive Change. You must also come with a learner’s mind and be willing to push your own growth as a person and leader.

The right person will: 

• Believe deeply that the current food/hospitality sector is steeped with racial and gender injustice and needs to undergo a workplace culture revolution 
• Be committed to the growth and development of formerly incarcerated youth, and to learning about mass incarceration and the criminal justice system 
• Curate and lead all our culinary and hospitality curriculum 
• Manage the culinary / hospitality team and Fellows 
• Create the vision for Drive Change Foods (our food truck and catering brand that is committed to using food service as a tool to raise awareness about injustice and build community) 
• Have experience working in back of house of restaurants (preferably with management experience)  
• Have a culinary "voice" of their own 
• Be committed to the history and experience of black and brown food/hospitality in America 
• Lead our movement to build Hospitality for Social Justice: a network of like-minded restaurants that want to build equitable workplace cultures and hire people with barriers to employment

We are prioritizing POC applicants for this role. If you are the right leader for this role, or know someone who may be, please apply! (Directions below)

 Key Responsibilities:

• Create, continuously improve and lead all culinary training for our two-month Fellowship program for formerly incarcerated youth 

• Create, continuously improve and lead all Drive Change Foods (catering/food truck events) vision and operations

•  Ensure that you support the social-emotional growth of team on a daily basis

• Ensure compliance of all Labor and DOH standards

•  Manage and report on Kitchen Budget

• Pursue personal growth and learning in order to be an impactful leader and educator

Experience Required

• 3+ years professional restaurant/food service experience
• 2+ years management experience
• Driver’s License
• Food Protection License
• Proficiency in Google sheets and calendar
• Problem-solving abilities that can build processes and find and implement actions for improvements
• Highly organized, with attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines
• Willingness and readiness for working with an early stage company
• Passionate about food, reimagining criminal justice, and building ethical food systems