Company description

Culinary Artistas was founded on the idea that cooking is a language that connects us to our cultures, bodies, minds, souls, and most of all, to each other. Our vision is to create an inspiring and inclusive space for people to celebrate, cook and explore. We are located in San Francisco’s historic Ghirardelli Square, a place that exemplifies our beautiful city’s celebrated food culture.

We host corporate events, venue rentals, team building, pop-ups, events, cooking classes, competitions, and more in our studio space. We also offer kids cooking classes and camps that enable kids to explore the world of real foods, expand their palates, and forge a lifelong healthy relationship with cooking and eating.

We are a fantastic team of educators, chefs, events managers and parents that work together to create an exceptional experience grounded in inclusivity, creativity and celebration. Please come by and say hi - we’d love to meet you!

Job description

Overview
Culinary Artistas is looking for an energetic, compassionate, and reliable Lead Program Educator to bring our youth culinary camps to life this summer! Our camps serve up to 26 kids, ages 4–10, and are designed to spark curiosity, inspire young chefs, and connect children to cooking, culture, and each other through hands-on experiences. As a Lead Program Educator, you will co-lead camp alongside the Lead Culinary Educator, managing daily camp flow, transitions, outdoor activities, STEAM projects, morning/closing circles, and supporting cooking sessions. You’ll also be the main point of contact for parents and grownups, ensuring every child feels safe, engaged, and excited to learn.

Commitment: *SUMMER ROLE*
For San Francisco Camps

• Location: Ghirardelli Square (851 Beach Street, San Francisco)
• Shifts: June 8 – August 28, 2026; Monday–Friday, 8:00/8:30 am – 3:30/4:00 pm
• Duration & Availability: Must be available at least 10 weeks (full summer availability is preferred); you will be assigned 6–8 weeks

For East Bay Camps

• Location: Albany Community Center and Piedmont Community Center
• Shifts: June 8 – August 7, 2026; Monday–Friday, 12:00 – 4:30/5:00 pm
• Duration & Availability: Must be available for full duration; you will be assigned 4–8 weeks

Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Instruction

• Serve as the primary liaison between Culinary Artistas, parents, and kids representing our values and mission in all interactions. We maintain a minimum of 6:1 ratio.
• Spearhead pickup and dropoff procedures
• Lead welcome activities and morning circle time
• Manage all parent/grownup communications including daily updates, concerns, and feedback
• Choose, gather, and prepare materials for daily STEAM activities, with the opportunity to create and implement your own activities.
• Manage transitions between activities smoothly
• Coordinate with culinary staff on integrated programming and schedule management
• Lead and enforce camp rules and expectations discussions
• Oversee outdoor play activities

Team Leadership & Management

• Maintain close, ongoing collaboration and constant communication with the Lead Culinary Educator throughout the camp day — this partnership is essential to camp success.
• Directly supervise and mentor Assistant Educator and Counselors in Training (CITs) ages 12-16
• Train assistants on behavior management techniques
• Assign/delegate staff positions during activities and transitions
• Monitor staff performance and provide feedback during daily post-camp feedback circles
• Support staff schedules, including daily break rotation (owned by Lead Culinary Instructor )
• Ensure proper staff-to-camper ratios during all activities

Safety & Operations

• Maintain facility security (door locking procedures)
• Ensure consistent handwashing and hygiene practices; provide assistance to children during accidents when needed.
• Own clear documentation and timely communication with staff and parents/grownups regarding any safety or hygiene incidents.
• Monitor safety during activities and transitions
• Manage student behavioral expectations
• Coordinate with staff on safety procedures
• Handle parent/grownup communications and concerns in the event of a safety breach

Schedule + Camper Management

• Morning prep and material gathering (before 8:50am)
• Manage drop-off procedures (8:50–9:30am)
• Lead circle time and introductions (9:30–9:50am)
• Coordinate team assignments by age (9:50–10:00am)
• Lead STEAM activities (11:30–12:45pm)
• Supervise outdoor play (1:15–2:30pm)
• Manage pickup procedures (2:45–3:00pm)
• Facilitate smooth transitions between all activities
• Own Studio cleanup (3:00–3:30pm), actively ensuring the space is fully cleaned before departure, with help from staff and CITs
• Co-lead daily post-camp debrief (3:30pm)

‍Skills + Experience Required

• 3+ years of experience teaching in a classroom or serving in a leadership role working directly with elementary-age children
• Strong classroom/camp management skills
• Ability to lead age-appropriate activities and transitions
• Experience developing and implementing STEM curriculum
• Experience supervising staff or volunteers, including teens
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills
• Familiarity with behavior management techniques
• Current First Aid/CPR certification (or willing to obtain)
• Must complete Live Scan background check (reimbursed)
• COVID-19 vaccination required

Preferred Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Child Development, or related field
• Summer camp or enrichment program experience
• Background in STEM or hands-on learning
• Experience with culinary education programs
• Knowledge of age-appropriate activities and transitions

You Are…

• A champion of our Code of Conduct: clear, honest, and kind in words and actions; a team player; adaptable; process-driven; and growth-oriented
• A skilled educator with strong leadership abilities, guiding children and staff with confidence
• Extremely reliable—always punctual and ready to go.
• Comfortable being the public face of our organization, representing us with professionalism and warmth
• Excellent at communicating with children and families, and adept at handling sensitive conversations with grace
• Calm, decisive, and able to manage fast-paced, dynamic environments
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, balancing many moving parts effortlessly
• Creative in designing engaging, integrated learning experiences
• A self-starter who problem-solves on the fly and keeps operations running smoothly with minimal guidance
• Passionate about fostering an inclusive environment where every child feels valued
• Comfortable in a kitchen environment and moving between indoor and outdoor activities
• Energetic and physically active, supervising and participating throughout the day
• Flexible and adaptive, adjusting programming based on group dynamics and camper needs

Compensation

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $28.00 - $32.00

Application instructions

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Deadline

May 31, 2026