Chef Supervisor
Posting #: 4378 Posting Date: Oct 30, 2026 Posting Closing: Nov 13, 2026
Have you heard of us?
Wesley is a long-standing local non-profit and a certified Ontario Living Wage Network (OLWN) employer. We are passionate about assisting people struggling with poverty. Our work is focused on children and family programs, housing & homelessness, and resettling newcomers to Canada in Hamilton, Halton, and Brantford.
We are deeply committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where every individual feels valued and respected. Our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policies are integral to our mission and practices. We believe that a diverse team brings a wealth of perspectives and experiences that enhance our ability to serve our community effectively.
All members of our organization are expected to embrace and actively participate in our EDI initiatives. By joining our team, you will be contributing to an environment that promotes equity, respect, and inclusion for all.
Are you the one we’re looking for?
Our Food Services team prepares over 100,000 meals annually for our social programs, while executing catering events for organizations in the Hamilton area as part of our growing social enterprise, First Start Catering.
We’re seeking a Chef (Supervisor) to lead daily kitchen operations who enjoys being hands-on – because this is a working chef role that often involves full participation in daily cooking operations while providing team coordination, supervision and leadership.
The Chef (Supervisor) must be able to execute versatile menus to meet the needs of our diverse clientele. We’re seeking candidates with proven culinary and catering expertise in a variety of areas including international cuisines and meals that are high-end or home-style; elevated or economical; and a variety of service styles.
To be successful, the Chef (Supervisor) must be comfortable working in the context of our social services environment and unionized workplace. This means demonstrating our values and working in alignment with procedures, systems, policies, and best practices, and as Supervisor, working with a team to do the same. Although mostly a hands-on role, the Chef must also be able to pivot into administrative duties that use Office365 and other software.
Details at a Glance:
- Full-time, permanent unionized role
- 40 hours/week
- Hourly pay at a rate of $28.25/hour
- 5 shifts a week, including Saturday-Sunday and weekday shifts
- Shifts are typically between 8:30am-5pm, with early mornings or evenings as needed
- Location: Primarily 467 Main St East, Hamilton ON with other locations as operationally required.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead, supervise and collaborate with team to execute daily food production and catering operations, including coordinating all stations and actively participating in food production.
- Assign work, provide direction and feedback, and supervise staff to maintain effective and efficient operations and ensure outputs are timely, consistent, safe and high-quality.
- Collaborate with the Manager to plan service offerings and menus, and operational improvements, and lead implementation with the team.
- Monitor and support team compliance with Wesley policies, operating manuals, regulatory requirements and best practices, including standard operating procedures, food safety, health and safety, and industry standards.
- Participate in risk mitigation processes including monitoring operational performance, documenting and reporting issues, and working with the Manager and team to execute procedures that manage and mitigate risks.
- Provide support to the Manager in the resolution of portfolio-related issues, from day-to-day issues to formal disciplinary/dispute resolution processes, and participate in the kitchen on-call rotation as required.
- Maintain effective and professional communication with staff, internal programs, customers, suppliers, and service partners regarding operational and service needs.
- Participate in service audit, quality improvement, and evaluation processes, including providing recommendations and supporting team to implement changes and continuous improvement.
- Ensure food services are executed within approved budgets, including assigning appropriate resources and working with the team to implement costing, inventory, ordering, and waste reduction practices.
- Prepare staff schedules and ensure adequate staffing coverage to meet operational requirements, in accordance with Wesley policies and procedures.
- Work with Manager to recruit, onboard, train, coach and mentor staff using organizational tools and models, and participate in performance management of front-line staff when required.
- Foster a positive work environment and team culture aligned with Wesley’s values, team goals, and organizational policies around Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Additional Requirements (Working Conditions/Physical Requirements):
- Active participation in daily meal production and in-kitchen operations.
- Fast-paced environment with multitasking, competing priorities, tight timelines, and frequent interruptions.
- Standing and walking for the majority of the shift.
- Frequent bending, twisting, crouching, reaching, gripping, and repetitive manual movements.
- Lifting and carrying food products, supplies and equipment weighing up to 25 kg (55 lbs)
- Pushing and pulling loaded carts and equipment.
- Environment with high and low temperatures, high humidity, loud noises, and wet or slippery surfaces.
- Hazards associated with hot surfaces, sharp equipment, cleaning products, electrical equipment, manual material handling and food-service operations.
What you will bring:
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience as a Supervisor of kitchen teams is required, with a proven ability to train and coordinate groups at different stations in a high-pressure environment, while maintaining food quality, service standards, timelines and positive team morale.
- Post-secondary diploma or degree is required; culinary education or certification is an asset.
- Minimum 5 years of cooking experience leading culinary teams to execute high-volume food production (200-650 meals a day) and catering events serving approximately 100-300 guests; experience in fine dining, upscale catering, or high-end food service environments is required.
- Ability to handle working conditions/physical requirements of the role (see section).
- Excellent collaboration, customer service, professional conflict resolution, and creative problem-solving skills are required.
- Proficient with Office365 and software for costing, supply management and staff scheduling.
Invest in Yourself as we Invest in You! Wesley offers…
- A positive work culture that prioritizes all staff having an opportunity to contribute
- A supportive team that will empower you to achieve great milestones!
- Fun and engaging organizational events such as our Staff Appreciation Event
- Professional development and training opportunities
- Full Health & Dental Benefits (Eligible After Three Months)
- Personal & Vacation Days
- RRSP Contribution Program (Eligible After One Year)
- Employee Assistance Program Available Immediately
- Employee Discounts
Please Apply Via: Our Wesley Bamboo Portal:
- Click on this link: https://wesley.bamboohr.com/jobs/
- From there you can access all of Wesley’s job postings
Wesley is an equal-opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all qualified applicants. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. More information about Wesley can be found on our website at www.wesley.ca.
