The Opportunity
We are seeking a part-time private chef for the Ann Arbor, MI area! This position is responsible for providing food provisioning and preparing healthy and flavorful meal options for a busy young family, with an informal, personal, and creative style. Part-time position, working 2-3 days per week. Typical schedule includes late morning through early evening hours. 

Culture of Care
As an employee of RDV Staffing, you will experience a workplace that is founded on the respect and well-being of others - our employees, their families, and the families that we serve. Our goal is to simplify the life of the family we serve and facilitate each household working effectively together to make a positive impact in all of their communities, near and far. We are a team of highly competent professionals who are gracious, trustworthy, and the best at what we do.

Duties and Responsibilities

Food Prep

• Develops menus and recipes according the family’s preferences, tastes, and style.
  • Communicates on a regular basis with head of household and family members on needs for upcoming week(s); gathers feedback, solicits and provides ideas.
• Forecasts food items required; keeps household stocked with fresh food items and beverages for planned meals, snacks, and impromptu consumption.
  • Purchases food items on a regular basis from local markets and/or other preferred vendors.
• Prepares and serves meals for the family.
  • Prepares fresh meals for the family for that day, as well as preparing and stocking easy to reheat meals for some lunches and/or dinners when Chef is not working.
• Fairly infrequent, but at times may be requested to prepare meals and hors d’oeuvres for family entertaining on evenings and/or weekends.

Food Preference

• Food Type
  • Family lives and prefers a healthy lifestyle and food selections that fit that lifestyle, but also enjoys a good “splurge” from time-to-time. They are adventurous eaters who love everything from haute cuisine to comfort food, so long as it is prepared with quality fresh ingredients.  Lots of fresh proteins, fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
• Meal Type
  • Prepares dinners and some lunches.  Most days will be full meal preparation and presentation for consumption that day/evening, with preparation of a meal(s) the family may reheat the following day.
  • On an as-needed basis may be asked to prepare items for some breakfasts and lunches for family to cook themselves.  i.e., chop salads, wash and cut fruit, wash and chop vegetables, mix fresh salad dressings, etc.

Family Culture

• Family lives a very busy, active, and healthy lifestyle.  Young children make for a lively and energetic environment within the household, therefore, the right candidate must genuinely enjoy working with and around children. 
• The family prefers an informal and personal approach, not stuffy.  While they realize and appreciate that they have “household staff” and the relationship this represents, the residence should always feel like a family home, not a business. 
• Chef will interact with family members in a friendly, yet professional manner.  This includes maintaining professional boundaries, along with being adept at gauging appropriate levels, duration, and timing of non-work-related conversations.

Kitchen Maintenance

• Ensures kitchen, dining areas, and equipment are maintained with the highest levels of safety and sanitary standards.
  • At end of workday, tidies up kitchen and dining areas. 
  • Runs dishwasher(s), washes certain dishes and equipment by hand, and puts away items, ensuring all are 100% clean and dry.
  • Runs load of laundry for any dirty dish towels and kitchen linens.
  • Follows safe operating procedures of all equipment, utensils, machinery and supplies, never forgetting that young children will be in and around the kitchen. 
  • Completes daily maintenance and notifies property manager of equipment and machinery issues for repair.
  • Ensures food and supplies are stored/maintained under proper conditions at all times.
• Ensures pantry, refrigerator, beverage fridge(s) are stocked with fresh and healthy snack and miscellaneous items the family enjoys.  Ensures cleaning, food preparation, and paper supplies are stocked.
  • Anticipates needs of family members throughout the week and solicits feedback.
  • Controls food costs by establishing purchasing, storage, and waste procedures.
  • Ensures supplies are utilized properly and cost effectively.

Elements of Success

• Degree from a post-secondary culinary arts training program desired.
• Variety of culinary and/or catering experience that includes fresh and healthy meal preparation techniques. 
• Ability to recommend and offer a variety of different types of meals and pairings to the family, being curious and adventuresome, while also being open to feedback and continuously learning about the family’s tastes & preferences.
• Demonstrates flexibility in accommodating different individual tastes and dietary requirements. 
• Warm and engaging personality, with the ability to interact effectively with all members of the family from heads of household to young children, as well as other staff members. 
• Genuine enjoyment of working with and around children is critical to the success of this position.  This may include letting little ones safely “help” from time to time, teaching about different foods and cooking techniques when they show an interest, and interacting with them during snack/mealtime.
• Must demonstrate professionalism, enthusiasm, and graciousness in service.
• Must be a responsible, dedicated, and dependable person of highest integrity, as well as self-motivated.
• Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Responsibilities are conducted in the family home.  The right candidate must genuinely be committed to be part of a team whose shared goal is to provide exemplary service and to positively contribute to a healthy, active, and loving home environment.

• The family’s privacy is of critical importance; therefore, the highest level of confidentiality in the family’s business and personal matters must be exercised at all times.
• Chef may be asked to travel with the family at various times.