Become a Teen Employee or Volunteer
Welcome to Teen Kitchen Project
Fall Applications Are Closed
Applications for spring cohort will open in November
An overview of the Teen Chef position can be found below.
Teen Chef
During your time in service, you will be preparing hundreds of meals to be delivered to your neighbors experiencing critical and chronic illness in Santa Cruz County. You will be washing, chopping, cooking vegetables and meats (3 out of 5 of our main dishes are vegetarian), learn a variety of cooking techniques, package meals, wash dishes and (of course), cleaning. This is hard, meaningful work and we appreciate your interest in supporting our mission to build a healthier community through food!
New applicants will be eligible for volunteer positions, returning Teen Chefs will be eligible for volunteer or paid positions.
Participants must be a minimum age of 14 by cohort start date.
- Fall Cohort Dates: August 16th-December 16th, 2026
- Orientation: Saturday August 15th
- Fall Holidays: Labor Day
- Exempt classification: Part-time
Responsibilities
- Assist kitchen team in creating weekly menus for upwards of 300 clients served throughout Santa Cruz County.
- Assist with kitchen operations including: kitchen set-up, cleaning throughout shift, prepping, cooking, assembling, and packaging meals, and kitchen clean up at the end of the shift.
- Participate in a culture of youth ownership and leadership
- Ensure that all meals leaving the kitchen are beautiful, delicious, nutritious, and adhere to nutritional and portioning guidelines.
- Help ensure compliance with all health and safety procedures.
Qualifications
- ServSafe Food Handler
- Work Permit (for paid positions)
- Basic cooking skills
- Leadership skills and a capactiy for peer mentorship
- Ability to stay calm and keep you sense of humor in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
- Has a good awareness of self
- Ability and desire to be in a work environment that values working as a team, relationships and giving and receiving honest feedback
Shift Options:
All shifts are located at our kitchen at 2890 Soquel Ave. Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Shift times: Subject to change, and end times may vary up to 30 minutes. Start time can be adjusted based on when you arrive from school.
Volunteers choose at least one day/ shift.
Paid employees must work a minimum of two shifts.
- Sunday, 10:00am-1:00pm
- Sunday, 1:00-4:00pm
- Monday: 3:30/4pm-7/7:30pm
- Tuesday: 3:30/4pm-7/7:30pm
- Wednesday: 3:30/4pm-7/7:30pm
Shift times: Please note that weekday start times will be adjusted based on when you can arrive at the kitchen from school. Please also note that end times may vary (usually +/- 30 minutes); we will give you time to notify your ride if we expect to end early or late. See previous page or below for paid and volunteer shift days and times.
We require two weeks’ notice to cancel a work shift, except in cases of illness or emergency, and we expect you to find your own sub for any shift you plan to miss. A list of all current teens and their phone numbers will be provided for this purpose. Our work is teamwork, and we rely heavily on each team member to uphold their agreed-upon shifts. Missing a shift without notification is means for immediate dismissal from your position.