Kenai River Drifter’s Lodge Hiring for Chef And Kitchen Manager at Cooper Landing, Alaska Full Time

We are looking for a driven and well-organized Chef and Kitchen Manager to join our 30-person lodge crew for the summer season in Alaska. The chef’s main job is to cook the nightly meal for our highly appreciative employees. We rely on our chef as the cornerstone of a happy crew, and your responsibilities will include feeding our employees daily, cleaning the kitchen, and managing the lodge food inventory. 

This is an incredible opportunity to work at a fishing lodge in one of the most beautiful places on earth. If you love the outdoors and want the adventure of coming up to Alaska for a season and living at a lodge, this could be the perfect position for you. Perks of the job include free fishing and FAM rates on local activities such as flight seeing and glacier cruises. Employees have access to a vehicle on their days off to travel around the Kenai Peninsula.  Room and board are available for 400 per month. Work dates are late April to the end of September. 

Your responsibilities will include, but not be limited to: 

• Be knowledgeable about safe food handling practices, obtain an Alaska Food Handler’s Card, maintain high standard of cleanliness in the workplace and with personal hygiene. 

• Prepping and cooking dinner six nights a week for up to 25 employees. An easy re-heat and eat meal such as a casserole should be prepared in advance of the chef’s night off. Each dinner will consist of no less than three pieces (protein, carb or starch and vegetable) and one dessert. Dinner should be ready at 5:30pm and be put away at 7:30. 

• Meals should be high quality and well thought out. Cooking the meal should take about 4 hours per day and another 4 hours should be spent meal planning, organizing, cleaning and preparing items for the breakfast nook. 

• Dishes, sinks, counters, stove, and floor will be cleaned by the end of every shift. 

• Menu planning will be done every week, one week in advance, and posted for employees to see. 

• A food budget will be created, agreed upon and adhered to in close collaboration with the owner and managers. Stocking groceries and ingredients in Alaska comes with unique cost and supply challenges. Some typical foods might not always available. 

• Baking items for the Breakfast Nook, such as muffins and cinnamon rolls, as needed. (3-5 times/week typical) 

• Preparing and supervising client lunches. Includes slicing deli meats, cheese and tomatoes using a meat slicer, assembling sandwiches, and keeping the prep area stocked and clean. 

• Keeping Guide’s Lunch Fridge stocked with food appropriate to them making their lunches in the morning quickly and easily. 

• Maintaining all the leftover food by labeling it, dating it, rotating it and throwing it out as needed. 

• Keeping food pantry and fridges clean, organized, labeled, and all items rotated.  

• Maintaining all kitchen equipment, such as knives, oven, mixers, blenders, and BBQs by keeping them clean and in good working order.  

• Maintaining inventory lists and reordering supplies as needed. 

• Communicating with other managers any concerns, questions, needs or observations.  

• Must be able to stand for eight hours straight, and perform strenuous tasks such as lifting 30lbs, bending, kneeling, and squatting. 

• Must be able to work directly under a manager, be courteous and respectful to coworkers, and be self-motivated.