The role of the Culinary Intern is to assist the Kitchen team by participating in food preparation, kitchen projects, menu development, and performing tasks that keep the department connected to Rethink’s mission. This position presents an outstanding opportunity for those who have an interest in local food systems, sustainability and to learn teamwork in a large volume kitchen operation. This position is based onsite at the Rethink Kitchen, and should have a willingness to learn new systems, the ability to follow instructions, and attention to detail

Rethink internships are based in mentorship and skill development. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive internship program that provides participants a thorough understanding of the organization’s mission, values and operations. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in cross-functional team development, peer to peer advisement, all staff meetings, and workshops led by the Rethink Team.

Temporary, 3-month commitment of 20 hours per week, starting February 1st, 2021

Key Responsibilities:

• Works with Chefs to learn responsibilities and skills of each station in the kitchen
• Assists in food preparation and production to established quality standards
• Assists with organizing, preparing, and maintaining food inventory levels. Develops an awareness of business volume forecasts and plans accordingly
• Works with Chefs to understand menu development and meal distribution process
• Spends time learning operations and assisting at Rethink Food Truck and Rethink Cafe
• Ensures kitchen sanitation and safety standards are maintained at all times
• Provides support for the department in additional capacity as assigned by the Supervisor

Skills, Knowledge, and Expertise:

• Kitchen and cooking experience, along with basic knife skills preferred
• Interest in local food systems, restaurants and cooking techniques
• Committed to Rethink’s mission and values
• Hard-working, dedicated and self motivated
• Attention to detail
• Empathy and a desire to give back to the community
• Flexible and able to adapt to changes
• Ability to abide by and uphold professional standards
• Ability to stand for 8-10 hours, lift, push, pull, carry a minimum of 50 pounds

*Please note Rethink’s required Winter/Spring 2021 Intern Orientation will be held on Monday, February 1st at 5pm. This is mandatory for all interns.

Resumes are optional in the application process.

What You Bring to the Table:

Commitment to embodying our values of:

Inventiveness. At our core, we are relentlessly curious about solving problems. As our name suggests, we’re a team of creative thinkers, but we’re also hands-on doers, challenging norms with humility to find practical solutions that can create lasting change.

Vulnerability. Guided by an “always be better” mindset, we are a team that intentionally reflects on what we are doing well and where we need to improve. We hold ourselves and each other accountable, every day. No blame, no shame — we just want to be sure we’re always doing the right thing.

Kindness. At Rethink, we show up every day with empathy and compassion and believe everyone should be treated with dignity. Kindness goes a long way — we are all about just being kind.

Thoughtfulness. Our vision for a nourished and thriving world starts with nourished and thriving individuals in each of our communities. Our work is centered on the needs of the people that bring our communities to life. We don’t pretend to have all of the answers. We are committed to listening and learning in order to identify and scale solutions that ensure stable and reliable access to healthy food for all so each and every community can thrive.

Rethink Food is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender (including gender identity or expression), pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, marital status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, ancestry, national origin, alienage or citizenship, age, disability, military or veteran status, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristic, or other protected status. The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.

We invite all candidates to our voluntary Diversity and Inclusion Demographic Survey.

About Rethink

Founded in 2017, Rethink is a non-profit organization built on one simple mission – to reduce food insecurity by developing practical models that distribute nutritionally dense, culturally sensitive meals to nourish healthy and thriving communities. Founder chef Matt Jozwiak, saw firsthand how much good food from restaurants goes underutilized. Rethink Food developed a process to transform excess food from restaurants, corporate kitchens, and grocery stores into nutritious meals and distribute them via community-based organizations. With food insecurity escalating and restaurants facing widespread closures during Covid, Rethink Food leveraged its experience as a food rescue and distribution model to launch Rethink Certified, a partnership program with a two-fold purpose: to feed communities and keep restaurants in business. In exchange for preparing community meals, Rethink Food provides grants to restaurants which supports a portion of their operating and staffing costs.

Launched in April 2020, the Rethink Certified program has invested $10M into 35+ independent restaurants to date, providing over 2 million meals for those facing food insecurity. Rethink Food has developed a technology platform to allow CBOs and restaurant partners to communicate directly, in real time, to coordinate logistics, allowing Rethink Certified to rapidly scale. Rethink Food has also launched a donation-based café in Brooklyn to provide access to nutritious meals for those in the community.