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JOB. From the Big Wave Community on April 7th, 2026.
Wage: $90,000 – $100,000 annually, with benefits.
Apply: Please email food@bigwaveproject.org. Deadline May 3rd, 2026.
Copy and paste your:
- (1) Resume (copy and paste into the body of the email; attachments will not be opened).
- (2) Brief note of interest
- (optional) Sample menu or description of similar food programs you have led
The Big Wave Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Half Moon Bay, CA, seeks a seasoned, hands-on chef and culinary operations leader to launch and manage a new commercial kitchen at the newly built Big Wave Center in Half Moon Bay.
This role will design and operate a daily food program that serves approximately 40 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), along with caregivers, staff, and visitors, seven days per week. The Kitchen Manager / Executive Chef will be responsible for all aspects of kitchen setup and operations, including menu development, food production, food safety compliance, purchasing and inventory, staff supervision, and day-to-day execution.
The position supervises one part-time kitchen helper and supports interns, which may include interns from the IDD community, sometimes accompanied by job coaches. This is a foundational role at the opening of the Big Wave Center and offers a unique opportunity to shape a high-quality, mission-aligned food program from the ground up. The position reports to the Executive Director.
About Big Wave Group
The mission of the Big Wave Group is to provide access to opportunity, lifelong housing, and a strong sense of community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Big Wave Center, expected to open in June 2026, is a 50,000-square-foot, purpose-built campus designed to be a premier destination for the IDD community across the Coastside and the greater Bay Area. The Center includes:
- 38 apartments (studio, one‑, and two‑bedroom units)
- A commercial kitchen supporting daily meals
- A Culinary & Catering Program and Day Program
- A Fitness and Recreation Club
- A Game Room
- A 10,000‑square‑foot outdoor events courtyard and outdoor kitchen
The Culinary & Catering Program and the Day Program will be operated by tenant organizations. The nearby Big Wave Farm has served the IDD community for many years and remains an integral resource.
Key Responsibilities
Kitchen Launch & Operations
- Set up and organize the commercial kitchen (including dry storage, walk-in refrigerator/freezer, recycling, and small wares).
- Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) for sourcing, receiving, storage, inventory, sanitation, equipment use, and safety.
- Ensure full compliance with all local health department, food‑safety, and workplace‑safety regulations.
- Maintain a clean, organized, and inspection-ready kitchen at all times.
- Hire, train, schedule, and supervise one part-time kitchen helper.
- Train and direct interns, including individuals from the IDD community, as appropriate.
- Coordinate routine preventive maintenance and service/repair for all kitchen equipment.
Menu Development & Meal Preparation
- Design a food program with pre-determined menus for each meal period, and one alternative option, aligned with resident needs, service style, and operational capacity.
- Plan and prepare high-quality, nutritious, flavorful, and seasonal menus that accommodate allergies, preferences, portion needs, and special diets.
- Maintain a strictly peanut-free kitchen, including purchasing, storage, preparation, and labeling protocols.
- Communicate menus in advance to residents, caregivers, and parents/guardians.
- Oversee daily meal production, portioning, safe food handling, cooling and storage, labeling, and rotation.
- Engage with residents and caregivers during meal service to gather feedback and continuously improve offerings.
Partnerships, Sourcing & Budget
- Manage the food service budget (food, labor, and operating expenses) within established parameters.
- Monitor inventory levels; place food and supply orders; and implement cost-effective purchasing practices.
- Collaborate with tenant organizations and partners operating within the Center’s kitchen and program spaces.
- Build relationships with local restaurants, farmers, and vendors to support donated and/or discounted ingredient sourcing.
- Partner with the Big Wave Farm Manager to plan seasonal ingredient use across the Farm and Center.
Qualifications & Experience
- 3–5 years of leadership experience in a commercial kitchen environment (e.g., Executive Chef, Chef de Cuisine, Kitchen Manager, or Culinary Manager).
- Strong skills in menu planning, batch production, food preparation, and service execution.
- Culinary degree/certificate or associate degree (or higher) in Culinary Arts, Food Science, or a related field preferred.
- Working knowledge of nutrition, modified diets, and their impact on menu development.
- Demonstrated knowledge of food safety and sanitation standards.
- ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification required (or ability to obtain within a specified onboarding period and maintain throughout employment).
- Ability to operate all kitchen equipment, maintain cleanliness, and establish ongoing maintenance processes.
- Experience working with—or a demonstrated commitment to—the IDD community preferred; alternatively, experience with school or senior meal programs.
- Warm, patient, respectful, and professional style.
- Ability to foster a positive work environment and collaborate effectively with caregivers, parents/conservators, vendors, tenants, and partners.
- Comfortable using basic computer tools (email, Word, Excel) for scheduling, ordering, and documentation.
- Ability to lift up to 40 pounds, stand for extended periods, bend/stoop, and work safely in a hot kitchen environment.
- Ability to communicate effectively in English (reading, writing, and speaking).
- Schedule includes weekends; availability to work at least one weekend day (typical schedule averages five days per week).
- Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
More on Big Wave IDD Housing and Wellness Center on Coastside Buzz
Fact Sheet
Mission: Provide housing, a sense of community, and access to opportunities for Bay Area adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Vision: Become a “community hub” and place to belong for adults with special needs throughout the Bay Area.
The Need: Approximately 55,000 Bay Area individuals have IDD such as autism, Down syndrome, developmental delay, brain injury, and cerebral palsy. Over half are 18+ and isolated and lonely once they leave the school system. 80% live at home with family caregivers, creating a crisis as family members age and pass. Bay Area affordable housing serves just 8% of adults with IDD. 85% are unemployed with limited job skills and job options.
The Project: A 12-acre campus which includes:
- 50,000 sq. ft. residence with 36 private studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments for 38 residents and aides. Seven of the units are reserved for need-based families.
- 10,000 sq. ft. outdoor courtyard for recreation, socialization, and community engagement, as well as inside communal areas.
- Commercial kitchen operated by tenant One Step Beyond, Inc. (OSBI), offering a Culinary and Catering Academy for Bay Area adults with IDD, teaching cooking skills for independent living or to gain employment in the culinary industry.
- Day Program operated by OSBI, providing continuing education, community inclusion, music, arts, physical fitness, recreation and job training.
- Additional 3,000 sq. ft. of commercial space on the ground floor for businesses that may provide potential employment opportunities for residents.
- Five-acre Farm on adjacent property for education and skills development, which currently serves hundreds of Bay Area adults each month from multiple County Day Programs, who help produce products sold to the local community.
- Supported living model where residents choose their daily activities from jobs to volunteering, day programs or recreation, with access to education, skills development, job opportunities and community engagement.
- Job Creation of dozens of local, above minimum wage jobs including administrative, caregivers, and other facility and campus support personnel.
Project Cost: Total cost to build: $37M
Funding: Community funded, including sale of residential memberships via a community housing cooperative; grants; private donations; up to $12.5 construction funding by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).
Progress: Secured all construction and utility permits. Installed underground infrastructure including water main, onsite water utilities, sewer main and on-site sewer and conduit for underground utilities; biological protection fence installed; compacted and certified pad completed; Phase I of wetlands restoration completed; temporary electricity installed, construction financing secured; general contractor secured.
Construction of the primary residence is targeted to begin September 2024 and take approximately 18 months to complete.
The Big Wave Residence
This campus on Airport Boulevard in Princeton Harbor, Half Moon Bay, California, offers critically needed lifelong housing and a community hub for Bay Area adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It includes individual apartments, communal spaces, an outdoor courtyard for socialization and community engagement, and a working Farm. Big Wave has worked with the California Coastal Commission and San Mateo County to secure the permits needed to meet regulatory requirements, the needs of the target population, and the community at large.
About Big Wave
The Big Wave Group is a Bay Area 501©3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide housing, access to opportunities, and a sense of community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Located on the San Francisco Peninsula in Half Moon Bay, CA, the campus will include a 50,000 sq. ft. residence, a 10,000 sq. ft. outdoor courtyard for recreation and socialization, a working Farm, and a commercial kitchen operated by One Step Beyond, Inc. (OSBI). OSBI will provide a Culinary and Catering Program and Day Program for adults with IDD throughout the Bay Area. Project location: 380 Airport Road in Half Moon Bay, CA. Mailing: PO Box 1901, El Granada, CA 94018. www.bigwaveproject.org Facebook, Instagram @bigwaveproject
Author: mdrag
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