Cook for Courmette

Introduction
A Rocha France is a Christian environmental organisation. Created in 2000 in France, it is part of an international network of nature protection associations established in 20 countries on five continents. Convinced that the ecological crisis (climate change, collapse of biodiversity, pollution, etc.) is the major challenge of the 21st century, we are pursuing a dual mission: to preserve living creatures and to mobilise Christians (for a complete presentation of our actions, see our 2020 activity report).

A Rocha manages the Demaine des Courmettes, a 600-hectare private nature reserve on which are located remarkable buildings with a significant capacity for accommodation, and in addition a vegetable garden, a herb garden and hens…

We are recruiting a cook to join the team of permanent staff who work at Les Courmettes to welcome a variety of people who may be: participating in training courses on the Christian faith and/or ecology, trainees, volunteers, etc. Most of the team members live on site in a spirit of community life oriented towards hospitality. 

Duration, location and type of contract

• Full time permanent contract
• Position to be filled in early 2022
• Workplace: Demaine des Courmettes (Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Alpes-Maritimes)
• Possibility of accommodation on site

Mission and scope
The rhythm of life and work at Les Courmettes is characterised by two very different seasons, and therefore by two relatively different types of tasks for the person in charge of the kitchen:

1. In the high season (April to October, when groups are welcomed):

• Ensure the cooking for full-board groups (up to 60 people)
• Manage the catering: menu development, ordering and stock management
• Implement hygiene and safety standards for the collective kitchen
• Supervise volunteers helping in the kitchen

2. In the low season( November to March):

• Cook for the team of permanent staff on site (about ten people), five days a week, lunch and dinner 
• Do the daily shopping and manage the catering 
• Ensure the tidiness and cleanliness of the community kitchen

In parallel to these two very different times in the life of the centre at Courmenttes, the person recruited will have to demonstrate throughout the year an interest in and a reflection on environmentally friendly food, which will be reflected in

• Making well-considered choices for menus (favouring seasonal, local and organic products, etc.)
• Knowing and enjoying frequently cooking vegetarian dishes
• Ensuring the link between the produce from the vegetable garden and the kitchen

Profile and required skills

• Adherence to the values of A Rocha
• Very good cooking skills
• Experience in a collective kitchen appreciated
• Concern for choosing seasonal, local, organic and fair trade products as much as possible
• Good interpersonal skills, teamwork
• Ability to supervise volunteers
• Good command of English appreciated
• Ability to live in a community (if living on site)

Information and applications (CV and covering letter) to courmettes@test.arocha.org