The Mountain School is seeking a part-time cook to creatively transform produce from our farm and local vendors into daily meals for approximately 75 students, faculty, and guests. This is an exciting opportunity for a community-oriented, sustainability-minded individual to work with high-quality ingredients and contribute to a program deeply rooted in farm-to-table values.

The Mountain School is a semester-long, residential academic program for high school juniors set on four hundred acres in central Vermont. Each fall and spring semester, students from across the country join our campus to take academic classes, participate in our farm and outdoor programs, and build a diverse and interdependent community of scholars. Our chefs are responsible for cooking three buffet-style meals a day, Monday through Saturday, and two (brunch and dinner) on Sunday. Students participate in all aspects of the kitchen, from prep to clean-up, with guidance from kitchen staff. 

Responsibilities include:

• Create diverse and seasonal menus using vegetables, meat, and other staples from the home farm and local suppliers, while accommodating a range of dietary needs and preferences
• Complete meal plans; prep, cook, and plate dishes; cook 3-4 meals a week
• Ensure clean, safe, and organized workflow, especially when working with students
• Receive, rotate, and properly store incoming produce and supplies. Communicate with the kitchen manager when items are in low stock or special orders are desired.
• Maintain high standards of quality and minimize waste while creatively repurposing leftovers 

The successful candidate will likely demonstrate:

• Minimum of 2-3 years cooking in a professional kitchen (restaurant, school, or other institution) or equivalent combination of schooling and experience
• Experience with dietary restrictions (vegan or vegetarian dishes; nut, celiac or other allergies)
• Experience with food preservation and bread baking
• Availability to work weekends and evenings as required
• Strong communication skills and an appreciation for hosting teenagers in the kitchen
• High level of organization and time-management
• Self-direction, ability to prepare meals, including prep work, from start to finish often by oneself

This role offers the potential for growth and may expand to include full-time opportunities, integrating kitchen work with programmatic or farm-based contributions. Candidates with skills or interests in education, farming, or sustainability will find unique ways to contribute beyond the kitchen, making this position an engaging and fulfilling opportunity.

Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to maneuver on uneven ground, go up and down stairs, carry and lift up to 50 pounds, be able to perform daily repetitive hand motions as they pertain to cooking and baking, and be able to stand for long periods.

Compensation is based on experience, starting at $23/hour.

The Mountain School encourages candidates who would add to the racial, cultural, and gender diversity of the school community. Candidates will be required to complete criminal, sexual offender, and driving record check as well as fingerprinting checks. The Mountain School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

To apply, please submit a concise letter of interest, a resume, and three contacts for references to Alex Myers, alex.myers@mountainschool.org

About The Mountain School of Milton Academy

Mission The Mountain School cultivates a diverse and interdependent community of scholars who learn to know a place and take care of it. Through collaborative learning and shared work, students emerge from their semester prepared to reach beyond the self and focus on the common good. Who We Are Each semester 45 motivated high school juniors from all over the country come together to live and work on the school’s farm in rural Vermont. Students and faculty build together a semester based on trust and an appreciation of difference, creating an academic and work-based community in which every voice matters. While living with teachers in small houses, students help to make important decisions concerning how we live together. Courses provide a demanding, integrated learning experience that takes advantage of the school's small size and mountain campus. Balancing intellectual inquiry and experiential learning, the curriculum challenges students to think flexibly, speak their minds and return to their schools equipped for continued academic success. Engagement with the farm and forest sparks an appreciation for their food, their fuel and their labor.

Connections working at The Mountain School of Milton Academy