Harvest Moon Catering is hiring Event Chefs

Hospitality is about creating a sense of place where everyone has a seat at the table.  At Harvest Moon Catering we give consistent and thoughtful attention to details. We provide exceptional food AND exceptional service and we believe the best way to serve our current and future clients is to add talented and high-performing employees to our team to help create and execute our clients visions for their events.

Harvest Moon Catering is looking for motivated, enthusiastic hospitality driven individuals to add to our front of house team. Previous experience is certainly a plus, but not required as we have extensive on the job training available.

Discover the Harvest Moon Catering difference.

We respect hospitality as a calling.  Serving others is a vital and yet challenging vocation, and we are committed to helping our team find daily and lasting fulfillment in their work.

We recruit the best of the best. Our rigorous recruitment process means that we have a team composed of employees of the highest caliber. 

We offer a flexible work environment. Though Harvest Moon Catering does require our team members to work on select dates our Front of House staff have the flexibility to choose most of their events and create a schedule that works for them. And our online tools keep them connected without costly trips to the office. 

We nurture teams of excellence. Our team members develop a genuine bond with their coworkers, trusting that each member is as qualified and dedicated as they are.

We empower employees and foster a spirit of continuous improvement. We work with team members to say yes to creative suggestions to make life better for our clients and our employees.

So What (Exactly) is an Event Chef?

At Harvest Moon, we work with best-in-class teammates from a variety of backgrounds who share a passion for hospitality, quality of food, and delighting customers. If you have never felt professionally challenged before, think long and hard before applying for this position. You will be surrounded by "A+ professionals" who expect you to perform at their level every day, and you will have the very best administrators to support you.  Hospitality is a fast-paced, dynamic industry and life at HMC is no exception. Here you'll need to be able to shift between tasks, frequently, while still having a high attention to detail and quality while preparing a broad variety of food for private dinners and huge galas.

The Minimum You'll Do:

        Have your own transportation, but also have a clean driving record in order to drive HMC vans

        Are reliable and show up on time

        Own a smartphone that has wi-fi, and can download apps

        This is a part-time role that will require between 6-10 shifts a month with flexible hours

        Able to work mornings, weekends, and holidays, like Memorial & Labor Day

        Answer work requests within 48 hours of receiving them

        Able to work on specific high-volume dates

        Follow required policies, procedures and guidelines

        Shift back and forth between tasks

        Lift up to 25 lbs

        Be on your feet for long periods of time

        Foster a climate of cooperation and respect between co-workers

        Be enthusiastic (Over the Moon!) about exceptional client experiences and a positive, motivational team member.

What Others Say About You:

        You're warm, friendly, approachable, and have an innate desire to help others

        You're resourceful 

        You genuinely care about people

        You have a deep passion for food, and hospitality

        You've got high attention to detail

        You love problem solving 

        You're organized and energetic

What You'll Get:

HMC strives to provide a living wage to help you stay healthy, feel secure, and maintain a great work/life balance. To walk that talk we offer great pay, real raise potential, and tips & discretionary bonuses. On top of all that, you'll be surrounded by awesome people who care deeply about what they do and will do whatever it takes to help YOU succeed. 

Essential Functions:

•  Properly set up the dining area in accordance with room schematics within the parameters put in place by the event timeline.

•  Follow Catering Event Captain’s instructions and familiarize yourself with staff assignments.

•  Interact and communicate professionally with guests and coworkers.

•  Familiarize yourself with the menu to understand dietary restrictions, food allergies and any special requests.

•  Serve food to guests through the following methods: Passed Service, Buffet Style, Family Style, Stations and Plated Service.

•  Breakdown and clean kitchen and event space, including consolidating products and loading the truck.

•  Follow proper safety and sanitation procedures.
•  Perform other relevant tasks as assigned by the Catering Captain/Event Manager.

Education and Experience: 

•  Ability to read, write and speak English proficiently

•  Prior customer service work or volunteer experience preferred

•  High school diploma preferred, but not required (HMC does hire HS students)
• Server experience is a must. Catering experience a plus

Essential Qualifications: 

•  Having reliable transportation to arrive at various locations around the Charlottesville area, 

•  Being able to arrive on time, ready to work with a full uniform in proper condition,

•  Making sure personal hygiene is in order,

•  Being a team player

•  Follows directions well

•  Ability to function independently and intuitively in a fast-paced environment,

•  Ability to interact with diverse groups and foster a cooperative work environment,

•  Basic computer skills, ability to navigate the internet, 

•  Must own a smartphone in order to receive work requests in order to confirm them within a 48 hour period,

•  Excellent interpersonal skills,

•  Ability to communicate clearly and politely with guests,

•  Maintain and express a positive customer service attitude,

•  Ability to set tables, polish flatware, and fold napkins to standards in a timely fashion,

Physical Demands: 

•  The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to feel; reach with hand and arms, and stoop, kneel or crouch for 6 to 12 hours at a time.

•  Regularly required to lift and/or move up to 30 lbs with as an individual or as a member of a team lift.
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At Harvest Moon Catering (HMC) we give consistent and thoughtful attention to details.  We provide exceptional food AND exceptional service and we believe the best way to serve our current and future clients is to add talented and high-performing employees to our team to help create and execute our clients visions for their events. Our Event Servers are a critical piece in that execution. The Event Bartender provides excellent and professional service to guests, ensuring an optimal dining experience. At all times, event bartenders are expected to be attentive to any guest needs and make them feel welcome, comfortable, important, and relaxed.

Essential Functions:

• Properly set up the bar area(s) in accordance with room schematics within the parameters put in place by the event timeline,
  
  

• Organize bar area(s) for maximum productivity,
  
  

• Follow Catering Captain’s instructions by following staff assignments,
  
  

• Knowledge of basic cocktails, beers, wines and standard liquor pours OR a willingness to learn,
  
  

• Provide assistance to servers as needed,
  
  

• Interact and communicate professionally with guests,
  
  

• Familiarize yourself with the menu to understand drink recipes, restrictions, allergies and any special requests,
  
  

• Required to do wine service on certain events and have flexibility regarding being able to do plated service as well,
  
  

• Breakdown and clean bar and event space, including consolidating products and loading on truck,
  
  

• Follow proper safety and sanitation procedures,
  
  

• Perform other relevant tasks as assigned by management
  
  

 Education and Experience: 

• Prior bartending experience preferred,

• High school diploma preferred, but not required,

• Ability to read, write and speak English proficiently
  
  

Essential Qualifications: 

• Being able to arrive on time, ready to work with a full uniform in proper condition,
  
  

• Making sure personal hygiene is in order,
  
  

• Being a team player,
  
  

• Follows directions well,
  
  

• Performs well under pressure and remains calm,
  
  

• Ability to function independently and intuitively in a fast-paced environment,
  
  

• Ability to pay attention to inventory of all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages,
  
  

• Communicate with  Bar Captain(manager) regarding in  entropy levels,
  
  

• Ability to interact with diverse groups and foster a cooperative work environment,
  
  

• Basic computer skills, ability to navigate the internet,
  
  

• Must own a smartphone in order to receive work requests in order to confirm or decline them within a 48 hour period,
  
  

• Excellent interpersonal skills,
  
  

• Ability to communicate appropriately with guests,
  
  

• Maintain and express a positive customer service attitude,
  
  

• Ability to set tables, fold napkins, and polish glassware and silver in a timely fashion,
   

Physical Demands:

• The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to feel; reach with hand and arms, and stoop, kneel or crouch for 6+ hours at a time.
  
  

• Regularly required to lift and/or move up to 50 lbs.