Kitchen Jobs
Dates of employment: June 5th, 2026 - August 17, 2026
Do you have a passion for food and cooking? Do you have some professional kitchen experience? Are you looking for a positive live-work environment where you’ll contribute to a team of like-minded people who want to create a great summer experience for campers and staff? If so, we want to hear from you!
Shaffer's High Sierra Summer Camp is located on the peaceful headwaters of the North Yuba River in the scenic Tahoe National Forest. We're surrounded by majestic mountains, clean rivers, stunning lakes, and fantastic hiking and biking trails. The Camp employs about 60 staff to serve about 100 kids for 9 weeks. We've been recognized by Outside Magazine as one of its 5 favorite camps in the U.S., we've been included in Newsweek's list of the country's best camps, and we've been recommended by the L.A. Times. We get kids and staff from around the world. It's an interesting and exciting place to live and work! And here, the management actually cares about you.
We have two positions: Lead Cook and Prep Cook/Dishwasher. And we have two shifts: Breakfast/Lunch and Dinner.
Lead Cook
As a Lead Cook, you'll:
- Lead the preparation of 1-2 meals a day for up to 150 people in one of the two shifts
- Manage and supervise 2-3 other kitchen staff while leading a meal, including a prep cook and a dishwasher
- Practice kitchen safety and cleanliness and ensure that other kitchen staff are doing the same
- Be present for the annual health inspection and be able to point to proper food safety practices in the kitchen
- Work with the kitchen manager to make the menu and the staffing schedule for each session
- Assist the kitchen manager with the food orders, including communication with vendors, managing inventory, and receiving orders
- Clean the specialized kitchen equipment such as the range hood and industrial mixer, for example
- Assist in reopening the kitchen after the off-season, including the deep cleaning of all kitchen equipment, inventorying supplies, and unpacking items from storage
- Assist in the close-down of the kitchen at the end of the season, including preparing an inventory and storing supplies and equipment
Some duties may be reassigned and other duties may be assigned as needed.
Prep Cook/Dishwasher
As a Prep Cook and Dishwasher, you'll:
- Help prepare food, clean and store dish and tableware
- Clean the kitchen and eating area
- Set up, break down, and clean the salad bar
- Clean and stock the dining tables and eating area
- Wash dishes, utensils, and pans in commercial dishwasher and store them
- Help stock food on delivery days
- Help with various chores to open the kitchen at the beginning of the season and to close the kitchen at the end of the season, all at the direction of the Lead Cook and/or Kitchen Manager.
Desired Qualifications for both positions:
- Desire and ability to work at a children's camp in a wilderness setting
- For the Lead Cook: some professional kitchen experience; For the Prep Cook/Dishwasher, professional kitchen experience is a plus but not required
- California ServSafe Food Manager's Certification (can complete after hiring)
- Ability to work well with others — both to accept supervision and (for the Lead Cook) to manage/supervise a team
- Ability to communicate well and navigate kitchen politics and highly value a friendly and cooperative work environment
- Is dependable and mature, and has good character, judgment, and self-control, who is enthusiastic, creative, and patient, and adaptable to an ever-changing and fast-paced environment.
Make a difference in a child’s life and have fun while working at this small wilderness adventure summer camp in California’s splendid Tahoe National Forest!
Sound nteresting?
Apply here, it only takes 5 minutes!
Or reach out to us at info@highsierracamp.com or call (415) 897-0316.
Please review the following job descriptions for all the positions for which you are interested in applying.
If you have any questions after reviewing the descriptions of the positions in which you are interested, please contact us. We look forward to seeing your application!