Ignite Your Culinary Passion: Join the Culinary Response Corps Contract Talent Network
Be First to Feed. Cook with Purpose in Times of Need.
When disaster strikes, food is more than a meal; it is relief, comfort, and connection. At World Central Kitchen (WCK), we believe in the power of food to heal and restore. Our teams respond to emergencies with the urgency of a first responder and the heart of a chef.
The Culinary Response Corps is a global team of chefs, cooks, and food professionals trained to deploy rapidly into crisis zones to support WCK’s mission: to provide fresh, nourishing meals to communities affected by disaster. As a Response Corps Member, you will bring comfort through cooking, uplift through collaboration, and dignity through every plate served.
This is high impact, high stakes work perfect for those with a strong culinary background and a passion for service.
A Mission That Matters
Our teams respond to emergencies with the urgency of a first responder and the heart of a chef. The Culinary Response Corps is a global team of chefs, cooks, and food professionals trained to deploy rapidly into crisis zones to support WCK’s mission: to provide fresh, nourishing meals to communities affected by disaster. As a Response Corps Member, you will bring comfort through cooking, uplift through collaboration, and dignity through every plate served. This is high impact, high stakes work perfect for those with a strong culinary background and a passion for service.
Preferred Location(s): Southern Europe. Deployment at various WCK Activation Sites within southern borders of Europe, closest proximity to your primary city or posted location.
Duration: Contract term positions vary depending on need and length of activation with the opportunity for renewal, offering a unique chance to support WCK's responses.
Rates: Contract rates are based on experience and location; contract rates are included only when on rotation or activation.
Mandatory Requirement: Must have culinary experience and working authorization in activation location within Southern Europe. Bilingual fluency is highly preferred and required in many regions.
Reports To: Culinary Manager
Please note: Inclusion in this Talent Network is not a guarantee of employment or an immediate contract. It is an opportunity to be recognized as a potential community member. Should your profile be selected, a member of our team will reach out to you directly with an invitation to participate in our formal application and vetting process, which includes a comprehensive interview and follow up instructions. Successful candidates will then be added to our regional contact database, to be contacted for possible deployment when an emergency response is launched in your area, particularly across Europe and beyond.
What You Will Do:
- Deploy into disaster affected communities to support emergency food relief operations.
- Work in mobile and field kitchens or partner restaurants to produce high volume meals with speed, consistency, and care.
- Set up and operate temporary kitchen environments sometimes from the ground up.
- Collaborate with WCK teams, local chefs, and volunteers to scale production quickly and safely.
- Maintain WCK’s standards for food safety, sanitation, and culinary excellence.
- Train and mentor local partners on recipe scaling, kitchen flow, and food handling under pressure.
- Support menu development, prep execution, and service logistics.
- Assist with inventory management, procurement, and kitchen documentation as needed.
Key Qualities We Are Looking For:
- Culinary Experience: Solid foundation in professional kitchens, catering, food service, or hospitality, with experience in high volume cooking and recipe scaling.
- Event & Logistics Expertise: Background in catering operations, large scale events, festivals, or concert food service. Ability to manage production schedules and kitchen flow efficiently.
- Empathy & Respect: Deep cultural sensitivity and a collaborative spirit. You will work alongside local restaurant teams supporting them as they feed their own communities.
- Coaching & Communication: Patient, respectful, and clear in teaching food safety practices and production techniques under stress.
- Adaptability: Thrives in fast paced, high pressure, and resource limited environments.
- Mission Driven: A strong belief in WCK’s approach serving meals that restore dignity, comfort, and humanity in the hardest of moments.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bilingual capabilities are highly preferred with English fluency included.
- Prior experience in humanitarian relief, community kitchens, or disaster response.
- Experience managing catering logistics and timed meal delivery for large groups.
- Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, Prep Leads, Line Cooks, and Kitchen Managers encouraged to apply.
- Strong documentation, organizational, and reporting skills.
- Tech fluency with Slack, Airtable, and Google Workspace.
- Familiarity with HACCP or equivalent food safety standards.
Additional Information:
Working Conditions: This role requires the ability to work in high-stress, ambiguous environments. Flexibility and adaptability to changing conditions are essential.
References and Background Checks: To help ensure the safety of our communities and our teams, our selection process will include reference and background checks, subject to any legal or regulatory requirements. Offers of contract employment at WCK may be contingent upon clear results of a background check.
Please note this is not a guarantee of deployment or employment based on your application. Each activation can vary and have different qualifying elements based on immediate need. By proactively joining our talent network you will still need to participate in an interview process prior to consideration of deployment.
Why Join the Response Corps?
- Be a part of a global movement that feeds hope one plate at a time.
- Work on diverse activations around the world: hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and humanitarian crises.
- Join a tight knit, mission-driven team where your culinary talent becomes a tool for impact.
- Learn, grow, and serve communities with dignity and respect.
WCK is an ambitious, fast-paced, entrepreneurial organization. Working at WCK often requires long and nontraditional hours. Everyone's role is to directly or indirectly feed people with urgency when disasters strike – even on weekends and holidays. Please review our North Star and if this approach resonates with you, we welcome your application.
