Culinary Ambassador 18-24 age group

Paid Internship as a Temporary Culinary AmbassadorYou should apply only if you meet the following criteria: You are between 1824 years old Understand this is a temporary position 8-Week Program only You are required to live in Troy You're interested in food, hospitality, or learning job skills You like working with your hands and as part of a team You are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment around industrial kitchen equipment You're open to learning, showing up on time, and trying new thingsNo prior kitchen experience is required! This is a paid training opportunity.Schedule: MondayThursday 12:00 PM 4:00 PM 8-Week Program beginning in mid February 2026Location: 2431 6th Ave, Troy, NY (Unity House)About the ProgramUnity House's Test Kitchen is a hands-on workforce training program designed for young adults who are curious about food, hospitality, and working with people. This is not culinary school it's a real-world skill building experience designed around teamwork, responsibility, and professional kitchen etiquette. You'll learn by working alongside peers, and will gain experience that can lead directly to jobs in restaurants, cafs, and hospitality settings.Over the 8 weeks, you will gain skills in:Kitchen:Making pizza dough, sauce, and toppings from scratchBasic knife skills and kitchen safetyFood sanitation and ServSafe Food Handler fundamentalsKitchen organization, prep, and workflowFront of House & Customer Service:Guest interaction and hospitality fundamentalsPOS (point-of-sale) system trainingObserving fine-dining and fast-casual service environmentsPersonal responsibility and professionalismCommunication and teamworkTime management and punctualityFirst Aid & CPR certificationFinancial literacy basics (budgeting, banking, paychecks)Resume building and mock interviewsField trips to operating local restaurants along with guest speakers from the food and hospitality industryFinal Challenge: You and your fellow participants will plan and run a mock restaurant service for 15+ guests taking on real kitchen and service roles as a team.What You'll Walk Away With:ServSafe Food Handler CertificationCPR / First Aid CertificationHands-on restaurant experienceResume support and interview practiceProfessional referencesA clearer sense of career directionConfidence working in fast-paced environmentsSelected applicants will be contacted for a brief interview with program staff.If you're unsure whether this program is right for you apply anyway to learn more!Ambassador Expectations:Ambassadors must be able to reasonably stand on their feet for a 4-hour period. Must be comfortable working around hot stoves, open flames, and an industrial pizza oven. You must be comfortable working with knives, tools, and other sharp objects necessary for cooking (Instruction will be issued for all tools and machinery. You will be required to wash dishes as well as clean/sanitize floors, surfaces, and workstations. (Instruction will be issued for all sanitary equipment and practices.) You will be working with foods that are considered common allergens (i.e. gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs etc.) Please be able to pick up and move upwards of 30 pounds as well as be able to bend, squat, and reach upwards in order to complete daily tasks. (Reasonable accommodations available.) You will be expected to be punctual, complete tasks in a timely manner, and meet frequently with Program Directors for coaching. As this is a training program, you are expected to listen, take constructive criticism, and work in unison with all others. Must have basic literary and computational skills in order to complete modules and read/calculate recipes.