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Role 12People & Care

Cooking & Cleaning

Recommended holders

5–7 core + rotation obligation

Load rating

Season

Year-round

About this role

Three meals a day, seven days a week, for 55 people. That is approximately 165 individual meal services per day — a commercial restaurant operation. When it functions well, it is one of the most important contributors to community morale. When it functions poorly, it poisons everything.

The mandatory rotation model — every adult member does a kitchen shift at least once per week — is the most important structural decision for this role.

Key processes

Communal kitchen design

Commercial-grade range and ovens (6-burner commercial range minimum), industrial dishwasher, large chest freezer capacity, large prep counters. Design for the rotation: easy to understand, clean to navigate, hard to leave a mess in.

Menu planning from seasonal stores

In June: fresh greens, eggs, and dairy. In January: preserved vegetables, fermented foods, dried beans, cured meats, root vegetables. The head cook works monthly with Food Prep & Preservation (Role 06) to understand what is available.

Dietary needs and accommodations

Document dietary restrictions and allergies at onboarding (Role 23) and plan menus accordingly. Avoid creating an accommodation burden that falls on a single cook.

Cleaning protocols

Written cleaning protocols for every surface, every meal service, and every week. Food safety standards: temperature logging, proper storage, regular pest prevention.

Laundry and communal space cleaning

A commercial-capacity washer and dryer (or solar drying yard in summer). Communal space cleaning assigned by rotation.

Critical warnings

!

Kitchen burnout is one of the most common causes of community member departure. The rotation model is not optional.

!

Food safety is life safety. A foodborne illness outbreak in 55 people is a genuine crisis.

Connects directly to

Good supplement pairings

Food Prep & Preservation; Childcare & Nurturing (kitchen education of children)

Key insight

Three meals a day for 55 people, seven days a week. Mandatory rotation across the whole community is the only way to prevent burnout in this role.

Curated resources

Recommended reading

  • Nourishing Traditions — Sally Fallon
  • An Everlasting Meal — Tamar Adler