Sick of Restaurant Life? Come Make Pasta! Mill Valley Pasta Co

Are you a culinary professional who loves the craft of food but isn’t interested in the traditional restaurant grind?

This role is ideal for someone who wants to continue being a maker — working with their hands to create something real — without many of the challenges that traditional restaurant kitchens often bring. If you care deeply about ingredients, process, and craft but are looking for a more sustainable pace and schedule, this could be a great fit.

We are a small artisan pasta company in the Bay Area looking for a Pastaio/Pastaia to lead our pasta production program. We specialize in bronze- and brass-extruded pastas and are one of only a handful of producers in the country air-drying pasta without mechanical drying equipment. Our work has been recognized with multiple Good Food Awards, and our catalog continues to grow — currently about 50 shapes and more than 30 flavors, with more than 300 pastas developed since we began.

Extruded pasta is a distinct category from fresh egg pastas made by rolling and shaping sheets of dough. Instead of rolling out a soft egg-based dough, we produce pasta through extrusion and carefully manage the air-drying process that develops the final texture and quality of the product.

Our founder is a former fine-dining chef and culinary educator who returned to the craft of making pasta full-time. The environment is thoughtful, professional, and hands-on, with a strong emphasis on learning, process, and consistency.

This role can be a great fit for recent culinary school graduates who want to build deep craft skills outside of restaurant service, as well as experienced cooks or chefs looking to step away from the demands of restaurant kitchens while staying connected to the craft of food.

• Professional culinary training or kitchen experience is required. (Not for home-hobbyists)

Role Responsibilities

• Production of both fresh and dried extruded pastas
• Preparing purees and ingredient mixtures used in flavored pastas
• Managing and monitoring the drying process of pastas
• Tracking and documenting production batches
• Ordering ingredients based upon planned weekly production needs
• Maintaining cleanliness and organization in the production kitchen
• Working closely with a small team across operations and farmers markets

The drying and curing process is one of the most important parts of the work. It requires patience, attention to detail, and care in handling product throughout the process.

Ideal Candidate

• Culinary school graduate or professional kitchen experience
• Interested in learning and mastering the craft of pasta production

Strong work ethic and ability to work independently. Self-starters who are motivated by overcoming a challenge that is constant are those who will succeed best in this position

• Detail-oriented with a focus on consistency and quality
• Comfortable tracking production data and troubleshooting product variables

Basic computer skills

• Food Handler or ServSafe certification (we will cover renewal if needed)
• Live in Marin or have reliable transport to San Rafael (located about 3/4 mile from the Transportation Hub in downtown San Rafael, several of our employees bus or take the train and walk to work from there)

Job Details

• Starting pay: $26/hour (Currently slated for approx 32 hours per week)
• Paid twice monthly (1st and 15th)
• Tues–Friday schedule, with occasional flexibility as needed
• Flexible start time (typically between 6am–9am) as long as it remains consistent
• Public transportation stipend for regular transit commuters or those who commute to work via bike or non-vehicular means
• Toll-stipend after 60 days of employment if traveling across a bridge with tolls to get to work
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States
• This role is ideal for someone who wants to build real craft skills while maintaining a healthier work/life balance than most restaurant kitchens allow.

Please reply with your resume, a short introduction, and your relevant culinary background. Replies without a resume will not be reviewed.