General Information
Team: Kalapa Operations Team
Location: Tibetan Buddhist Rime Institute – 1584 Burwood Highway, Belgrave, Vic 3160 Australia
Description
We are seeking a dedicated volunteer to serve as the Main Cook to support the 2026 Weekend Authentic Guide to Meditation Retreat at Dzokden Kalapa taking place for 3 days from June 19 – June 21, 2026.
Timing: Arrival: Thursday, June 18 until 12:00, 2026. Departure: Sunday, June 21 (evening) or Monday, 22 (morning), 2026
Hours: 8 hours a day full time for 3 days = 24 hours onsite + 11 hours preparation = 35 total hours
*Note: This role also counts toward EAP
Responsibilities
* Preparing breakfast, a varied, nourishing lunch, and a light dinner for a group of retreatants at the size of around 15 persons.
* The food for this Retreat in specific is vegan and must include a gluten-free alternative.
* Note: If the group is larger than 15 retreatants, you will have a part-time cooking helper.
* Responsible for setting up the daily menu, keeping kitchen spaces nice and clean and managing the cook helper, if available.
* Final deep cleaning of kitchen, washroom & dining hall after Retreat ended.
* Experienced cooks from past retreats can be contacted for additional exchange, if desired.
Skills & Qualifications
* Hospitality
* Cooking
* The most important qualification is your willingness to help the retreat in this role.
* Previous cooking experience for medium-size groups is not mandatory, but helpful.
* Ability to work independently and collaborate with other staff members and volunteers to fully support the retreat; ability to work in a team is essential.
* Good communication and organizational skills, diligence and flexibility.
What Dzokden Kalapa Offers:
You will be able to enjoy all the areas in the retreat center. If you commit to the whole volunteering period, during your stay, we can provide free access to an online course or recorded retreat at our digital learning center if you would like to support your practice and study while you are volunteering. Moreover, you can also participate in any sessions of the event in the temple for free whenever you have a break from your volunteer work.
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