Team Openings

Our servers help create a high-end, 1920s-vibe experience, giving table service to guests and serving up incredibly handmade desserts (we even make our own almond flour and sweetened condensed milk!), drinks, & old-world style gelato. Servers get a chance to create bright moments for each person who walks through the door.

We are currently looking for year-round (currently closing Christmas – end of January) and summer employees (start: April/May- end: September).


Who we’re looking for

We value three things above all else: graciousness, resourcefulness, and integrity. We’re on the lookout for detailed and creative people who live to go the extra mile and love to learn; team members who are ready to bring new ideas to the table so we can grow together.

Disclaimer: We’re about to get pretty detailed, but you should know if this is a good fit for you before you take time to apply. And hey, if you like getting into the nitty-gritty and dig details, you’re off to a good start as a potential member of our team. Read on!

 

About Gina’s Gelato

Our passion is making deliciously unique gelato, sorbetto, desserts, drinks (and all the fun extras). We believe food made with the best ingredients and by the best team creates the best experiences both for the team and our guests.

We are all about creating a place for friends to gather and enjoy time with each other. No wifi. No tv. Just traditionally-made gelati (plural for “gelato), sorbetti (you guessed it: plural for sorbetto), and desserts made by hand in a vintage shop and enjoyed with good company.

And we do things a little differently than your everyday ice cream or gelato shop to create those great experiences: We look to provide five-star service in unexpected ways. This includes building out an upscale front of house (yes, including the washroom), gold-tray service (we literally use gold trays), personal french press service, and providing gelato and sorbetto tastings for each guest.

We’re constantly dreaming up new ways of presenting desserts, creating new flavours, and looking for ways to partner as locally as possible to get fresh ingredients close to home.

We expect a lot of each other but our team works together to give mountains back in return. If this sounds like the kind of team and work culture that would be second nature for you, please apply!

 

Position Descriptions

Our team members deliver fantastic experiences for our gelato guests while keeping the cleanest, safest, and most organized gelato shop (gelateria) — and making it look effortless.

There’s lots to learn, so what you don’t know yet, we’ll help you get there.

Servers

Here’s what our servers (and all positions) do to create great experiences for guests and each other every day:

  • Deliver supremely superior service by being gracious, knowledgeable, and upbeat with both guests and fellow team members
  • Be a stickler for sparkles (in the shop, patio and washrooms, that is); this includes:
    • cleaning the gelato display and other equipment;
    • provide table service (including clearing dishes and cleaning tables and chairs after guests leave indoors and on our patio), wiping down shelves, handles, glass surfaces, and yes — even walls (tiny, sticky hands are encouraged in the shop, but we don’t want to leave clues behind);
    • emptying waste baskets and recycling;
    • sweeping, mopping, and spot cleaning the floors throughout the day;
    • organizing what the public can see and what they can’t (nothing swept under rugs here!);
    • and all the etc.’s
  • Make sure each gelato flavour has its best foot forward by ensuring each item (gelato/sorbetto/desserts) is stocked and looks a-mmm-azing
  • Greet guests of all ages (must love kids and adults alike) with a warm welcome (this includes smiles and an enthusiastic tone of voice)
  • Provide gelato and sorbetto samples and share the stories and ingredients of each item we serve at Gina’s Gelato (must be willing to learn and share info about local suppliers, growers, and any extra tidbits with every guest)
  • Share and exemplify the values of our gelateria with guests and fellow team members
  • Prepare orders according to guest requests
  • Assist with the checkout process (our point of sale system; we’ll show you how), and provide accurate change for orders paid by cash
  • Work early, mid-day, or late evenings, depending on your shift
  • Assist fellow team members with various jobs
  • Think outside the box to solve issues, own “problems” to turn them into positives, and create a remarkably memorable experience for every guest and team member
  • Serve canine-friendly treats to our four-legged friends outdoors
  • Brainstorm with kitchen and service staff on future ideas for Gina’s Gelato
  • Alert kitchen staff when items are running low (like cones and cookies) and need to be made; helps kitchen staff with gelato/sorbetto inventory via “checkout” system
  • Barista experience is a massive bonus, as is a FoodSafe certification

 

Requirements for all positions

  • You are eligible to work in Canada and have the necessary paperwork to do so
  • You’re committed. Your word is golden; you know that being part of a team means others are counting on you and that matters a heck of a lot to you
  • You’re able and open to tasting all of our gelato and desserts; i.e. you can be an ambassador for all our food products, including ones that contain dairy, egg, nut, and/or wheat and grain, etc.
  • Summer jobs: You understand that this is the busiest time of year and you commit to working without any extended time off (a day or two may be swapped with co-workers, of course)
  • You’re able to:
    • work on your feet for up to 8 hours a day;
    • scoop gelato repetitively;
    • lift up to 25kg (55lbs)
    • commit to at least 20 hours/week
  • You bring a can-do attitude; you’re resourceful and see “problems” as a challenge that kicks your creative thinking skills into gear; you love finding solutions and creating unique experiences for others
  • You want to be part of a team environment; we may be biased, but we think we have the sweetest team around and we protect our team by joining forces with others who are naturally positive, uplifting, and want to create 5-star experiences for our guests and each other. 
  • You naturally use clean, respectful words — in front of customers and fellow team members; this includes:
    • not gossiping
    • keeping topics respectful & only using G-rated language (we do not engage in topics or use words that may be hurtful, offensive, or exclusive for people of various religions, political views, social beliefs, ethnicities, nationalities, ages, abilities, etc.)
      • Just to be proactive (this hasn’t been an issue, but we’d rather be upfront!): Gina’s Gelato is not a place for debates, bashing, activism, etc.
      • Though individually, we may not see eye-to-eye, as an organization, our team is respectful, polite, and strives to uphold the dignity of people with vastly different perspectives and worldviews. If needed, we kindly steer topics into positive territory.
      • Gina believes cohesiveness can be restored between nearly all people, even of opposing belief systems and that celebrating differences and finding common ground is the way forward. We adopt that belief here.
  • You’re chock full of integrity; you’re driven by honesty and a stickler for being upright (including owning up to mistakes)
  • You’ve got the special ability to work well on your own and as part of a team and don’t see position requirements as “your job” vs “my job” but see Gina’s Gelato as “everyone’s job” — i.e. if something needs to be done, you do it or let someone know it needs to be done (e.g. messes anywhere — kitchen or front of house — are cleaned by all of us)
  • You’re a master of communication; you can turn nearly every situation into a positive, can easily talk with others, are able to keep the conversation moving when it’s busy, and uphold everyone’s dignity even when their worldview is vastly different to your own. Imagine being a terrific host/hostess at a party, as a lot of those same qualities apply to this position!
  • You’re willing to regularly contribute to the team-run Tiktok account as well as be photographed and featured across our social media channels and potential other public-facing media outlets (e.g. Nelson Star/local news; or if a guest takes a photo for their own Instagram)
  • You’re flexible; you know things might change day in and day out with what the team and the customers need; you are A-Ok with things changing up and are ready to lend a hand (or ideas)
  • You think people of all ages are the greatest!
  • You’re happy to listen to early 20th-century music during your shift and wearing clothes that adhere to our dress standards and/or uniform

 

Pay & hours & advancement

Pay:

  • Day-time, year-round openings: Based on experience/availability (+ tips)
  • Summer openings: $15.65/hr + tips ($16.75/hr for all new & existing summer staff starting June 1, 2023)

Schedule: We are open 10+ months out of the year (we currently close for Christmas – January), and our hours are based on the season. Please keep in mind that hours before and after the shop closes are necessary for set up and will be part of each staff member’s schedule.

Hours: Hours are up to 40 hours a week; we may hire for a part time or full-time, depending on the right fit.

Length of employment: Summer positions are asked to be available until at least the end of August (preferably through September, with reduced hours considered as needed for local students) with a potential to continue year-round; positions during the rest of the year will be dependent on seasonal hours. During the school year, we try to accommodate requests for hours around school commitments as best we can.

Chances for advancement: Yup! We prefer to promote and hire from within, and we traditionally start everyone as a server. From there, you can move up into team coordinator, manager, or even be brought on as kitchen assistant or staff. We are interested in our staff’s individual goals and want to be a place that provides learning and mentorship however we can. (i.e. successful candidates will have a great desire to learn & grow. :)

 

Next steps/Application Link:

Sound good? Here’s the details on getting an application (and first interview) done, all in one go:

We combine our application and first-interview into a single online process. Once you click the link below and register, you’ll have 4 days to respond to interview questions. This can be done at your own pace (within the 4-day time frame once you start) and at a time that is convenient for you.

The application has a mix of video, audio, and written response requirements, so please make sure you have access to a way to record yourself via video and audio. 

Apply using link below:

Server at Gina’s Gelato

We invite you to drop in whenever we’re open to talk with any of the servers about their experience, too, to see if it’s a good fit for you.

 

When you’ll hear back

Successful candidates will be contacted for an in-person interview.

If you do not hear back, it is because we have already filled, have closed the position, or don’t currently have a position matching your skill set. However, we do keep your application on file and may contact you about potential openings in the future.