Cook 1

Highgate Hotels • Boston, MA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Cook 1 supervises and assists with preparing food for hotel outlets, banquets, room service, and the employee cafeteria. The role maintains high standards for appealing, quality food while ensuring kitchen cleanliness, sanitation, and safety, and minimizing waste while maximizing cost and production efficiency.

The position requires knowledge of menus and preparation methods, support for kitchen operations and staff, and assistance with food inventory, ordering, cost controls, preparation schedules, training, and equipment. The Cook 1 may lead a team or station when a chef or manager is absent and must help ensure food is prepared and stored according to hotel standards and applicable regulations.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent and/or experience in a hotel or related field preferred.
• At least 3 years of related progressive experience, or culinary graduate status with at least 2 years of progressive experience in a hotel or related field.
• Banquet or production experience required.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with employees and guests at all levels.
• Ability to listen to, understand, and clarify concerns raised by employees and guests.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.
• Ability to understand and apply complex information and data from various sources.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to stand for the entire shift.
• Ability to withstand hot and cold temperature variations.
• Ability to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or 20 pounds frequently or constantly to move objects.
• Flexible and long hours are sometimes required.

Nice To Haves

• Previous supervisory responsibility.
• High school diploma or equivalent and/or experience in a hotel or related field.

Responsibilities

• Know menus and preparation requirements well enough to produce food according to hotel standards.
• Lead the team or station when a chef or other manager is absent.
• Help control costs and maintain food costs within budgeted guidelines.
• Maintain food inventory needed for daily operations and assist the chef with ordering.
• Follow FIFO practices and ensure the team follows them.
• Complete food and station preparations before restaurant and room service openings.
• Complete and display buffet items according to hotel standards.
• Assist and supervise the kitchen line during restaurant operating hours to maintain efficiency, productivity, and quality.
• Support any kitchen position that needs assistance.
• Supervise and assist with banquet food preparation according to Banquet Event Orders.
• Complete banquet items on time and confirm timing, cover counts, and changes with the Banquet Manager or Supervisor.
• Supervise preparation of food for the Employee Cafeteria as needed.
• Ensure food is prepared according to hotel standard recipes.
• Use kitchen tools and equipment appropriately.
• Maintain the Clean As You Go policy and kitchen sanitation and cleaning schedules.
• Keep storage areas neat, orderly, and clean.
• Supervise and assist with breaking down buffets and kitchen lines and properly storing food and equipment after each meal period.
• Ensure employees follow safe work practices to prevent injury.
• Assist with scheduling, ordering, cost controls, training, production charts, daily inventory charts, and prep lists.
• Help maintain a kitchen key-control system and follow hotel emergency procedures.
• Secure food items and ensure the meat locker, storeroom, and walk-ins are locked when not in use.
• Keep the Employee Breakroom neat, orderly, and clean.
• Maintain and seek to improve food quality standards.
• Follow Health Department and company requirements for food, storage, and safety.
• Ensure equipment is returned to proper storage after events.
• Train staff in operating and maintaining kitchen equipment.
• Attend required hotel meetings and training, maintain regular attendance and appropriate uniform and grooming, and comply with hotel standards and regulations.
• Identify productivity or operational problems and help implement solutions.
• Handle problems by anticipating, preventing, identifying, and resolving them as needed.
• Cross-train in other hotel-related areas and maintain confidentiality.
• Anticipate guest and operational needs and perform other duties requested by management.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching contributions
• Paid holidays
• Paid vacation
• Paid sick leave in accordance with applicable law
• Employee assistance program
• Educational opportunities and tuition reimbursement
• Paid jury duty, personal, medical, and military leave in accordance with applicable law

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED