Cook I

Lantern Crest Employees Inc • Santee, CA

10d • $0 - $25 • Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for performing job functions and all listed menu items with attention to detail, speed, and accuracy. The role requires the ability to prioritize, organize work, and follow through, while maintaining 100% quality food production at all times and meeting timing requirements for food items. The Cook I ensures the freshness of product by executing FIFO, properly rotating, labeling, and dating food items. They are responsible for breaking down and putting away all items on their workstation, operating, cleaning, and maintaining all tools and equipment, and maintaining a clean workstation at all times. This role also involves utilizing all food efficiently, eliminating waste, and adhering to all safety and sanitation regulations. The Cook I is expected to maintain a positive attitude, communicate effectively with staff and management, and assist in controlling food costs. A key aspect of this role is leading or directing the work of Cook II, Cook III, and Cook IV, developing them through teaching and coaching. The position also requires cross-training to cover purchasing and receiving products when the Chef is away, performing basic mathematical calculations, reading contracts, distinguishing menu items and timing, producing prep sheets, and supervising production. The Cook I delegates responsibilities, holds cooks accountable, makes sound decisions, and supervises kitchen and front-of-house staff to ensure organization and timeliness. They may expedite when necessary, controlling the pace of cooks and servers, and are responsible for ordering food and product. The role involves filling in for the department chef in their absence, assisting in all areas of the kitchen, anticipating business levels, and being flexible with schedules and shifts. Additionally, the Cook I may talk to guests about menus and special requests, and lead overall operations daily, being responsible for all cooks when the chef is not present.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 4-5 years’ experience as a Line Cook in a 5-star hotel or restaurant
• Ability to sauté, grill, broil and prep foods
• Ability to organize restaurant service tickets and plate up menu items correctly to specifications on a consistent basis
• Knowledge of soups, stocks and sauces
• Ability to develop, lead, supervise and train cooks of lesser status
• Knife handling skills
• General understanding of food presentation and banquet and event service operations
• General understanding of Pastry shop management including food safety, sanitation, and maintenance
• ServSafe/ or San Diego Food Handlers Card
• Ability to lift and/or carry 50lbs occasionally throughout shift
• Ability to push cart up to 500lbs
• Ability to pull cart up to 100lbs
• Remembering, reading, writing, speaking, communicating, uses judgment and visual inspection
• Speech, vision, smell, touch, hear

Responsibilities

• Perform job functions and all listed menu items with attention to detail, speed, and accuracy.
• Prioritize, organize work, and follow through.
• Maintain 100% quality food production at all times.
• Meet timing of food items as required by guest, supervisor or standard.
• Ensure freshness of product and execute FIFO, properly rotating, labeling and dating food items.
• Responsible for breaking down and putting away all items on workstation.
• Operate, clean and maintain all tools and equipment required in job functions.
• Maintain a clean workstation at all times.
• Utilize all food in an efficient manner and eliminate waste.
• Follow sanitation set-up, determining what is needed and in what order.
• Maintain clean and safe working area including refrigeration.
• Assist in the controlling of food costs.
• Adhere to all safety and sanitation regulations.
• Maintain and project a positive attitude.
• Proper communication with staff and management.
• Lead or direct the work of Cook II, Cook III and Cook IV at their stations and develop them while teaching and coaching.
• Cross train to cover purchasing and receiving products when Chef is away.
• Perform basic mathematical calculations.
• Read all contracts and distinguish menu items and timing.
• Produce prep sheets from contracts and supervise production.
• Delegate various responsibilities to different levels of cooks to complete tasks and hold cooks accountable.
• Make sound decisions based on the needs of the department.
• Supervise kitchen staff as well as front of house staff in organization and ensure timeliness.
• Expedite when necessary. Control the pace of cooks and servers.
• Order food and product from banquet contracts or prep lists on a daily basis.
• Fill in for department chef in his/her absence for all questions, concerns and problems in the department.
• Assist in all areas of kitchen when needed. Anticipate business levels.
• Be flexible with schedule and shifts to accommodate business needs.
• Talk to guests about menus, special requests, etc.
• Lead overall operation daily. Be responsible for all cooks when chef is not present in area.
• Able to work a variety of stations in all areas of production and hotline.
• Comply with other tasks assigned by management.
• Maintain HACCP documentation and logs.

What This Job Offers

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