Culinary Assistant

Stew Leonard's • Paramus, NJ

12d • $18 - $19

About The Position

As a Culinary Assistant at Stew Leonard’s, you will perform tasks related to food preparation, cooking, and customer service. This is a seasonal hourly position with an estimated pay range of $18.00–$18.50, depending on qualifications and experience. The season ends on or about December 24, 2026. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. The position includes two weeks of training.

The work involves setting up and maintaining buffet and display items, stocking supplies, packaging finished products, and following health, sanitation, and safety regulations. The role requires frequent walking, standing, and reaching, with occasional pulling, pushing, squatting, and lifting up to 50 pounds. It also involves frequent exposure to grease, oil, and extreme heat, and occasional exposure to smoke, noise, and weather.

Stew Leonard’s describes its workplace as family-oriented and highlights opportunities for career growth, holiday pay, and access to earned pay through Dayforce Wallet. The company also emphasizes customer service, teamwork, excellence, positive representation of its values, and diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility.

Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Safely use and operate knives, knife sharpeners, scalers, scales, and wrapping machines.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Good oral communication skills.
• Able to meet the position’s physical demands, including occasional lifting up to 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Great work ethic.
• Problem-solving ability.
• Self-motivation.
• Flexibility.
• Honesty.

Responsibilities

• Set up the buffet according to established standards.
• Ensure buffet food items have proper signage.
• Refill and rotate buffet food as required.
• Wipe down and clean the buffet as needed.
• Stock supplies for the hot and cold bar.
• Check food temperatures every two hours and document them in the temperature log.
• Maintain, fill, and rotate products on display while monitoring dates.
• Package finished products.
• Follow health, sanitation, and safety regulations.
• Assist with other duties as assigned.
• Greet customers with a friendly smile and positive attitude, ensuring they feel welcome and appreciated.
• Collaborate with team members and offer assistance and support as needed.
• Help improve and maintain store efficiency.
• Represent the store’s S.T.E.W. values in interactions with customers and team members.

Benefits

• Holiday pay.
• Dayforce Wallet access to request earned pay as it is earned, at no cost.
• Career opportunity and growth; the company states that over 80% of its managers have been promoted from within.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED