Culinary Assistant

College of the Holy Cross • Worcester, MA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Perform various culinary duties to provide meals and services to students and guests following exact menu and recipe specifications with established practices and procedures. Responsibilities include food preparation, cook-to-order line service, station set-up, stocking, rotating product and maintaining a clean safe area following sanitation and food allergy regulations and safety standards. Responsibilities also include the operation of various standard equipment; turbo vector, impinger, deck, rotisserie and convection ovens, slicers, mixers, choppers, flat-top and Panini grills, deep fryers, induction display cooking units, rice/pasta steamers. Other responsibilities include assisting in the set-up, execution and clean-up of catered events and performing other similar tasks as required or requested. Annual certification training required in both ServSafe Food Safety and Food Allergy Awareness.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Ability to frequently lift up to 25 pounds, occasionally lift up to 50 pounds and 100 with assistance.
• ServSafe Food Safety Certification or training is required. If training is not up-to-date, training/certification must be completed upon 3-6 months from date of hire.
• Food allergy training is essential.
• Excellent customer service and appropriate communication skills are needed in order to provide a welcoming, professional and safe environment for students and guests.
• Upon hiring the following additional training must be completed on a yearly basis: Title IX harassment training, Security awareness training.

Nice To Haves

• Up to two years related work experience is preferred.
• Prior experience in special food allergy meal preparation is preferred. If a candidate does not have prior experience, the necessary training must be completed upon hiring.
• Initial training will include a review of information, departmental responsibilities and a recap of the Food Allergy Program.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook food items to order, ensuring adherence to established standards and specifications.
• Follow menu and recipe guidelines precisely to maintain consistency and quality across all food items.
• Ensure all menu items are consistently prepared, properly portioned, of the highest quality, and served at the correct temperatures.
• Fill out the temperature log book charts.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and fully functional work area that is adequately stocked, properly rotated, and organized at all times.
• Supervise on-call staff, student captains/workers, and temporary employees, providing direction on routine tasks to ensure smooth operations.
• Be adaptable and capable of working in various areas of the servery as assigned by management.
• Provide exceptional customer service by serving guests in a friendly, professional, and attentive manner when required.
• Assist with the setup, service, and cleanup of catered events, ensuring all operational standards are met.
• Accurately complete service records and inventory data within the FoodPro system to ensure proper tracking and reporting.
• Demonstrate proficiency in accommodating students with special dietary restrictions, ensuring their needs are met with care.
• Seek guidance from management with questions.
• Understand and apply food waste management practices, utilizing FIFO (First In, First Out) to minimize waste and maintain inventory efficiency.
• Adhere to all state and local food safety regulations to ensure compliance and uphold the highest standards of food safety.
• Perform other similar or related duties as required or requested.
• All documentation is recorded accurately and timely.
• Follow all chemical guidelines according to the Material Safety Data Sheets.
• Superior customer service and communications skills are needed to provide a welcoming, friendly and professional manner to all of our guests.
• Offer training/support to co-workers, staff and students where applicable.
• Follow all verbal and written instructions from managers/supervisors.
• Be innovative as it pertains to your position.
• Be comfortable sharing your suggestions and ideas for process or work improvements.
• Comply with all safety and risk management practices, policies and procedures.
• Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced food service environment.
• Ability to communicate with guests, co-workers and other members of the college community with professionalism and respect.
• Be sure to know and come to work each day with our department’s core values in mind.
• Must adhere to the uniform standard as it applies to your position.

Benefits

• Generous benefits options

What This Job Offers

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