Lead Cook

Crescent Careers•Charlotte, NC

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Bring Your Skills. Bring Your Passion. Bring Great Food to the Table. Great hospitality starts in the kitchen. We're looking for a Lead Cook who takes pride in preparing high-quality food, maintaining a clean and safe kitchen, and making sure every plate meets our standards. This is an opportunity for an experienced culinary professional who understands that great cooking is about more than following a recipe. It's about consistency, timing, preparation, teamwork, attention to detail, and taking pride in what you serve. If you thrive in a fast-paced kitchen, enjoy working as part of a team, and take satisfaction in knowing guests are enjoying something you helped create, we'd love to meet you.

Requirements

Passionate about food and takes pride in what comes out of the kitchen.
Detail-oriented, especially when it comes to recipes, portions, temperatures, and presentation.
Reliable and prepared, with the ability to anticipate what the kitchen will need.
Team-oriented and willing to jump in wherever help is needed.
Calm and focused in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
Committed to quality, consistency, cleanliness, and food safety.
Cost-conscious, understanding that controlling waste is an important part of a successful kitchen.
Hands-on, with confidence operating a variety of commercial kitchen equipment.
Adaptable and willing to learn new skills and procedures.
Professional and respectful when working with both coworkers and guests.
Communication skills.
Manual dexterity for operating food machinery.
Ability to grasp, lift, carry, or otherwise move goods weighing up to 100 pounds on a continuous schedule.

Nice To Haves

Checks your mise en place twice because you want service to go right.
Knows that consistency matters just as much as creativity.
Can look at a prep list and know what needs to happen next.
Takes pride in a clean and organized workstation.
Doesn't waste food—or opportunities to improve.
Can handle a busy service without losing your focus.
Is willing to jump in and help the team get across the finish line.
Takes pride in serving food that you'd be happy to put in front of your own family.

Responsibilities

Prepare food consistently according to recipe cards, production requirements, and portion standards.
Prepare food based on guest orders and communication from the service team.
Plan ahead by preparing appropriate quantities of food while avoiding unnecessary overproduction.
Check product levels and pars for each shift and determine preparation needs.
Complete freezer pulls and line setup to ensure the kitchen is ready for service.
Monitor inventory and communicate out-of-stock items or potential shortages.
Assist with keeping buffet areas properly stocked and ready for guests.
Properly date, cover, store, and rotate food according to hotel standards.
Maintain proper temperatures for perishable food items.
Return unused food items to designated storage areas and ensure they are properly covered and dated.
Help identify opportunities to reduce food waste, loss, and unnecessary usage.
Assist with plans and actions designed to address food-cost concerns.
Operate, maintain, and properly clean kitchen equipment, including: Deep fryers, Broilers, Stoves, Steamers, Food processors, Mixers, Slicers, Ovens, Steam tables, Tilt kettles, Waffle irons, Flat-top grills.
Maintain a clean, safe, and sanitary work environment.
Work collaboratively with other culinary team members and pitch in wherever needed.
Communicate effectively regarding preparation, product availability, and kitchen needs.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.