Prep Cook - Garde Manger and Catering Production

Continental Services•Troy, MI

19d

About The Position

The Prep Cook, Garde Manger & Catering Production is a hands-on culinary position supporting the Sous Chef and commissary culinary team with preparing, assembling, and presenting food for catered events. The primary focus is daily preparation of platters, trays, displays, appetizers, and other garde manger offerings for live catered events and drop-off or disposable catering. The Prep Cook follows recipes and direction accurately, maintains consistent portions and quality, works with urgency, and takes pride in the appearance of finished products. With training and experience, the employee takes on greater responsibility for assembling and finishing presentations to established standards. Garde manger is the primary area of focus, but this role is part of the broader commissary team and includes cross-training and support in other production areas as needed. The role requires strong work ethic, attention to detail, organization, communication, and a desire to improve. The employee supports daily catering production, quality and food-safety standards, cost control, waste reduction, and timely execution across the commissary.

Requirements

Basic knife skills and culinary knowledge.
Ability to read and accurately follow recipes.
Ability to weigh, measure, portion, and organize ingredients.
Strong attention to detail.
Ability to follow established visual and presentation standards.
Good organizational and time-management skills.
Ability to perform repetitive production while maintaining consistency.
Ability to work independently after receiving direction.
Ability to work collaboratively as part of a larger culinary team.
Willingness to ask questions and communicate problems.
Ability to accept coaching and apply feedback.
Desire to develop culinary and presentation skills.
Understanding of basic food safety and sanitation practices.
Willingness to learn multiple areas of a large commissary operation.
Ability to stand and work on your feet for extended periods.
Ability to bend, reach, lift, carry, and perform repetitive culinary production tasks.
Ability to safely operate knives and standard commercial kitchen equipment.
Ability to work in refrigerated, hot, and high-volume production environments.
Ability to maintain focus and organization while working against event-driven production deadlines.
Availability to work schedules that may vary based on catering and event volume.

Nice To Haves

Previous restaurant, catering, banquet, commissary, or professional kitchen experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Complete assigned daily prep lists accurately and within established production timelines.
Follow standardized recipes, production sheets, portion specifications, photographs, and presentation standards.
Wash, cut, slice, portion, cook, cool, and prepare ingredients according to established procedures.
Prepare components for catering platters, trays, displays, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and other menu items.
Weigh, measure, and portion ingredients accurately to maintain consistency and control food cost.
Organize and stage prepared ingredients for efficient assembly by the Sous Chef and culinary team.
Maintain an organized workstation with the ingredients, equipment, and supplies needed for production.
Contribute to high-volume production while maintaining consistent quality and productivity throughout the shift.
Assist the Sous Chef with assembling and finishing catering platters, trays, displays, and other cold-food presentations.
Follow standards for arrangement, color, balance, texture, spacing, portioning, garnishing, and overall appearance.
Handle finished products carefully to protect their quality and presentation; prepare and apply garnishes according to recipes and presentation guidelines.
Develop the skills to independently assemble established platter and tray presentations as training and experience progress.
Assemble and package products for drop-off catering to protect food quality, presentation, and suitability for transportation.
Assist with preparing food and components for live catered events as assigned.
Cover, label, date, store, stage, and organize prepared ingredients and finished products properly.
Review assignments, priorities, and production requirements with the Sous Chef or culinary leadership; communicate completed tasks and promptly report shortages, delays, equipment issues, and other production concerns.
Ask questions and clarify instructions when recipes, quantities, timelines, or presentation standards are unclear; promptly communicate mistakes and quality concerns.
Adjust priorities as directed when event requirements or production needs change, and accept and apply constructive feedback.
Inspect ingredients before use, report products that do not meet quality expectations, maintain consistent preparation and presentation, and seek guidance when products do not meet expectations.
Taste products when appropriate and as directed, and continually improve knife skills, preparation techniques, speed, organization, and presentation ability.
Follow recipes, portion specifications, and production quantities; use proper preparation techniques to maximize yield and minimize waste.
Store usable products as directed, label and date products, follow food-safety procedures and FIFO product rotation, and communicate excess product, shortages, or unexpected yield issues.
Remain productive and organized to minimize unnecessary movement and improve production efficiency while balancing quality, cost control, waste reduction, and labor efficiency.
Communicate professionally and respectfully with chefs, cooks, event teams, and other commissary employees; listen carefully and confirm or clarify information when necessary.
Work independently after receiving appropriate direction and training, assist teammates when assigned work is complete, and maintain a positive, productive, professional approach during high-volume and time-sensitive production.
Participate in cross-training in other culinary production areas; learn basic responsibilities and production methods outside garde manger.
Assist with hot and cold production, portioning, packaging, assembly, event preparation, and other culinary tasks as operational needs require.
Transition between production areas as priorities change under culinary leadership, and support other cooks and departments when needed.
Contribute to teamwork, accountability, respect, and pride in producing food for catered events to standards for quality, presentation, consistency, food safety, and timely execution.