Founding Team Prep Cook

Chetola Resort•Blowing Rock, NC

15d•Onsite

About The Position

Haven is a chef-driven restaurant opening in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, and is seeking founding kitchen team members. Backed by Chetola Resort, Haven offers the excitement of a new restaurant with the stability of an established hospitality destination. The restaurant focuses on Appalachian cuisine, utilizing hyper-seasonal ingredients from local farms and producers, presented through small plates and a tasting menu experience. This role is more than a typical prep cook position; it's an opportunity to join before opening, help shape the restaurant's standards, systems, culture, and identity from the ground up. The ideal candidate will take pride in meticulous preparation, understanding that exceptional mise en place is the foundation of a great restaurant. While extensive experience is not required, a strong desire to learn, attention to detail, discipline, and humility are essential.

Requirements

Previous prep cook, line cook, culinary, or scratch-kitchen experience preferred
Basic to strong knife skills and a desire to continue improving
Ability to follow recipes, specifications, and instructions accurately
Strong attention to detail and consistency
Ability to stay organized and manage multiple prep priorities
A sense of urgency without sacrificing quality or care
Pride in maintaining a clean and disciplined workspace
Respect for exceptional ingredients and the people who grow, raise, forage, and produce them
A positive attitude, strong work ethic, and willingness to learn
Reliability, accountability, and respect for teammates
Curiosity about food, technique, seasonality, and regional ingredients

Nice To Haves

Experience in fine dining, tasting menu, farm-to-table, or other chef-driven restaurants is a plus
Candidates who are earlier in their culinary careers and eager to build strong fundamentals in a serious, learning-focused kitchen are welcome

Responsibilities

Prepare ingredients and components with consistency, precision, and care
Execute daily prep lists efficiently while maintaining high standards of quality
Wash, trim, peel, cut, portion, and process produce, proteins, and other ingredients according to established specifications
Prepare sauces, stocks, dressings, marinades, purees, garnishes, and other foundational components
Follow recipes accurately while developing a deeper understanding of technique, flavor, and ingredient function
Support whole-product utilization and thoughtful approaches to minimizing food waste
Properly label, date, store, rotate, and organize ingredients and prepared items
Maintain accurate portioning and consistency across batches
Work collaboratively with chefs, line cooks, and fellow prep team members to ensure the kitchen is ready for service
Communicate proactively about prep levels, product quality, shortages, and production needs
Maintain a clean, organized, efficient, and professional workstation
Care for ingredients, tools, and equipment with attention and respect
Participate in pre-opening training, menu tastings, and ongoing culinary education opportunities
Help test and refine recipes, prep systems, storage standards, and kitchen workflows
Uphold the highest standards of food quality, sanitation, safety, and organization

Benefits

Founding Team bonus opportunities for eligible employees who join during the opening phase
Performance and retention bonus opportunities
Opportunities for advancement as the restaurant grows
Access to exceptional local and regional products and ingredients
A professional kitchen focused on quality, learning, discipline, and teamwork
Meaningful input into the systems and culture we build together
Ongoing opportunities to sharpen your craft and expand your culinary knowledge
The opportunity to learn alongside an opening culinary team
Scheduling practices designed to support work-life balance whenever operationally possible
The opportunity to be part of a new restaurant from the very beginning