Production Cook
About The Position
Overview Who We Are: National Louis is a 135+ year old university that has been grounded in the values of innovation, access, excellence, and equity from its inception. As an institution, we believe in providing access to educational opportunity and that education is our greatest lever for social and economic mobility. We are a student-focused community that is committed to continuous improvement and superior student service. We believe that through education we are able to empower change and build healthy communities. Our hard-working community is based on collaboration and respect for all team members and students. What You Will Do: The Production Cook is responsible for preparing, cooking, and presenting food in accordance with established recipes, menus, and quality standards. This role supports daily food production for dining services, catering, and special events, ensuring that meals are produced efficiently, safely, and consistently. The Production Cook works as part of the culinary team to provide an excellent dining experience for students, faculty, staff, and guests.
Requirements
- Associate's Degree, or equivalent mix of experience and education (high school diploma or GED and at least 3 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
- Certified ServSafe Manager
- 1+ year of catering production experience
- Proficiency in large-batch cooking and use of commercial kitchen equipment.
- Knowledge of standard cooking techniques (grilling, roasting, sautéing, steaming, etc.).
- Knife skills and knowledge of proper food preparation methods.
- Understanding of food safety, HACCP, and sanitation standards.
- Ability to read and follow recipes, production sheets, and portion guidelines.
- Basic math skills for measurements, conversions, and portioning.
Responsibilities
- Prepare and cook food items according to standardized recipes, production sheets, and menu specifications.
- Ensure consistent portioning, flavor, and presentation of all menu items.
- Assist in large-batch cooking for catering, banquets, and residential dining.
- Maintain compliance with university, state, and federal food safety standards.
- Properly store, label, and rotate ingredients following HACCP guidelines.
- Keep workstations, equipment, and utensils clean and sanitized at all times.
- Set up, operate, and break down cooking stations and equipment safely.
- Assist in inventory control by monitoring ingredient levels and communicating needs to supervisors.
- Follow daily production schedules to meet service deadlines.
- Support catering and event execution with food preparation and plating.
- Work collaboratively with chefs, cooks, and service staff to ensure smooth operations.
- Communicate effectively with supervisors regarding food quality, shortages, or production issues.
- Assist with training and mentoring of student employees or new team members.
- Other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Associate degree
