Cook 4, Culinary

Department: Trilogy Bickford Ranch – Trilogy® Bickford: The Ridge Wellness Social Club, a 55+ community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Located just east of Lincoln in Northern California.

About the role

The Cook 4 is an hourly member of the Food & Beverage Team responsible for food preparation, cooking, and serving. This position reports to the Kitchen Manager or Executive Chef.

Responsibilities

• Work and master all kitchen stations, including plating and/or expeditor.
• Train new staff on station assignments and standard recipes; cross-train existing staff.
• Plate all dishes on the menu and special dishes.
• Lead kitchen service: read tickets, monitor ticket times, ensure food firing, cooking quality, and plating standards.
• Respond to special orders effectively and positively.
• Assist management with developing weekly and daily specials.
• Ensure superior service standards to meet guest and employee requirements.
• Investigate and resolve challenges from expeditor, guests, or employees promptly.
• Lead and monitor daily cleaning schedules to maintain a sanitary environment.
• Assist with monitoring food preparation, cooking, and serving techniques.
• Prepare ingredients: wash, peel, cut, and shred vegetables and fruits; measure and mix ingredients for soups, salads, gravies, desserts, sauces, and casseroles.
• Cook foods using various methods: bake, roast, broil, steam; adjust thermostat controls for ovens, broilers, grills, roasters, and steam kettles.
• Test foods by tasting, smelling, and observing appearance.
• Carve meats, portion food, add gravies and sauces, and garnish servings.
• Assume kitchen production and service responsibilities; cover for sous chef or kitchen manager as needed.
• Perform other assigned duties and responsibilities.

Requirements

• High School diploma preferred, or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Minimum of three years’ cooking experience in a commercial kitchen.
• Current Food Handlers card.
• Ability to read and interpret safety rules, operating instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or team members.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to make independent decisions based on sound judgment.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and team-oriented.
• Ability to manage multiple details in a fast-paced environment with continuous improvement expectations.
• Flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.

Skills

• Highly customer-oriented with a focus on exceeding guest satisfaction.
• Ability to work under pressure and balance multiple priorities.
• Strong team-building and leadership skills.
• Role model for core values: Honesty and Integrity, Respect for the Individual, Teamwork, Competitive Spirit.

Benefits

• Eligibility for medical, dental, and life insurance plans after 60 days of full-time employment (for hourly full-time team members working 30+ hours per week).
• Paid Time Off (PTO) accrual: 120 hours per year for full-time team members.
• 7 paid holidays annually for full-time team members.
• Paid Sick Leave accrual for part-time team members (per state guidelines).
• 401(k) plan eligibility after 30 days of service (for team members 21 years and older).

Pay

$26–$27 per hour.

Work Environment

• Primarily indoor kitchen environment; may include outdoor kitchen stations for events.
• Exposure to heat, steam, fire, noise, and outdoor weather conditions.
• Equipment includes ovens, stoves, dishwashers, slicers, coffee machines, steamers, mixers, and chef’s knives.
• Outdoor environments may involve walking on varied terrain while carrying items and navigating event setups.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to speak, hear, taste, and smell; sit, stand, and walk for the duration of a shift.
• Frequent bending, kneeling, stooping, and reaching with hands and arms.
• Frequent hand washing required.
• Occasional lifting and/or moving up to 50 pounds.
• Manual dexterity, auditory, and visual skills required to follow instructions in a fast-paced environment.