Cook

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook menu items in accordance with established recipes, portion sizes, and quality standards, ensuring consistency and adherence to food safety guidelines.
• Follow proper cooking techniques and methods, including grilling, frying, roasting, baking, and sautéing, to achieve desired flavors, textures, and appearances.
• Monitor food temperatures, cooking times, and ingredient quantities to prevent waste and ensure that food is cooked and served at optimal quality.
• Collaborate with the culinary team and management to develop and refine menu items, specials, and promotions that appeal to guests' preferences and dietary needs.
• Experiment with new ingredients, flavors, and cooking techniques to create innovative and unique dishes that showcase the restaurant's culinary expertise and creativity.
• Stay informed about culinary trends, industry developments, and seasonal ingredients, and incorporate these insights into menu planning and execution.
• Maintain a clean, sanitized, and orderly kitchen environment at all times, including workstations, equipment, utensils, and storage areas, in compliance with health and safety regulations.
• Avoid food waste by managing inventory effectively, including receiving, storing, and rotating ingredients and supplies, and conducting regular stock checks to ensure adequate levels for production.
• Follow proper food handling and storage procedures to minimize the risk of contamination, spoilage, and foodborne illness, and ensure that all kitchen equipment is maintained and operated safely.
• Communicate effectively with kitchen staff, servers, and management to coordinate food preparation, cooking times, and service priorities, and ensure smooth operations during peak hours.
• Support and assist colleagues as needed, including dishwashing, food plating, and garnishing, to maintain efficient workflow and meet service deadlines.

Requirements

• Provide high-level customer service, communicate effectively with guests and team members, follow instructions, ability to learn quickly, pay attention to detail, and maintain composure when working under pressure.
• Technical Skills: Safe and appropriate use and operation of kitchen equipment, Knife skills, grill, broiler, sauté and Expediter skills; garde manger experience, Speed in meal production while ensuring high-quality food.
• Experience / Education: Minimum 2 years’ experience; high school diploma and/or equivalent work experience; experience with receiving orders and inventory control helpful; Culinary Arts education preferred; Serve-Safe Certification and Allergy Awareness Training preferred.