Lead Cook

Job Summary

Providing quality meals to students, faculty, staff and visitors in a timely manner with an emphasis on customer service. Oversee and ensure production and prep sheets in high volume operations are being completed and will assist with executing and delegating tasks.

Job Assignments

• High-volume food preparation and cooking, following established recipes and production system.
• Maintain production and usage records as required.
• Utilizes products (raw and cooked) to minimize food costs.
• Some supervisory duties during shifts including coaching staff on knife skills and proper usage of kitchen equipment, monitoring recipe production, and administering tasks to staff throughout the shift.
• Maintain high sanitary, hygienic, and safety standards and conditions, adhering to HACCP & NYS Dept. of Health guidelines. Includes overseeing cleanliness & maintenance of kitchen & equipment.
• Communication with management on kitchen subjects including but not limited to; par levels, recipe correction, staff knowledge.
• Aid in training new hires and student workers as needed.
• General cleaning, other food service duties, and projects as requested by management.

Job Requirements

• Minimum 3 years professional cooking experience needed, showcasing multiple cooking techniques including but not limited to; sautéing, roasting, frying, broiling, braising, steaming, stewing, cold food production, and food presentation.
• Ability to slice/portion meats and cheese, set up/break down and sanitize slicer daily, IF APPLICABLE
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Proficiency in professional knife-handling skills.
• Experience in following standardized recipes.
• Experience at organizing and maintaining kitchen workstations.
• Experience in safe food handling, preventing food-borne illness, and sanitation techniques.
• Ability to correctly identify product.
• Excellent customer service.
• Must be able to speak, read, and write English, and have accurate math skills.
• Maintain professional appearance, demeanor, and hygiene.
• Must have reliable transportation and attendance.
• Pass Lead Cook screening test.

Work Environment

• The work environment can be loud and busy.
• Exposure to kitchen hazards such as hot surfaces and liquids, sharp knives, and slippery surfaces.
• Frequent exposure to heat, steam, fire, noise as well as extreme temperatures in coolers and freezers.
• May take place in a refrigerated and temperature-controlled environment.

Physical and Mental Demands

• The position is very active and the employee must be able to stand and walk for a minimum of 8 hours.
• Sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Regularly talk and hear.
• Use hands to finger, manipulate fingers; and reach with hands and arms, to stir, measure, pour, cut, chop, dice, and decorate, etc.
• Frequently lift and or move up to 25 lbs. and occasionally lift and or move up to 50 lbs.

Licenses and Certifications

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.