Cook

Position Summary

The Cook plans, prepares, and cooks various food items to ensure the highest quality and experience for guests in the restaurant, carryout, and delivery.  They ensure proper food handling, sanitation, and food storage procedures. 

Primary Responsibilities

The following information represents the majority of the duties performed in the position, but are not meant to be all inclusive nor prevent other duties from being assigned when necessary. 

• Measures and mixes ingredients according to recipe, using variety of kitchen utensils and equipment to prepare salads, sauces, dough, cheeses, pizza crust, vegetables, sandwiches, and casseroles.
• Follows measurement charts to ensure consistent and quality products. 
• Bakes, fries and microwaves main dishes and cooks or heats other food items.
• Observes and tests cooking  by viewing, smelling, piercing with fork, and testing temperature with a thermometer to determine items are properly cooked.  Provides guidance to other kitchen crew and management during the preparation of food.
• Washes, peels, cuts, dices and shreds vegetables and fruits to prepare them for use.
• Maintains cleanliness and sanitation of the food preparation containers and areas including washing/sanitizing of all containers and utensils, preparation counters and tables, cleaning walls and shelves, clear crumbs away and wipe ovens and microwave, drain oil from, dissemble, clean and reassemble fryer, and sweep and mop floors.
• Monitors thermostat controls to regulate temperature of oven, steam kettles, steam tables and hot holding equipment, and pasta cooker.  Reports malfunctions or required repairs to management. 
• Records product usage and waste on charts.
• Operates dishwasher.
• Delivers clean plates, utensils, glasses, etc., to service areas either at the counter or dining room.

Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of food safety procedures, including safe temperatures at which ingredients must be kept.
• Ability to work as part of a team, collaborating on complex orders.
• Interpersonal skills to interact with various other crew members and management.
• Consistently follow ingredient measurements for quality products.
• Ability to follow directions.  Ability to follow all safety requirements.
• This position does not require previous experience. 

Licenses/Certificates

• The position may require a Food Handler’s permit and/or Foodservice Sanitation Certification and/or other individual compliance permits, certificates, or licenses dependent upon the laws of the city or county in which the restaurant is located.

Physical Demands

• Physical Strength and Stamina Demands:
• The Cook  exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly in the performance of activities. Force includes push/pull/lift. The Cook is required to perform most work from a standing position.  Work may involve frequent walking, intermixed with sitting for brief periods of time. Work requires stamina to perform duties for extended periods of time typically comprised of 8-12 hour shifts and frequent “split shifts” (4-6 hours shifts with “off time” of 2-4 hours between shifts). Shifts encompass early morning, lunch, afternoons, dinner, and late night.
• Physical and Sensory Demands:
• Reaching, climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, handling, fingering, feeling, lifting, carrying, standing, walking, pushing, and pulling is required occasionally in the performance of functional duties.  Requires punctual, regular, a