Cook

At Café 50, we’re looking for a Cook who enjoys variety and is comfortable jumping in wherever the day needs them. This is a hands-on, hybrid kitchen role. You’ll help set up and work the sandwich station, assist on the grill, support food preparation, occasionally step in at the register, and help keep the kitchen clean and organized. Some days you may spend more time cooking, while other days you may help in different areas of the café.

We’re looking for someone with professional kitchen experience who is dependable, flexible, and comfortable working as part of a team. You care about preparing good food, keeping things organized, and helping wherever needed to keep Café 50 running smoothly.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Help get Café 50 ready for service by setting up the sandwich station, preparing ingredients, and making sure the kitchen is stocked and ready to go.
• Be someone the team can count on to bring flexibility, consistency, and a willingness to help wherever the day takes you.
• Prepare sandwiches, grilled items, daily specials, and other menu offerings with attention to quality, portioning, and presentation.
• Work the grill as needed, keeping up with orders while maintaining consistency and food quality.
• Move comfortably between different areas of the café, whether you’re preparing food, supporting the line, or stepping in at the register.
• Keep an eye on what the team needs throughout service, restocking ingredients and supplies before they run out.
• Provide friendly, efficient service when assisting guests at the register.
• Keep your station, equipment, and shared kitchen areas clean, organized, and ready for the next part of service.
• Follow proper food handling, sanitation, and kitchen safety practices at all times.
• Communicate with the culinary team throughout the day and jump in where needed to keep Café 50 running smoothly.

What You’ll Bring

• 2+ years of professional cooking experience, ideally in a high-volume kitchen or café environment.
• A solid foundation in food preparation, cooking techniques, and working from established recipes.
• Comfort working across different areas of a café, including sandwich preparation, grill, food prep, and occasional cashiering.
• The ability to stay organized and keep up when service gets busy.
• A strong eye for food quality, consistency, portioning, and presentation.
• A flexible, team-first approach and a willingness to jump in wherever support is needed.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work well alongside both kitchen and front-of-house team members.
• An understanding of food safety, sanitation, and proper food handling practices.
• Reliability and a strong work ethic. You show up ready to work and can be counted on by your team.

Supporting Your Success

• Choice of Company-subsidized medical plan options
• Generous employer pension contribution
• Robust paid time off program and paid holidays
• Meal discounts and additional lifestyle and entertainment perks
• Career growth opportunities within a dynamic and evolving organization

If you’re looking for a role where you can use your kitchen experience, stay active, and be part of a team that works together to get the job done, we’d like to hear from you. At Café 50, every person plays a part in creating a great experience for our guests. If you’re ready to bring your skills, flexibility, and a willingness to jump in, we’re ready to meet you.

While we leverage technology to support our recruiting process, every application is personally reviewed by a member of our Human Resources team because we recognize that behind every resume is a person, a career journey, and a genuine interest in joining our organization.

Table & Banter Hospitality is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and respected. We make all employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex, pregnancy or breastfeeding, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, genetic information, liability for military service, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We believe exceptional hospitality begins with exceptional people and are committed to creating a workplace where every team member can thrive. We participate in the federal E-Verify program to confirm employment eligibility for newly hired employees.

Pay: $17.50 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid training

Application Question(s):

• Are you comfortable working in a flexible café role that includes sandwich preparation, assisting on the grill, food prep, occasional cashiering, and helping with kitchen cleaning?
• Briefly tell us about your cooking experience and the kitchen stations or areas you’ve worked in.
• Please note that we conduct comprehensive pre-employment background checks as part of the hiring process. Are you comfortable proceeding with this requirement?

Ability to Commute:

• Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 (Required)

Work Location: In person