Experienced Cook | Freelance / Part-Time

Job Overview

Join our dynamic culinary team as a Freelance / Part-Time Cook, where your passion for food and dedication to quality will shine! In this energetic role, you’ll help cook for our meal prep and catering business. Your culinary skills will help create a vibrant kitchen environment that fosters teamwork, creativity, and efficiency. Whether you're sharpening your knife skills or assisting with final packaging, this position offers a fantastic opportunity to grow your food industry experience while working flexible hours.

We’re looking for an experienced, dependable Cook to join our small production team. This is a hands-on role for someone who knows how to move efficiently in a kitchen, follows recipes accurately, keeps a clean station, and can help us execute a busy production day.

Responsibilities

• Prepare ingredients and components according to standardized recipes and menu specifications, ensuring consistency and quality in every dish.
• Assist with food preparation tasks such as chopping, slicing, dicing, and portioning ingredients using proper knife skills and slicing techniques.
• Assist with batch cooking and preparation of proteins, vegetables, grains, sauces, and other meal components
• Operate kitchen equipment safely and efficiently, including mixers, ovens, and food processors.
• Weigh and portion food according to established specifications
• Maintain cleanliness and sanitation of workstations, utensils, and equipment in compliance with food safety management standards.
• Wash dishes, cookware, utensils, and kitchen equipment as needed
• Clean and sanitize prep areas throughout the day
• Assist with ingredient and supply organization
• Help with full kitchen breakdown and cleanup at the end of production
• Support the culinary team in meal assembly and plating to ensure timely service during busy periods.
• Follow food handling procedures diligently to uphold safety standards in production and prevent cross-contamination.
• Collaborate with other staff to ensure smooth communication and coordination during food prep and service.

Experience

• Previous experience in a dietary department or dietary aide role is highly desirable.
• Proven food service experience within restaurants or food industry settings demonstrates familiarity with fast-paced environments.
• Strong knowledge of safety standards in production and food handling practices is essential.
• Skilled in recipe adherence, meal preparation, and operating kitchen equipment safely.
• Experience with culinary tasks such as slicing techniques and knife skills adds value.
• Excellent communication skills to effectively coordinate with kitchen staff and ensure seamless operations.
• Familiarity with food safety management systems and adherence to safety standards in production environments is preferred.

What We’re Looking For

We want someone who can step into a busy production day and work with urgency without sacrificing accuracy or cleanliness.

Previous experience working in a fast-paced restaurant, catering operation, meal-prep business, commissary, or commercial kitchen is strongly preferred.

You should be:

• Fast, efficient, and comfortable working on your feet
• Dependable and punctual
• Highly organized
• Detail-oriented
• Comfortable following standardized recipes
• Confident with basic knife skills and kitchen equipment
• Comfortable weighing, measuring, and portioning food
• Able to manage multiple prep tasks while staying organized
• Consistent about cleaning and sanitizing as you work
• Comfortable taking direction and working as part of a small team
• Able to safely lift and carry typical commercial kitchen supplies, groceries, pots, and food containers

Food-handler or food-safety certification is a plus. Can be obtained after start.

About Nanni’s Kitchen

Nanni’s Kitchen is a growing meal production operation creating fresh, thoughtfully prepared meals in a high-volume, organized kitchen environment.

Pay: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour

Work Location: In person