Lead Line Cook

NOW HIRING: LINE COOKJoin the Chayakada Café & Bistro Team in San Jose, California

We’re looking for a reliable, hardworking, and detail-oriented Line Cook to join our café and bistro team in San Jose.

Chayakada serves a unique selection of café food, pastries, sandwiches, high tea selections, daily specials, and house-made dishes.

This is a hands-on kitchen position for someone who takes pride in preparing fresh, high-quality food while maintaining a clean, organized, and efficient kitchen.

RESPONSIBILITIESFood Preparation & Daily Prep

• Complete daily kitchen prep according to Chayakada’s prep lists, recipes, and production needs.
• Wash, peel, cut, chop, slice, dice, portion, marinate, season, and prepare ingredients for service.
• Prepare vegetables, proteins, sauces, fillings, garnishes, batters, doughs, and other menu components.
• Prepare and organize ingredients for both the hot line and cold line.
• Ensure all ingredients are properly portioned and ready before service.
• Prepare fresh ingredients throughout the day as needed.
• Prepare components for sandwiches, snacks, pastries, high tea selections, café specials, and other menu items.
• Assist with preparation for large orders, catering, private events, and special menu days.

Chayakada Recipes & Café Specials

• Prepare daily dishes, curries, sauces, sides, and café specials according to Chayakada recipes.
• Follow recipes carefully to maintain consistency in taste, texture, portion size, and presentation.
• Properly measure and use ingredients, seasonings, sauces, and other recipe components.
• Follow established cooking and preparation techniques.
• Monitor cooking times and temperatures to ensure food is properly prepared.
• Maintain consistency across batches, including during high-volume service.
• Learn and accurately execute Chayakada’s recipes, preparation methods, and quality standards.
• Communicate any food-quality, ingredient, recipe, or equipment concerns to management.

Hot Line & Cold Line

• Set up and maintain hot and cold stations before and during service.
• Ensure ingredients, sauces, garnishes, utensils, and equipment are properly stocked.
• Work efficiently across multiple stations based on business needs.
• Cook and assemble dishes accurately and within expected ticket times.
• Maintain proper portion control and presentation standards.
• Communicate clearly with kitchen and front-of-house team members regarding orders, modifications, shortages, and special requests.
• Maintain station cleanliness and organization throughout service.
• Replenish ingredients as needed and properly store unused ingredients after service.

Pastries & Café Food

• Assist with preparation of fresh pastries and baked items as assigned.
• Prepare fillings, toppings, batters, doughs, and other pastry components.
• Prepare sandwiches, snacks, high tea selections, and other café menu items.
• Follow recipes and portioning standards carefully.
• Maintain consistency in appearance, texture, taste, and presentation.
• Properly store finished products and prepared components.

Catering & Special Events

• Assist with preparation and execution of catering orders and private events.
• Prepare larger quantities of food while maintaining recipe consistency and quality.
• Organize ingredients and prep according to event timelines.
• Assist with portioning, packing, labeling, and organizing catering orders.
• Ensure catering orders are complete, accurate, properly packaged, and ready on time.
• Work efficiently during high-volume events, holidays, and special menu days.

Food Safety, Labeling & Storage

• Follow all applicable food safety and sanitation requirements.
• Maintain proper food temperatures during preparation, cooking, holding, cooling, and storage.
• Properly cool and store prepared foods.
• Label and date all prepared food, ingredients, sauces, dishes, and containers.
• Follow FIFO (First In, First Out) inventory rotation.
• Properly separate raw and ready-to-eat foods.
• Store ingredients in their designated refrigerators, freezers, shelves, and storage areas.
• Keep food storage areas organized and ensure containers are properly sealed.
• Monitor expiration dates and food quality.
• Report spoiled, expired, damaged, or low-stock ingredients.
• Prevent cross-contamination through proper food handling and sanitation.

Kitchen Organization & Inventory

• Keep refrigerators, freezers, dry storage, prep areas, and kitchen shelves clean and organized.
• Return ingredients, equipment, and supplies to their designated locations.
• Assist with receiving and putting away deliveries.
• Check deliveries for quantity, quality, freshness, and damage.
• Assist with regular inventory counts and proper stock rotation.
• Minimize food waste through proper preparation, portioning, storage, and rotation.
• Communicate ingredient and supply shortages to management.

Cleaning & Kitchen Sanitation

• Maintain a clean and sanitary workstation throughout the shift.
• Clean and sanitize the hot line, cold line, prep areas, equipment, utensils, and food-contact surfaces after use.
• Wash and properly store dishes, cookware, and kitchen equipment.
• Sweep floors, clean spills, empty trash, and maintain overall kitchen cleanliness.
• Participate in scheduled weekly and periodic deep-cleaning of kitchen stations, equipment, storage areas, refrigerators, freezers, and other assigned areas.

Opening & Closing

• Assist with opening or closing duties as assigned, including station setup, prep, stocking, food storage, cleaning, and ensuring the kitchen is properly organized and ready for the next shift.
• Complete required opening/closing checklists and ensure all food and equipment are properly stored and secured.

Teamwork & Communication

• Work closely with the Head Chef, kitchen team, baristas, and front-of-house staff.
• Communicate clearly and respectfully during busy service periods.
• Assist other kitchen stations when needed.
• Be willing to take on different responsibilities based on the needs of the café.
• Maintain a positive, respectful, and professional kitchen environment.
• Communicate food shortages, equipment problems, food-quality concerns, and operational issues promptly.
• Be receptive to feedback and willing to learn Chayakada’s recipes, standards, and procedures.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

The ideal candidate is:

• Reliable and punctual.
• Hardworking and self-motivated.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced kitchen.
• Organized and detail-oriented.
• Able to follow recipes and instructions accurately.
• Able to maintain quality and consistency during high-volume service.
• Comfortable performing both cooking and cleaning duties.
• Willing to assist wherever needed.
• A strong team player with good communication skills.
• Passionate about food and café culture.
• Willing to learn new recipes, techniques, and kitchen procedures.
• Takes pride in cleanliness, organization, and quality.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous experience as a Line Cook, Prep Cook, Kitchen Team Member, Restaurant Cook, or similar role preferred.
• Experience in a café, bistro, bakery, catering kitchen, or high-volume food-service environment is a plus.
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and perform the physical duties associated with a commercial kitchen.
• Ability to lift and carry kitchen supplies and ingredients as required.
• Strong attention to food safety, cleanliness, and organization.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays, based on business needs.

JOB TYPES

• Full-time

BENEFITS

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Accrued sick days

WORK LOCATION

In person in San Jose, California

ABOUT THE ROLE

At Chayakada, being part of the kitchen team means more than cooking during service. Every team member contributes to the entire operation — from daily prep and cooking to catering, food storage, inventory organization, cleaning, and maintaining a service-ready kitchen.

We’re looking for someone who takes ownership, cleanliness, consistency, teamwork, and quality seriously and wants to grow with our café and bistro.

If you love food, take pride in a clean and organized kitchen, enjoy working with a team, and are ready to learn and grow with Chayakada, we’d love to hear from you.

Job Types: Full-time, Contract, Internship, Apprenticeship

Pay: $22.00 - $26.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule

Work Location: In person