Line Cook

Position Summary

A line cook is responsible for cooking meats, fish, vegetables, soups, and other hot food products. They are responsible for preparing and portioning food products prior to cooking. Other duties include final plate preparation; plating and garnishing of cooked items and preparing appropriate garnishes for all hot menu items.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Inspect, clean, and maintain food preparation areas, such as equipment and work surfaces, or serving areas to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
• Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, fryers, roasters, and other kitchen equipment.
• Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, checking dates of products, and properly rotating stock.
• Handles, stores, and rotates all food products and supplies according to restaurant policies and procedures.
• Understands and consistently complies with the restaurant’s standard portion sizes, cooking methods, and quality standards and policies.
• Stocks and maintains sufficient levels of food products at line stations to support a smooth service period.
• Follows recipes and standards to portion, arrange, and garnish food properly.
• Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
• Assists in food prep assignments during off-peak periods as needed.
• Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods.
• Closes the kitchen following the closing checklist for kitchen stations and assists others in closing the kitchen.
• Coordinate with and assist fellow employees to meet guests’ needs and support the operation of the restaurant.
• Fill-in for fellow employees where needed to ensure guest service standards and efficient operations.
• Performing other work-related duties as assigned – Including working the line, doing prep, and executing quality control

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Prior experience in related food service positions required
• Ability to follow written and oral instructions and procedures
• Proficient interpersonal relations and communicative skills; cooperates and works together with all co-workers; plan and complete job duties with minimal supervisory direction, including appropriate judgment
• Ability to work in high-stress environment

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Employee is regularly exposed to kitchen equipment (e.g., oven, stove, dishwasher, slicer, coffee machine, steamer, mixer, and chef's knives).

Note

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to potential modification to allow reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.