Summary of Position
- A line cook is a person selected for his / her culinary skills and organizational abilities as well as their ability to communicate effectively
- A line cook posse’s technical culinary skills and the ability to prepare great food while maintaining the highest food standards, and contributes creative input toward team development
- Each line cook directs and mans his or her stations, and is equal in status to every member of our kitchen team. He works in close cooperation with the Chef and every kitchen employee, as well as other restaurant personnel
- The line cook is directly responsible for the products in their station, and for completing their stations checklists. The line cooks are also responsible for the proper handling of all equipment in the kitchen
- A line cook is responsible for the timely and consistent preparation of all menu items, including any reasonable special requests during service. The Chef will determine which requests are reasonable or unreasonable, not the line cooks
- Line cooks are expected to follow the health and sanitation guidelines set by the state of Illinois
Opening and Preparation
- Arrive to work on time and in full uniform – All employees are to arrive to work on time. This means at least 5 minutes before you are scheduled to begin work. If you are scheduled to begin at 9:00 am, and you are just walking through the door at 9: 00 am, you are considered late. All line cooks must be in a clean and pressed uniform
- Fill in Station Checklists – Station checklists are provided at the beginning of each shift to help you prep your station as well as to inventory all items. These must be completed each shift.
- Timely Station set up – Line cooks are required to have their stations completely set prior to each service
- Observe diligent preparationin all production – All products must be prepared in manageable amounts and in a timely manner. Potentially Hazardous Food must not be allowed to sit out at room temperature
- Quality Control – The first products received should be the first products prepped and the first products sold, First In First Out. You are expected to check for freshness by smelling products for the proper scent, touching them to ensure proper texture, looking closely for their proper and vibrant color, and finally, tasting them for the correct flavor and freshness
- Health and Sanitation – All products should be handled properly with respect to health and sanitation requirements
- Safety First – Always observe safety first while working, and when handling any piece of equipment
Line Work
- Fill in Station Checklists – all stations checklists must be completed before each service.
- Consistency in products – All products must be prepared according to plate and batch recipe specs
- Clean, Neat and Efficient – the uniforms and stations of all line cooks must remain neat and clean throughout service
- Effective Communication skills – All line cooks should possess the ability to communicate effectively in order to expedite service
- Portion Control – All portions must be consistent with al plate and batch recipe specs.
- Critical Inventory – Line cooks must assist the Chef and sous chefs with the critical inventory each day
- Health and Sanitation – All products should be handled properly with respect to health and sanitation requirements
- Safety First – Always observe safety first while working, and when handling any piece of equipment
Closing
- All food products properly handled and stored – Line cooks are responsible for the closing of the kitchen, which involves the rapid cooling, labeling and storage of products
- Critical Inventory – Line cooks must assist the Chef and sous chef with the critical inventory every day
- Stations cleared and organized – All surfaces should be cleaned as well as the insides of all reach-ins
- Health and Sanitation – All products should be handled properly with respect to health and sanitation requirements
- Safety First – Always observe safety first while working, and when handling any piece of equipment
- All equipment, gas and electric, turned off – Just before line cooks clock out, you should do a final walk of