Cook I - Banquets (Full Time)

Division:  Culinary & Stewarding (CUL002)

Band 1U

Cook I

Primary Responsibilities:

Supporting all the Chefs in a busy hotel kitchen delivering consistently high-quality food, receive product from vendors and ensure product is being rotated properly.  Ensure the highest standards and consistent quality in the daily preparation and keeps up to date with the new products, recipes, preparations and techniques.

Essential Job Functions:

• Prepare, season, cook, portion, all types of food preparations and duties assigned by the chefs to meet and or exceed standards in all outlets.
• Prepare all restaurant, cafeteria and banquet hot/cold items including, but not limited to: roasted, grilled, steamed, blanched and fried meats/starches/seafood/vegetables etc.
• Inform F&B service staff of 86'd items, and amount of available menu specials throughout the meal period.
• Able to prepare and convert recipes for all sauces, stocks, soups and other recipes.
• Clean, butcher and portion meat and seafood products to spec and food safety standards.
• Follows the instructions and recommendations from chef or immediate supervisor to complete the daily tasks.
• Prepare daily specials as needed.
• Direct and assist stewards to make clean-up a more efficient process.
• Able to estimate the daily production needs, butchery, and checking the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
• Ensure that the production, preparation and presentation of food are always of the highest quality.
• Transport supplies from the Storeroom and stock in designated areas.
• Ensure highest levels of guest satisfaction, food quality and food cost on an ongoing basis.
• Communicate and respond to guest needs including, but not limited to: dietary specifications, allergies, special requests, etc.
• Knowledge of all standard operating procedures and policies pertaining to food preparation, receiving, product storage and kitchen sanitation.
• Full awareness of all stations, menu items, recipes, methods of production and presentation standards.
• Ensure proper maintenance of all department equipment, reporting any malfunctioning equipment to chefs.
• Ensure effective communication between team members by maintaining a secure and friendly working environment.
• Assist chefs in ensuring all team members adhere to uniform policy, hygiene, safe work environment and correct use of equipment and utensils.
• Ability to produce own work in accordance with a deadline and to assist and encourage others in achieving this too.
• Consults daily with executive chef, sous chefs and front of house manager on the daily reservations, DRF’s and also about any last minute events and VIP guests. 
• Daily feedback collection and reporting of issues as they arise.
• Setup, prepare and breakdown station for restaurants and banquets.
• Prepare and submit requisition; receive food items daily.
• Complete all assignments in a timely fashion; assist other cooks in doing so as needed.
• Assist with line and cooler checks for expired dates, labelling and proper storage of food items in designated kitchens.
• Read order tickets and BEO to prepare hot/cold food in a timely fashion as specified and according to standard.
• Operate kitchen equipment and perform duties following safety procedures and standards.
• Follow standards for proper handling of all food products.
• Guide, train, supervise and mentor equal and lower class cooks.
• Perform duties of lower rated cooks when needed. 
• Maintain clean, orderly, safe and sanitary work area.
• Taste and inspect all sauces, dressings and other mise in assigned station daily for quality and freshness; adjust and correct when necessary.
• Carry out any other duties as required by management.

Complete opening duties:

• Set up workstation with required mise in place, tools, equipment and supplies.
• Inspect the cleanliness and working condition of all tools, equipment and supplies.  
• Check production schedule and pars.
• Establish priority items for the day.
• Inform the Sous Chef of any supplies that need to be requisitioned for the day's tasks

Breakdown workstation and complete closing duties:

• Return all food items to the proper storage areas.
• Rotate all returned product.
• Wrap, cover, label and date all items being put away.
• Straighten up and organize all storage areas.
• Clean up and wipe down food prep areas, reach-ins/walk-ins and shelves.
• Return all unused and clean utensils/equipment to the specified locations.
• Ice down hot items from the steam table, so they cool quickly.
• Turn off all equipment not needed for the next shift.

Secondary Job Functions:

• Assist with inventories as scheduled.
• Assist in plating up Banquet hot meals as assigned.
• Follow maintenance program and cleaning schedule.
• Perform duties in other areas of Kitchen as assigned.
• Work at off-premise functions.
• Research new menu items.
• Attend designated meetings.
• Engage in guest interaction during banquet events.
• Prepare and present menu items to the highest of standards consistently when stationed in Manta PM.
• Exhibit creativity and awareness of current culinary trends utilizing advanced plating/presentation techniques when creating specials in Manta PM.

When working in bakeshop:

• Check on AM shift daily production Requirements for all restaurants and Banquet event, ensuring all daily orders are met
• Set up production requirements and prep list for the next day
• Restaurant ala carte menu production.
• Produce Special occasion cakes orders
• Assist in training lower level cooks                       

Working Conditions:

• Majority of the shift is spent in the restaurant kitchen
• Must be able to go in and out of refrigerators or freezers.
• Must be able to work at a hot stove, grill, steamer, oven, etc.
• Must be able to cope with the noise in the kitchen; loud voices, pots/pans and dishes, machines operating.

Work Hours:

• Must be able to work the shift and days determined by the Chef.
• Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week, when needed.

Equipment Use:

• Ability to use kitchen tools efficiently and safely; knife, peeler, can openers, etc.
• Ability to operate kitchen equipment efficiently and safely; grills, stoves, ovens, steamers, meat slicers or grinder, mixers, warmers, etc.
• Ability to use the telephone.
• Carts, food warmers, wagons

Mental and Physical Demands:

• Ability to prioritize and organize workload to ensure deadlines are met.
• Ability to manage stressful and challenging situations during peak service time.
• Able to lift/carry and push/pull up to and over 50 lbs.
• Bend, reach, stoop to prepare food and set-up buffets.

Communication Demands:

• Must be able to verbally communicate to restaurant staff to clarify and expedite orders.
• Must be able to verbally communicate to culinary staff under his/her direction.
• Ability to write recipes and requisitions.
• Ability to communicate over the phone.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

• 6 years related work experience.
• Must be able to multi-task
• Dept. of Health TB Clearance.
• Food Safety Certificate, preferred.