Kitchen Aide
SUMMARY
The Kitchen Aide plays an essential role in supporting daily kitchen operations, including preparing and cooking breakfast and lunch meals. This position assists with food preparation, batch cooking, meal service, dishwashing, inventory management, and maintaining a clean, organized, and sanitary kitchen.
The ideal candidate has experience preparing meals in large quantities, works efficiently in a fast-paced environment, communicates effectively, and collaborates well with staff and volunteers.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Breakfast and Lunch Preparation: Prepare and cook scheduled breakfast and lunch menu items according to established recipes, production schedules, portion guidelines, and meal service times.
- Batch Cooking: Prepare food in large quantities while maintaining consistency, quality, proper temperatures, portion control, and presentation standards.
- Food Preparation: Complete food preparation tasks such as washing, peeling, and cutting vegetables; measuring and portioning ingredients; preparing meats and proteins; and assembling dishes according to recipes.
- Cooking Support: Operate kitchen equipment and assist with cooking tasks, including grilling, baking, roasting, sautéing, boiling, and reheating food as assigned.
- Meal Service: Portion, plate, and serve meals accurately and efficiently while ensuring that food is presented properly and served at safe temperatures.
- Dishwashing: Operate commercial dishwashing equipment to clean and sanitize dishes, glassware, utensils, pots, pans, trays, and other kitchen equipment.
- Cleaning and Sanitation: Clean and sanitize kitchen surfaces, countertops, floors, sinks, cooking equipment, storage areas, and food preparation stations. Maintain compliance with sanitation regulations and health department standards.
- Food Safety: Follow proper procedures for food handling, storage, cooling, reheating, temperature monitoring, allergen awareness, and prevention of cross-contamination.
- Stock Management: Assist with receiving deliveries, inspecting products, storing supplies, labeling and dating food, rotating inventory using the FIFO method, and minimizing food waste.
- Recipe and Portion Compliance: Follow established recipes, production sheets, portion-control guidelines, and instructions provided by the Food Service Director, chef, or kitchen supervisor.
- Kitchen Organization: Maintain an organized work area and ensure that ingredients, utensils, equipment, and supplies are properly stored and easily accessible.
- Communication and Teamwork: Communicate clearly and professionally with kitchen staff, volunteers, supervisors, and other team members to support efficient meal production and service.
- Safety Compliance: Maintain a safe working environment by following workplace safety procedures, properly using kitchen equipment, reporting hazards, and wearing required personal protective equipment.
- Additional Duties: Perform other kitchen-related responsibilities as assigned to support the daily needs of the food service program.
QUALIFICATIONS
- One to two years of batch cooking, institutional cooking, commercial kitchen, cafeteria, restaurant, or similar food-service experience.
- Experience preparing breakfast and lunch meals in large quantities is strongly preferred.
- Ability to follow recipes, production schedules, written instructions, and portion-control guidelines.
- Ability to work efficiently and remain organized in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and interact respectfully with staff, volunteers, and program participants.
- Knowledge of basic food safety, sanitation, and safe food-handling practices.
- Ability to operate standard commercial kitchen equipment safely.
- Dependable, punctual, flexible, and able to complete assigned duties with limited supervision.
- Ability to stand for extended periods and perform physical kitchen duties, including bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, and lifting supplies or equipment.
- ServSafe Food Handler certification or the ability to obtain certification within the employer’s required timeframe is preferred.
Pay: From $22.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
