Half this job isn't in the kitchen.
You'll cook. You'll also be out with the team delivering caterings to major clients, talking with customers, and representing the fastest growing caterer in Illinois in the field.
If standing at one station for eight hours sounds miserable to you, good. That's not this.
NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED
That's who we hire. We train from zero, and we've done it for three generations of chefs, general managers, and high-level people in this industry.
WHY WE TEACH BOTH SIDES
Most kitchen jobs teach you one thing: cook food, repeat. That's a trap, not a career.
Culinary skills get you hired. Business skills get you promoted, here or anywhere. We stack both so you're not stuck at a station for the next ten years.
It's the same training people pay culinary college tuition for, except here you earn while you learn it. No debt.
WHERE THIS ACTUALLY GOES
1. Trainee - paid training from day one, no experience needed
2. Solo Delivery - run drops on your own, higher rate, tips are yours
3. Assistant Chef - stations, shifts, training others, skill-based raises
4. Chef - your own corporate accounts and commission every month
5. Personal / Private Chef level - good enough to cook for a family, an executive, or an estate anywhere in the country
That last step isn't a motivational line. Chef and head-cook jobs are projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2034 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), and experienced private chefs cooking for households and executives earn well into six figures. Culinary school charges tens of thousands in tuition to put you on that road. We pay you to walk it.
We'd rather build someone who could leave and doesn't.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Kitchen side:
- Grill, fry, saute, pizza, station by station
- Catering prep, packing, temps, load-outs
- Speed and consistency under pressure
- Food safety, temps, allergens
Client side:
- Running deliveries and setups for major corporate accounts
- Communication that turns a first order into a standing one
- Build regulars and repeat customers (it's really just making friends)
- Run shifts, train teammates, problem-solve when everything hits at once
HOW YOU ACTUALLY GET PAID HERE
Your hourly rate is a starting base, not your ceiling. Here you have multiple ways to earn:
- Hourly base that grows as you prove skills (reviews at 30, 60, 90 days)
- Tips from catering deliveries to big clients
- Higher pay for running deliveries solo once you reach that level
- Base boosts as you master more skills and handle more tasks
- Commission once you reach Chef level and run your own corporate accounts
- Internal marketing compensation, additional earning opportunities inside the company
Most kitchen jobs have one number. We have six. You control how many you unlock.
We're investing real training hours, real ingredients, and real mentorship into you before you're producing at full speed. We bet on you first. That's what the starting base reflects.
PAY
- $15-$17/hr during paid training. This is your base, not your total.
- Your base grows as your skills grow
- If what you want is the training, this is a great deal. If what you want is only the highest starting number, there are places that pay more to teach you nothing. No hard feelings.
PROOF THIS IS REAL
- Third generation of chefs and leaders currently in development
- Featured on WGN, Fox Chicago, Windy City Live, Chicago's Best, Daily Herald
- AP News highlighted us as a tech-forward restaurant
- Staff-created menu hits: Giant 13" Taco Mozzarella Stick, Korean BBQ
SCHEDULE
- Daytime availability required for training
- Some evening and weekend availability needed (you won't always work them)
- Part-time to start, full-time as fast as you train
- Schaumburg, IL. You'll need reliable transportation for daytime shifts and client visits.
YOU'RE A FIT IF
- You actually like talking to people, half this job is talking to them
- Coachable, feedback makes you better
- Reliable, you show up ready
- Team-first, no egos in the kitchen
- You want to build a career, not just collect a check
HOW TO APPLY
Apply on Indeed and answer every screener question completely. We read all of them.
ABOUT US
Frato's Personal Chef Catering. Three generations of chefs trained here. We're not a chain. We're where careers in this industry actually start.
All backgrounds welcome. We hire for attitude and potential, not experience.
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SEARCH TERMS
Catering Team Member, Prep Cook, Line Cook, Kitchen Staff, Kitchen Trainee, Entry Level, No Experience, Will Train, Paid Training, Catering, Delivery, Schaumburg
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: $15.00 - $17.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Paid training
- Referral program
Application Question(s):
- Tell us why you are the ideal candidate for this position
- Do you want to become a personal chef, head chef, or restaurant owner someday
- This is a physical job where you are on your feet all day. Are you able to lift 30 to 40 pound food boxes, catering boxes, etc... multiple times a day?
- What is your Expected or Desired Starting Compensation for this Training Program and Why? (Note: Indeed auto-rejects your application if you state a rate above the job description, if you say "negotiable" or if you don't answer at all)
Education:
- High school or equivalent (Required)
Experience:
- Cooking: 1 year (Preferred)
- Sales: 1 year (Preferred)
License/Certification:
- Drivers License, Your Own Car and Insurance (Required)
Shift availability:
- Day Shift (Required)
- Night Shift (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Schaumburg, IL 60193 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Schaumburg, IL 60193: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
