As a member of our hospitality team, the primary responsibility of a Lead Cook is to supervise the kitchen staff in the absence of the Chef and ensure the maintenance of food quality. This role will create positive leadership by providing guidance and training to the Kitchen associates in proper preparation techniques, equipment usage, and safety measures. This role will visually inspect and select the freshest ingredients for menu items, follow recipes, and prepare requisitions for supplies. A crucial part of this role is monitoring production flow, adhering to cost and quality control procedures, maintaining menu specifications and recipes, updating production forecasts, and ensuring compliance with health regulations for receiving, storage, and rotation of foods.
- Train and supervise kitchen staff in the proper preparation of menu items, equipment handling, and adherence to safety measures. Regularly evaluate their performance and provide guidance as needed to maintain the production of high-quality products.
- Conduct sensory evaluations (taste, smell, and visual inspection) of all products and mise en place before service to ensure only top-quality ingredients and correct recipes are used.
- Promptly report any substandard or low-quality products to the Supervisor or Chef, ensuring immediate attention and resolution.
- Ensure accurate timing and pace during service to guarantee that guests receive their food in a timely and appropriate manner.
- Ensure the schedule of culinary staff is followed, and when modifications are necessary, follow the direction of culinary supervisors and chefs.
- Observe production flow and make adjustments to adhere to cost and quality control procedures.
- Monitor and enforce proper receiving, storage (including temperature setting), and rotation of food products to comply with Health Department regulations, including proper labeling, dating, and storage containers to maintain product freshness.
- Conduct daily taste panels to verify that all dishes are perfectly seasoned and suitable to be served.
- Assign specific duties to all kitchen employees under the supervision of the kitchen supervisor to ensure efficient kitchen operations and service.
- Maintain, update, and ensure adherence to all menu specifications, recipes, and production forecasts. Also, ensure that all kitchen equipment is clean, properly maintained, and promptly report any equipment in need of repair to culinary supervisors and chefs.
- Foster positive working relationships with all team members in the department and throughout the hotel, promoting a culture of teamwork and collaboration.
- Handle and store all equipment properly, keeping the service line and related areas clean at all times by following the clean as you go policy. Utilize sanitizers to disinfect all food contact surfaces.
- Prioritize proper setup of workstations before all meal functions to maximize efficiency during food service.
