Cook - Miller's Smorgasbord Restaurant

Serving Lancaster County Since 1929!

Few companies can claim over 95 years in business, but we can at Thomas E. Strauss, Inc. We owe our ongoing success to our exceptional staff and solid management team who are dedicated to an excellent guest experience.

Here is your opportunity to be part of a dedicated team at Thomas E. Strauss, Inc.

Our business is booming, and we are seeking outstanding team members who take pride in their work, and ownership of the position to ensure we are living up to our high standards and providing a friendly guest experience.

What we expect from you:

• A friendly, professional demeanor toward coworkers and guests – after all, our mission is to make people feel valued. We expect that of you, and we do our best to make YOU feel valued as well!
• Self-starter who owns the responsibilities of the role.
• A commitment to show up on time for every shift - ready to work hard alongside your team members.
• Your dedication to our values of diversity, integrity, excellence, accountability, community, and especially your willingness to have FUN!

Here’s what we offer to you:

• Competitive pay.
• Excellent benefit package and employee perks.
• Ability to earn unlimited employee referral bonuses.
• Ability to work in other business units within the hospitality group to make extra cash or gain new work experience. The more you know, the more you grow!
• A “work-to-live” not a “live-to-work” workplace!

Our Mission: Make people feel valued.

Our Values: Diversity, Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, Community and FUN!

Thomas E. Strauss, Inc., is a local family-owned hospitality group. Our businesses include Miller’s Smorgasbord, Miller’s Bakery, The Quilt Shop at Miller’s, Locally Made Food Shop, Anna’s Gifts & Sundries, Plain & Fancy Farm, AmishView Inn and Suites, Smokehouse BBQ and Brews, and The Barn & Hearth Shop.

Position Summary

Miller's Smorgasbord Cooks prepare and/or direct the preparation of food to be served in a high-volume restaurant environment to ensure continuous supply of food offerings to meet peak demand periods. Production cooks must comply with all food production programs and procedures frequently reviewing supply demand is being met with food production to the buffet bars. Emphasis on appropriate use of facility supplies and equipment to minimize food production and loss according to guest counts.This full-time position is guest facing position center island cook position interacting with guests.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Preparing or directing preparation of food served using established production procedures and systems
• Weekends, evenings and holidays required
• Ability to work the guest facing center island cook position in restaurant including a carving station
• Ability to follow safety protocols in a food environment
• Determining amount and type of food and supplies required using production systems; ensuring availability of supplies and food or approved substitutions in adequate time for preparation; serving or ensuring proper serving of food for buffet bars
• Complying with established sanitation standards, personal hygiene, and health standards; observing proper food preparation and handling techniques and temperature checks
• Ability to communicate with front of the house staff regarding food production needs to meet demand
• Ability to provide a great guest experience when serving guests at the carving station
• Storing food properly and safely by marking dates and items
• Correctly preparing all food served following standard recipes
• Planning food production to coordinate with meal serving hours so that excellence, quality, temperature, and appearance of food are preserved
• Maintaining daily production records
• Keeping work area neat and clean at all times; cleaning and maintaining equipment used in food preparation
• Reporting necessary equipment repair and maintenance      
• Performing other work-related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• A high school diploma or equivalent preferred
• Must be 18 years of age
• Prior experience in related food service positions required
• Moderate reading and writing skills; ability to follow written and oral instructions and procedures
• Promotes positive public relations with guests and work in a team environment
• Proficient interpersonal relations and communicative skills; cooperates and works together with all co-workers; plan and complete job duties with minimal supervisory direction, including appropriate judgment of food production needs
• Ability to stand, reach, lift, bend, kneel, stoop, climb, push and pull items weighing 50 pounds or less
• Manual dexterity; auditory and visual skills

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is regularly required to lift, bend, kneel, stoop, climb, push and pull items weighing 50 pounds or less. Employees are regularly exposed to kitchen equipment (e.g., oven, stove, grill, dishwasher, slicer, fryer, steamer, mixer, and chef's knives).

Equal Employment Opportunity

Thomas E. Strauss Inc provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Note

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.

Updated 02/06/2026