Adams' Kitchen Head Chef (Full Time, Full Availability)

General Purpose:

The Head Chef provides customer-friendly service to our valuable customers and provides the quality products that Adams is known for. This means being responsible for menu development, all major cooking and assembly, coordinating activities of cooks and associates, filling and rotating the case, keeping the department clean, and being the final line for checking quality and safety of all products leaving the kitchen.

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Reports to: Prepared Food Manager, Assistant Manager

Job Description:

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Ensure that customers receive the best customer service by providing friendly, polite, and knowledgeable service
• Greet customers personally and thank them appreciatively for shopping at Adams
• Make sure all food that leaves the kitchen meets Adams’ quality standards and is served at a safe temperature
• Coordinate with other personnel to plan and develop recipes, taking into account such factors as seasonal availability, margins, and feasibility for consistent large-scale production
• Prepare all entrees and sauces to Adams’ quality standards
• Plan menus, holiday platters, specialty platters and custom orders
• Instruct line cooks and associates in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation of food
• Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations
• Organize preparation and schedule of products to be made for the day
• Coordinate activities of cooks and associates engaged in food preparation activity
• Perform prep work, including chopping vegetables, trimming meat, and breading products for frying
• Cook items in fryers and steamers
• Prepare products for catering events, holidays, and special events
• Prepare hot sandwich and breakfast items to order
• Be able to prepare all products necessary to meet kitchen needs
• Compose salads according to recipes
• Rotate products to keep older product in front and stock cases, making sure each package is correctly labeled and there are no empty spaces
• If opening, perform start of day procedures, including turning on equipment, putting on soups, preparing packaged products for cold case, hot case, salad bar, or other assigned areas
• If closing, perform end of day procedures
• Keep hot bar, hot case, cold cases, and salad bar fresh and full
• Take inventory and purchase/ transfer products of quality and freshness to be used in restocking
• Weigh, price and store products
• Be the final line for quality control: look for packaging issues, sell-by dates, and be vigilant about quality and presentation of all products sent out of the kitchen
• Receive and put away deliveries; check weights for accuracy and match inventory to bill
• Take customer orders both in person and on the phone
• Clean cases, including wiping shelves and keeping glass clean at all times
• Clean dishes and equipment used and put them away once dry
• Keep all areas of the department clean and organized, including sales floor, counters, cases, coolers, preparation, and production areas
• When a customer needs assistance, give the customer priority over the task at hand

Physical Requirements:

• Consistently lift and move 50 pounds
• Stand for duration of shift
• Climb up and down a stepstool and stepladder
• Use hands, wrists, fingers and arms for duration of shift
• Safely operate and use knives, ovens, fryer, steamer, buffalo chopper, and donut machine, charbroiler, griddle, kettle, slicer, tilt skillet, jacket kettle, immersion blander, and hand mixer
• Use the compactor and cardboard crusher for disposing of garbage and recycling

Qualifications:

• Be food safety certified
• Communicate clearly with customers, co-workers, and store management team
• Employees are our internal customers; treat them with the same courtesy and respect as our external customers
• Be 18 years or older
• Must work efficiently and at a productive pace per department needs
• Must be able to work scheduled shift
• Follow all department safety policies and procedures
• Be able to concentrate on tasks in order to avoid injury and waste of product
• Be knowledgeable about Adams product – recommend cooking methods and ideas to customers by exploring customer preferences and advocating Adams product
• Be knowledgeable of all recipes the kitchen uses
• Cook III or at least 5 years cooking in a professional kitchen

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general responsibilities of this position. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required for this position. It is understood that these responsibilities are subject to the needs of the business and therefore subject to change. I understand that other responsibilities may be required. I understand and confirm that I am able to carry out the duties of this position.