Banquet Cook

EL CHORRO LODGE; Paradise Valley (AZ); On-site; USD 34,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

EL CHORRO LODGE in Paradise Valley seeks a dependable kitchen professional for banquet service. Prepare hot and cold menu items, maintain quality and presentation, and support the banquet line with speed and accuracy.

Two years of cooking experience and a valid Maricopa County Food Handler’s Card are required. High school diploma preferred; culinary education is a plus. Join a team that values hospitality and teamwork.

Qualifications

• Two years of cooking and food-preparation experience.
• Must hold a Maricopa County Food Handler’s Card.
• High school diploma preferred; culinary education is a plus.
• Comfort reading recipes, following procedures, and using basic math for measurements.

Responsibilities

• Prepare hot and cold food items according to daily prep lists, recipes, and Chef direction.
• Maintain exceptional quality, flavor, freshness, and presentation.
• Organize prepared food by event date, function, and group name.
• Follow portion-control standards, including recipe measurements, weights, and counts.
• Assist banquet service line with focus, speed, and accuracy.
• Store, rotate, label, and handle food properly when moving items.
• Keep prep areas and equipment clean and sanitary.
• Maintain kitchen spaces and equipment per Health Department and El Chorro standards.
• Assist fellow team members and transport items to satellite service locations.
• Take on other culinary responsibilities as assigned by the Chefs.

Skills

Cooking experience

Food safety

Kitchen teamwork

Education

Maricopa County Food Handler’s Card

High school diploma (preferred)

Culinary education (nice to have)

Tools

Choppers

Graters

Mixers

Job description

Cook Up Unforgettable Celebrations in Paradise Valley

At El Chorro, every banquet is an occasion—and every plate helps create a memory. Set beneath the dramatic desert beauty of Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, our iconic Arizona lodge brings together timeless hospitality, remarkable events, and food worth talking about long after the last toast.

We’re looking for a talented, dependable kitchen professional who thrives in the energy of banquet service. From intimate gatherings to grand celebrations, you’ll help deliver beautifully prepared hot and cold menu items with precision, pride, and genuine care. If you love the rhythm of a busy kitchen, take ownership of your station, and enjoy being part of a team that makes special events shine, this is your place.

What Makes This Kitchen Different

• Work at a beloved Paradise Valley destination known for authentic Arizona charm, warm service, and spectacular mountain surroundings.
• Be part of a collaborative culinary team creating exceptional experiences for weddings, celebrations, meetings, and signature lodge events.
• Bring your skills to a high-energy operation where quality, consistency, and presentation matter.
• Build your craft in a team environment that values curiosity, professionalism, and a hands-on approach.
• Help uphold the hospitality tradition that has made El Chorro a treasured gathering place for generations.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Prepare hot and cold food items according to daily prep lists, standardized recipes, and Chef direction.
• Maintain exceptional quality, flavor, freshness, and presentation throughout preparation and service.
• Organize prepared food by event date, function, and group name, ensuring every item is properly completed and ready for execution.
• Follow portion-control standards, including recipe measurements, weights, and counts.
• Fire food for service and support the banquet service line with focus, speed, and accuracy.
• Store, rotate, label, and handle food properly when removing items from or returning items to walk-ins.
• Keep prep areas, walk-ins, equipment, and workstations clean, organized, and ready for action through a consistent “clean as you go” approach.
• Maintain kitchen spaces and equipment in accordance with Health Department and El Chorro standards.
• Assist fellow culinary team members wherever needed, including transporting food and equipment to satellite service locations across the property.
• Take on other supportive culinary responsibilities as assigned by the Chefs.

What You’ll Bring to the Table

• At least two years of cooking and food-preparation experience.
• A current Maricopa County Food Handler’s Card.
• A high school diploma is preferred; culinary education is a plus, but not required.
• Comfort reading recipes, following procedures, and using basic math for measurements, yields, weights, and portions.
• Confidence using kitchen tools and equipment, including choppers, graters, mixers, and other prep equipment.
• A sharp eye for quality, organization, sanitation, and detail.
• The ability to work successfully in confined kitchen spaces and in varying temperatures.
• The ability to reach, lift, carry, push, or pull products and equipment weighing up to 100 pounds.
• The ability to safely clean with abrasive kitchen cleansers and maintain a sanitary workspace.

Working Conditions

Attendance as scheduled is a critical element in all positions at El Chorro.

El Chorro’s leaders and associates believe each guest (internal and external) should be treated with respect, kindness, and professionalism. We believe that “Making Space for Genuine Hospitality” is our purpose, enticing our guests to return again and again. To be successful at El Chorro, associates must embrace our Purpose, Pillars and 21 Service Essentials. This includes being hands on and heartfelt, sincere and focused, collaborate and curious, and conscientious, possessing and demonstrating a high level of care and attention to internal and external guests. Our forward-thinking, fun, friendly, engaging and enthusiastic associates treat every guest as if they were our only guest. A true customer focus is essential to success with our property and company.

Source: Hospitality Online