Banquet Cook II

Luminary Hotel & Co; Fort Myers (FL); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Luminary Hotel & Co. is seeking a Cook II to independently prepare and cook menu items for meetings, weddings, conferences, and events at Luminary Hotel & Co. and the Caloosa Sound Convention Center.

You will manage an assigned station, ensure food quality and safety, and support banquet service with strong culinary skills. Requirements include professional cooking experience, ability to work under pressure, and adherence to safety standards.

Qualifications

• Proven professional cooking experience in banquet/hotel or high-volume catering.
• Knowledge of safe food handling, sanitation, and kitchen safety.
• Ability to manage an assigned station and coordinate multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Prepare hot and cold items per recipes, production lists, and guest counts.
• Banquet setup, plating, service, and breakdown at events.
• Maintain quality, safety, and timely service; monitor temperatures and logs.

Skills

Banquet cooking

High-volume catering

Food safety

Portion control

Team coordination

Tools

Thermometer (calibrated)

Job description

We’re looking for enthusiastic, fun, and energetic people who take the work seriously, but not themselves. Let’s see if we’re a fit. We hope so.The Cook II independently prepares, and cooks assigned menu items for meetings, weddings, conferences, and special events at Luminary Hotel & Co. and the Caloosa Sound Convention Center. This position requires solid cooking skills, sound judgment, and the ability to manage an assigned station while maintaining food quality, safety, and timely service.Essential FunctionsFood Preparation and QualityIndependently prepare hot and cold menu items according to established recipes, production lists, guest counts, and portion standards.Apply proper cooking techniques to proteins, vegetables, starches, sauces, soups, and other assigned items.Check seasoning, doneness, temperature, and presentation before service.Follow allergy and dietary instructions, confirming special preparation requirements with the supervisor.Banquet Production and ServiceOrganize and manage an assigned station, completing production within established timelines.Review assigned event details and communicated ingredients, equipment, and staffing needs to the Banquet Supervisor.Execute banquet plating, buffet setup, replenishment, and breakdown.Monitor food quality and quantities during service and communicate adjustments needed.Support Cook III team members with preparation methods, station organization, and established standards.Food Safety and SanitationUse a calibrated thermometer to verify cooking, holding, cooling, and reheating temperatures; complete required logs.Prevent cross-contamination through proper food handling, storage, labeling, dating, and rotation.Maintain clean, organized workstations, equipment, coolers, and storage areas.Follow safe equipment practices and report hazards, injuries, and equipment problems promptly.Cost Control and TeamworkFollow production quantities and portion standards to control food costs and reduce waste.Monitor ingredient usage and communicate shortages or excess production to the supervisor.Handle surplus food according to established cooling, storage, and reuse procedures.Work cooperatively with culinary, stewarding, and banquet service teams.Attend daily briefings and required training; perform related duties as assigned.QualificationsDemonstrated professional cooking experience; banquet, hotel, or high-volume catering experience preferred.Working knowledge of cooking techniques, recipe execution, knife skills, sanitation, and food safety.Ability to independently manage an assigned station and coordinate multiple tasks.Ability to maintain consistent quality under pressure and meet service deadlines.Dependable attendance, clear communication, and willingness to support developing cooks.Completion of required food safety training.Schedule and Physical RequirementsMust be available early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays based on business needs. Duties require prolonged standing, bending, reaching, and lifting up to 50 pounds, with assistance as needed. Must be able to perform essential duties with or without reasonable accommodation.Mainsail is an Equal Opportunity Employer and it does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military service and veteran status, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.