Black and Blue - Cook III

Valley View Casino & Hotel; Valley Center (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Valley View Casino & Hotel seeks a skilled Cook III to safely prepare items per standard recipes in a fast-paced kitchen. The role requires experience in braising, sautéing, broiling, and poaching, plus proficiency with knives, slicer, mixer, and robo coupe.

You will support the team, train junior cooks, and uphold health and safety standards. Responsibilities include preparing daily prep lists, maintaining recipe accuracy, and contributing to new dish development.

Qualifications

• Five years of experience as a Cook in a high-volume restaurant environment.
• Proficient in braising, sautéing, broiling, and poaching.
• Able to operate slicer, mixer, robo coupe, tongs, knives and cutting utensils.
• Demonstrate basic knife skills and different knife cuts.
• Read and execute all recipes designated to the assigned outlet.
• Knowledge of sanitary practices.
• Possess basic tools to perform the job duties of a Cook.
• Working knowledge of weights, measures, and various cooking techniques.
• Reading and math skills for recipes and measurement.
• Knowledge of MSDS program.
• Ability to stand for long periods.
• Tolerance to extreme hot/cold temperatures.
• Effective communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to follow written, oral or diagram instructions.
• Ability to add/subtract/multiply/divide in all units of measure.
• Must apply for, receive and maintain a Gaming License.
• Must pass drug screening and skill testing.

Responsibilities

• Support and uphold Valley View Casino’s Standards of Excellence.
• Maintain positive guest relations and resolve complaints to ensure satisfaction.
• Provide clear direction to team members and delegate tasks to meet deadlines.
• Train lower-level cooks in equipment usage and recipes.
• Prepare all food items according to standard recipes and menu for consistency.
• Demonstrate knowledge of base sauces, stocks, and soups; create derivatives.
• Work on the line in all locations and operate kitchen equipment.
• Prepare daily prep lists and order lists for recipe prep.
• Adhere to food cost controls and FIFO labeling and dating.
• Maintain station cleanliness and safety; comply with health codes.

Skills

5+ years experience

Braising

Sautéing

Broiling

Poaching

Knife skills

Weights & measures

Reading recipes

Sanitary practices

Communication

Organization

Attention to instructions

Gaming license readiness

Drug screening

Skill testing

Regulatory compliance

Education

High school diploma or GED

Formal culinary training

Tools

Slicer

Mixer

Robo Coupe

Tongs

Chef’s knife

Bread knife

Paring knife

Steel

High heat spatula

Turner

Whisk

Job description

Description of the Position:

The Cook III will safely prepare food items while following menu specifications and standard recipes in a quick, timely, and accurate manner.

Primary Duties, Responsibilities, and Tasks:

• All team members are obligated to support and uphold the Valley View Casino’s Standards of Excellence as outlined in the Team Member Guide to Success.
• Maintain positive guest relations at all times, resolving guest complaints and ensuring guest satisfaction. Greet guests in a courteous and caring manner using personalized service.
• Provide clear direction, instruction and guidance to team members.
• Organize and delegate work assignments and tasks to meet deadlines.
• Train lower-level cooks in proper equipment usage.
• Communicate regularly with Cook III, Assistant Room Chefs and Room Chefs.
• Prepare all food items according to standard recipes and menu to ensure consistency of product.
• Exhibit knowledge, understanding, and application of various cooking techniques.
• Ability to work with small, delicate, and sensitive equipment (knives) requiring fine finger dexterity. Knowledge of different knife cuts.
• Exhibit preparation and knowledge of base sauces, stocks, and soups.
• Demonstrate ability to create compound sauces and derivatives of mother sauces.
• Actively participate with staff to cook, prepare, dish-up and assemble food.
• Demonstrate ability to work the line in all locations.
• Operate kitchen equipment including slicer, steamer, deep fryer, ovens, broiler, grill, mixer, kettle, and flat top.
• Maintain a solid knowledge of all food products.
• Prepare daily prep list.
• Prepare order lists for recipe preparations.
• Prepare written food requisitions for supplies and food items.
• Demonstrate ability to recite recipes from memory.
• Begin development of daily specials and new dishes for presentation to Room Chefs.
• Perform all assigned side work to include replenishing/restocking work station with supplies.
• Adhere to control procedure for food costs and quality.
• Rotate all products on the first-in, first-out philosophy. Properly label and date all products to ensure safekeeping and sanitation.
• Check station before, during, and after shift for proper set-up and cleanliness.
• Abide by all health codes and hand washing guidelines and encourage team members to do the same.
• Fully observe all safety procedures.
• Strive for picture perfect plate presentation.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.
• Responsible for conducting all responsibilities in a professional and ethical manner
• Responsible for maintaining a consistent, regular attendance record.

Required Qualifications:

• Five years of experience as a Cook in a high-volume restaurant environment.
• Demonstrated proficiency in braising, sautéing, broiling, and poaching.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using a slicer, mixer, robo coupe, tongs, chef’s knife, bread knife, paring knife, steel, high heat spatula, turner, and whisk.
• Ability to demonstrate basic knife skills and different knife cuts.
• Ability to identify pan types and knife types.
• Ability to read and produce all recipes designated to assigned outlet.
• Knowledge of sanitary practices.
• Possession of the basic tools to perform the job duties of a Cook.
• Working knowledge of weights, measures, and various cooking techniques.
• Reading and math skills for recipes and measurement.
• Knowledge of MSDS program.
• Ability to stand on a hard surface for long periods of time.
• Ability to tolerate areas with extreme hot and cold temperatures.
• Must possess effective communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to apply commonsense understanding to carry out a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Must apply for, receive, and maintain a Gaming License from the Tribal Gaming Agency.
• Must successfully pass a drug screening test.
• Must be able to successfully pass applicable auditions or skill testing.

Preferred Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Formal culinary training.

Physical Requirements of the Position:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Clear vision (close, distant, peripheral, and depth perception) is needed for navigating office and casino environments, reading and reviewing reports and policies, operating data processing equipment and other essential job functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the Team Member is regularly required to talk and hear.
• The Team Member is regularly required to sit and use hands to manipulate, handle, or feel.
• The Team Member is frequently required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. Team Member must be able to stand for the majority of their shift.
• The Team Member must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds.

Working Conditions:

• The Casino is open 24 hours per day, seven (7) days per week; therefore, you must be flexible to work any and all shifts.
• While performing the duties of this job, the Team Member is exposed to second hand tobacco smoke, moving mechanical parts and fumes or airborne particles.
• The Team Member is usually subject to inside environmental conditions, which provide protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes.
• The Team Member is occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions and to wet and/or humid conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. When on the casino floor, the noise level increases to loud.

Other Information:

• Native American hiring preference applies.
• This job description does not list all the duties of the job. You may be instructed by management to perform other tasks or functions.
• You will be evaluated in part based upon your performance of the tasks listed in this job description and your ability to commit to the Standards of Excellence.
• Management has the right to revise this job description at any time.
• The job description is not a contract for employment.