Breakfast Chef

Black Star Farms; Traverse City (MI); On-site; USD 25,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Star Farms Inn in Traverse City, MI seeks a Breakfast Chef/Prep Cook to deliver high-quality, farm-to-table breakfast and hospitality hour service. You will prep, cook, plate, and support daily culinary operations, with seasonal hours and a weekly 30–40 hour schedule.

You'll work closely with the Director of Culinary & Events and fellow kitchen staff, training teammates, maintaining documentation, recipes, and plating guides, and ensuring guest satisfaction with warm, professional service.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Culinary education or equivalent professional kitchen experience and training preferred.
• Ability to independently prepare and execute a high-quality, farm-to-table–style breakfast.
• Previous experience in a commercial kitchen or comparable food service environment.
• Working knowledge of food preparation, kitchen organization, inventory management, food safety, and sanitation.
• Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and adapt to changing operational needs.
• Must be able to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as scheduled.
• Flexible availability is required.
• ServSafe certification, HACCP training, or willingness to obtain applicable certification.
• Familiarity with farm-to-table cooking and locally sourced ingredients preferred.
• Strong communication, organization, reliability, and time-management skills.
• Ability to maintain Black Star Farms standards of professionalism, hospitality, quality, and presentation.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate, prepare, and execute daily Inn breakfasts and hospitality hour hors d'oeuvres.
• Maintain standards for food quality, presentation, and guest experience.
• Maintain breakfast menus, recipes, plating guides, and documentation.
• Provide warm, professional interactions with Inn guests.
• Train other culinary staff on breakfast and hospitality hour procedures.
• Complete assigned prep for breakfast, hospitality hour, events, and other operations.
• Assist with event food production, plating, buffet preparation, and service.
• Maintain organized, clean kitchen and prep environment.
• Adapt priorities based on volume, occupancy, events.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Time management

Reliability

Flexible availability

Education

Culinary education or equivalent experience

Job description

To provide high-quality, thoughtful breakfast and hospitality hour food service for Black Star Farms Inn guests while supporting the broader culinary operation through preparation, production, and other assigned kitchen responsibilities.

PAY RATE: $18–$24/hour

CLASS: Hourly

HOURS: Approximately 30–40 hours per week; hours may fluctuate seasonally and may exceed 40 during peak periods.

RESPONSIBILITY: Inn breakfast, hospitality hour, culinary prep, and general food service operations.

REPORTING TO: Director of Culinary & Events

POSITION OVERVIEW

PURPOSE:

To provide high-quality, thoughtful breakfast and hospitality hour food service for Black Star Farms Inn guests while supporting the broader culinary operation through preparation, production, and other assigned kitchen responsibilities.

PAY RATE: $18–$24/hour

CLASS: Hourly

HOURS: Approximately 30–40 hours per week; hours may fluctuate seasonally and may exceed 40 during peak periods.

RESPONSIBILITY: Inn breakfast, hospitality hour, culinary prep, and general food service operations.

REPORTING TO: Director of Culinary & Events

The Breakfast Chef/Prep Cook is primarily responsible for the preparation and execution of daily Inn breakfast and hospitality hour offerings while also serving as an active member of the Black Star Farms culinary team.

While breakfast and hospitality hour are the primary focus of this position, this role is not limited exclusively to Inn food service. Based on business needs, the Breakfast Chef/Prep Cook will regularly be called upon to assist with prep, production, events, culinary programming, dinners, classes, and other food service operations throughout the property.

Flexibility, teamwork, consistency, and a willingness to support the overall culinary operation are essential to success in this position.

RESPONSIBILITIES & EXPECTATIONS

Inn Breakfast & Hospitality Hour

• Coordinate, prepare, and execute daily Inn breakfasts and hospitality hour hors d'oeuvres.
• Maintain Black Star Farms standards for food quality, presentation, consistency, and guest experience.
• Maintain appropriate par levels of food and supplies necessary for breakfast and hospitality hour service.
• Ensure food is prepared and presented according to established recipes, standards, and timelines.
• Maintain breakfast menus, recipes, plating guides, photographs, and other documentation necessary to ensure consistency among culinary staff.
• Provide warm, professional, and personable interactions with Inn guests when working in guest-facing areas.
• Assist in training other culinary employees on breakfast and hospitality hour procedures as needed.

Culinary Prep & Operational Support

• Complete assigned prep for breakfast, hospitality hour, events, dinners, cooking classes, culinary programming, and other Black Star Farms food service operations.
• Be available to assist other members of the culinary team with production and prep based on operational needs and priorities.
• Work scheduled breakfast shifts as well as prep, production, event, or other culinary shifts as assigned.
• Assist with event food production, plating, buffet preparation, family-style service, passed hors d'oeuvres, and other culinary functions as needed.
• Support the Estate Chef, Event Chef, Sous Chef, and other culinary team members with assigned prep and production.
• Maintain an organized, clean, efficient, and properly stocked kitchen and prep environment.
• Participate in shared kitchen responsibilities, including receiving, storage, cleaning, organization, dishware, equipment, and closing duties.
• Adapt daily priorities based on business volume, Inn occupancy, event schedules, and broader culinary needs.

Inventory & Kitchen Operations

• Monitor food and supply inventory and communicate ordering needs in a timely manner.
• Ensure food, dishes, utensils, cleaning products, cooking supplies, and other necessary items are properly stocked and stored.
• Follow established procedures for labeling, dating, rotation, storage, and waste reduction.
• Assist with maintaining food cost and portion-control standards.
• Ensure proper operation, cleaning, and care of kitchen equipment.
• Immediately communicate equipment, maintenance, inventory, staffing, or food-quality concerns to the Director of Culinary & Events.

Standards & Team Expectations

• Uphold Black Star Farms standards of hospitality, food quality, cleanliness, and service.
• Follow all food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety requirements.
• Communicate effectively and professionally with culinary, Inn, events, hospitality, and management teams.
• Work collaboratively with all members of the culinary department and contribute wherever needed to accomplish the day's priorities.
• Operate efficiently, strategically, and with an awareness of food cost, labor, waste, and operational needs.
• Maintain a professional and solutions-oriented approach during periods of high volume or changing priorities.
• Attend meetings, training sessions, tastings, or outside promotional events when applicable.
• Perform other culinary, prep, production, and food service duties as assigned by the Director of Culinary & Events.

SCHEDULING & FLEXIBILITY

This position requires flexibility based on the needs of Black Star Farms' culinary and hospitality operations. Scheduling may include early mornings, daytime prep shifts, evenings, weekends, holidays, events, and special programming.

Although Inn breakfast is the primary responsibility of this position, employees should expect to be scheduled for and participate in additional culinary prep and production outside of breakfast service. During slower Inn periods or when breakfast responsibilities are completed, available scheduled hours may be directed toward event prep, culinary programming, general production, organization, or other departmental priorities.

QualificationsJOB QUALIFICATIONSRequirements

• Must be at least 18years of age.
• Culinary education or equivalent professional kitchen experience and training preferred.
• Ability to independently prepare and execute a high-quality, composed, farm-to-table-style breakfast.
• Previous experience in a commercial kitchen or comparable food service environment.
• Working knowledge of food preparation, kitchen organization, inventory management, food safety, and sanitation.
• Ability and willingness to work collaboratively across multiple areas of culinary operations.
• Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and adapt to changing operational needs.
• Must be able to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as scheduled.
• Flexible availability is required.
• ServSafe certification, HACCP training, or willingness to obtain applicable certification.
• Familiarity with farm-to-table cooking and locally sourced ingredients preferred.
• Strong communication, organization, reliability, and time-management skills.
• Ability to maintain Black Star Farms standards of professionalism, hospitality, quality, and presentation.