Butcher + Lead Cook

Detroit Foundation Hotel; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Detroit Foundation Hotel is seeking a detail-oriented Butcher to join our kitchen team. You will perform foundational butchery tasks, meat fabrication, trimming, portioning, and storage to ensure high-quality ingredients for restaurant, banquet, and hotel service.

In this role you will support culinary leadership, maintain safety standards, minimize waste, and contribute to a positive guest experience through consistent product quality and teamwork.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in butchery, meat cutting, food preparation, or a related culinary role preferred.
• Knowledge of meat fabrication, portioning, food safety, and sanitation practices.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and commitment to product quality.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Flexibility to support broader culinary production responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Break down, trim, debone, and portion meat, poultry, and other proteins according to culinary specifications.
• Prepare proteins for restaurant service, banquets, catering, and special events while maintaining quality, consistency, and yield.
• Assist with general food preparation, mise en place, and kitchen production as needed.
• Receive, inspect, label, date, store, and rotate products using FIFO procedures.
• Monitor product usage, minimize waste, and support food cost objectives.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary work environment in accordance with food safety standards.
• Safely operate knives, slicers, grinders, and other kitchen equipment.
• Collaborate with culinary leadership and team members to meet operational needs and deliver an exceptional guest experience.
• Perform additional culinary duties as assigned.

Skills

Butchery

Meat fabrication

Food safety

Mise en place

Team collaboration

Knife skills

Job description

WHO WE ARE

Hotels done differently. It’s more than a slogan; it’s who we are in everything we do. We believe in the power of People, Place, and Character, creating environments where individuals are valued and celebrated. Our hotels pay tribute to the neighborhoods and communities we call home, elevating our associates’ pride in who they are, where they live, and whom they serve.

The Detroit Foundation Hotel has transformed Detroit’s historic Fire Department Headquarters into a 100-room independent hotel that adds another piece to the city’s ongoing renaissance. Drawing inspiration from the Motor City’s unparalleled past, the hotel embraces Detroit’s evolution as a national cultural, business, and artistic destination. At the heart of the experience is The Apparatus Room, our inviting ground-floor restaurant, which partners with local distillers, brewers, farmers, and other purveyors to deliver an authentic taste of Detroit.

Managed by Aparium Hotel Group, founded in 2011, Detroit Foundation Hotel is part of a hospitality company driven by the belief that exceptional experiences are inspired by the character and culture of their surroundings. Aparium seeks out the extraordinary moments unique to every city, combining the business acumen of a large hospitality company with the charm, individuality, and authenticity of boutique hotels.

WHO YOU ARE

You are a detail-oriented culinary professional with a passion for exceptional ingredients, craftsmanship, and culinary excellence. You bring foundational butchery skills and an understanding of proper meat fabrication, trimming, portioning, and product utilization. You take pride in delivering consistent quality, maintaining high food safety and sanitation standards, and minimizing waste.

You are also a collaborative team player who understands that great kitchens depend on flexibility, accountability, and a shared commitment to excellence. In addition to your butchery responsibilities, you are willing to support general kitchen preparation and production as needed, contributing to a positive team culture and an exceptional guest experience.

THE ROLE

The Butcher is responsible for preparing, cutting, trimming, portioning, and storing meat, poultry, and other proteins in accordance with Detroit Foundation Hotel’s quality standards, culinary specifications, and food safety requirements. This role supports the Culinary Team by ensuring consistent product quality, minimizing waste, maintaining proper inventory, and providing properly prepared ingredients for restaurant, banquet, and other hotel food service operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Break down, trim, debone, and portion meat, poultry, and other proteins according to culinary specifications.
• Prepare proteins for restaurant service, banquets, catering, and special events while maintaining quality, consistency, and yield.
• Assist with general food preparation, mise en place, and kitchen production as needed.
• Receive, inspect, label, date, store, and rotate products using FIFO procedures.
• Monitor product usage, minimize waste, and support food cost objectives.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary work environment in accordance with food safety standards.
• Safely operate knives, slicers, grinders, and other kitchen equipment.
• Collaborate with culinary leadership and team members to meet operational needs and deliver an exceptional guest experience.
• Perform additional culinary duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous experience in butchery, meat cutting, food preparation, or a related culinary role preferred.
• Knowledge of meat fabrication, portioning, food safety, and sanitation practices.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and commitment to product quality.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Flexibility to support broader culinary production responsibilities.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to stand and move for extended periods.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull products and equipment in accordance with safety guidelines.
• Ability to work in refrigerated areas and perform repetitive cutting and food preparation tasks safely.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND SCHEDULE

• Work in a professional hotel kitchen and food preparation environment.
• Availability to work mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events based on operational needs.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Aparium Hospitality Services celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment, and sense of belonging for all employees. We do not discriminate and believe every individual should be proud of who they are, where they come from and take pride in who we serve. We are an E-Verify Employer.