Cook

America's Pizza Company, LLC; Waverly (OH); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

America's Pizza Company, LLC is seeking a Cook to prepare pizzas and other menu items to order in a fast-paced kitchen. You will follow recipes, manage prep lists, stock stations, and operate the POS to take orders. This role requires standing for long periods and teamwork with servers to deliver quality meals.

Prior kitchen experience is preferred, with attention to food safety and cleanliness in a high-temperature environment. This position is based in Ohio.

Qualifications

• Experience in a fast-paced kitchen preferred.
• Ability to read and follow recipes and prep lists.
• Good communication and teamwork with servers and customers.

Responsibilities

• Prepare pizzas and other menu items per customer orders.
• Follow standard recipes and prep lists for all items.
• Stock, organize, and restock the kitchen stations to ensure smooth service.
• Operate the POS system to take orders and handle cash transactions.
• Ensure finished products are correctly boxed for carryout or served at the counter.
• Maintain cleanliness and food safety standards throughout shifts.

Skills

Food preparation

Multi-tasking

Stamina

Teamwork

Cash handling

Tools

POS system

Dough proofer

Oven

Job description

TITLE: Cook

The primary purpose of this position is to correctly and quickly prepare food orders placed by the customers; to ensure pizzas and other baked food products coming out of the oven have been prepared according to the customers' orders; separate and organize all items for each individual order; separate orders based on whether the product is for dine-in, carryout, or delivery customers. Orders are then either boxed for carryout or delivery, or given to Servers for service in the dining room. Cooks also prepare in advance of their need items used in the preparation of products sold by Pizza Hut, operate the cash register, wash dishes, and answer phones. This is a critical position to the success of this Pizza Hut restaurant in that these are the Company's products.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

I. PRE-OPENING

Responsibilities

• Turn on equipment used in the preparation of products, for example, the dough proofer. Review the prep list prepared by management to determine how much of each item needed will be prepared for the day.
• Person responsible for this position will also turn on all equipment used in the kitchen for preparing customer orders.
• Prepare sauce for pizzas following standard recipes. Sauce is prepared in five gallon buckets. When completed, a full bucket of sauce weighs about 30 pounds. Pizza sauce is stored in the walk-in.
• Prepare dough for different types of pizza crusts following the job aids posted in the restaurants.
• Other items are prepared as called for on the prep list following standard recipes and procedures. Items, once prepared, are stored in the walk-in refrigerator.
• Operate computer system to take orders.

II. OPEN HOURS

• When the Pizza Hut is open for business the person responsible for this position remains in the preparation area and makes products per the customers' orders. This includes such items as pasta, garlic bread, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and pizzas. This requires that the person responsible for this position coordinate preparation of items ordered so that all items ordered are prepared quickly and correctly and are ready at the same time.
• The process of making a pizza involves these integral steps:
• Read the order ticket to determine what type and size of pizza needs to be made and kind of ingredients to be put on it.
• Select the correct type and amount of toppings, sauce and cheese according to the specs in the correct sequence on the pizzas as ordered by the customer.
• Place the pizza in the oven for baking. Pizzas are prepared in metal pans that are placed in an opening at the end of the oven onto a moving conveyor belt. The items proceed through the oven and emerge from the other end baked. Due to differences in cooking times some food items are placed at different spots on the conveyor to control time in the oven.
• From time to time the oven must be opened using an access door and food items being baked attended to or other items inserted.
• Other items as ordered by the customer are prepared following standard written recipes and procedures.
• Check product as it comes out of the oven to assure that it has been properly prepared, correct ingredients, evenly distributed, properly baked.
• Cut pizzas into correct number of slices and either send with a Server into dining room or box for carryout.
• Operate cash drawer as needed being sure to make change correctly. Assist customers by taking order either over telephone or at front counter being sure to follow prepared script. Enter order into the computer system.
• As needed, while open for business, the person responsible for this position restocks the make table and cut table. Items for restocking are stored in the walk‑in, reach‑in, or under the make table, or some other refrigerated piece of equipment.

III. CLOSING

• When the restaurant closes, the person responsible for this position cleans up and closes down their work area. This includes these integral steps:
• Clean out the reach‑in cooler using hand towel and soapy water.
• Clean top and front of oven using hand towel and soapy water.
• Cover all food items with clean stainless steel cover(s) or plastic cover.
• Clean all stainless with hand towel and soapy water.
• Clean out the inside of make table.

NON-ESSENTIAL:

• Arrange work area to make pizzas. This includes these integral steps:
• Preparing meat mix and veggie mix. This is a particular combination of ingredients.
• Filling the make table with sufficient stock for the anticipated business. Many different items are kept on the make table.
• Bringing pre‑panned pizzas up to the make table to prepare for topping.
• The area where this work is done is in full view of the customer. As such, this area needs to be kept clean as the work is in progress.
• Responsible for cleaning all equipment used in prep work. This includes cleaning and organizing shelves in the walk in refrigerator.
• When needed, person performing this position will be required to respond to customer at the carryout counter and drive‑thru window. Locating orders. Cashing out customers' tickets in computer. Verifying order and thanking customers.
• At the end of the shift, but not at closing time, the person responsible for this position has certain assigned clean‑up and restocking responsibilities. The make table, work area, and other areas in the restaurant are cleaned and prepared for the next shift. This includes these steps:
• Sweeping and mopping floors.
• Refilling the make table, reach‑in cooler and walk‑in refrigerator.
• Cleaning the make table and reach‑in cooler.
• Prior to closing, the person responsible for this position cleans and prepares the work area for closing and for the next day's business. This involves these steps:
• Sweeping and mopping floors.
• Refilling and restocking items on the make table.
• Break down and clean the make table.
• General cleaning throughout the area as in steps 1, 2, and 3 above.
• Break down and clean the wing fryer, cut table and other equipment used in the production of food for customers.
• Wash dishware, glassware, silverware, pans, and utensils used in preparing and serving food to customers.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:

• Be able to perform or learn to perform the essential functions of the position, and do so at an acceptable pace.
• Mental alertness/intelligence. Position involves tracking the progress of items as they are being prepared; and quickly and accurately determining flow of products out of the oven. At times these responsibilities are performed by one person without supervision or assistance. As many as 25 to 35 pizza and other food items may be baking at one time. Must possess sufficient mental ability/intelligence to work effectively without supervision or assistance and to perform the job functions in a consistent and reliable manner.
• Sufficient physical condition to perform the functions of the position. Position involves these physical processes:
• Lifting. Must be able to lift 15 pound boxes of cheese and 40 pound cases of wings (4, 10 lb. bags).
• Bending and stooping. Must be able to stoop down and bend over to stock items stored in reach in refrigerator or under the make table.
• Standing/walking. One hundred percent of on job time is spent standing and walking.
• Seeing/vision. Must have sufficient visual ability to read written instructions, prepare food items, and maintain clean area.
• Hearing. Must possess sufficient hearing capacity to respond to verbal orders and instructions from supervisor or co‑workers. Must be able to hear customer orders as given over the phone.
• Speaking/verbalizing. Must be able to provide verbal information to co‑workers and supervisors as to status of orders, materials needed to fill orders, problems or difficulties that may arise as the job is in progress. Must be able to verbalize order instructions to customers.
• Hand/eye coordination and manual dexterity. Position involves manually preparing food products for customers following exact weights and measures according to company specification, while as many as 25 to 30 orders are waiting to be prepared. Order tickets are identical in color, size and shape, which reduces visual cues for distinguishing between colors.
• Must be physically able to work under conditions of high temperature. Food preparation areas are located close to ovens. Ambient temperature in this area often exceeds 80 degrees.
• Reaching. Position involves reaching into oven to extract product, reaching over head to obtain boxes and other items.
• Reading. Must be able to read at a sufficient level to follow written directions for product preparation, recipes, and comprehend simple written commands.
• Self-control. Must be able to work under conditions of extreme stress due to pressures from volume of business, time and variety of orders, while maintaining self‑composure and interacting effectively with co‑workers and supervisors.

Equipment Used

"Pizza Wheel". This is a device with a wooden handle and a round stainless steel blade similar to a wheel that is used to cut certain types of pizzas.

"Rocker Knife". This is a device about two feet long with a stainless steel handle that extends across the top of a stainless steel blade fashioned in a curve. It is used to cut certain types of pizzas by placing on the pizza and rocking the blade across the pizza.

"Make Table". An open topped, refrigerated, compartmented table for the storage of food items used in the preparation of products for customer orders. Has doors which allow access to interior refrigerated section below the table top where additional food items are stored as back‑up for the items stored on top of the table.

"Cut Table". A stainless steel table where cooked pizzas are cut into slices and where other products are assembled prior to serving them to the customer.

"Oven". A power driven device operating at high temperatures used to bake food products.

"Dough Proofer". A metal cabinet heated to approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit in which panned dough is placed to obtain the correct rise in the dough.

"Three Compartment Sink". A stainless steel sink, separated into three compartments to wash, rinse, and sanitize all kitchen tools, and smallwares not washed in the automatic dishwasher.

"Portion Cups". These are volumetric cups used by Pizza Hut restaurants for portioning cheese and toppings for pizzas.

"Scales". This is a small table model scale used to weigh and portion ingredients used in the recipes of various products.

"Pan Separators". These are metal or plastic items, round in shape, of varying diameter and circumference, used to separate pans filled with dough to protect the dough inside the pan from contamination and to allow pans to be stacked for storage.

"Dough Perforator". This is a tool consisting of a handle attached to a small wheeled drum that is dotted with plastic protrusions. It is used to perforate certain types of dough prior to topping to prevent formation of bubbles during baking.

"Spoon". A stainless steel device with a long handle and a curved end used for applying sauce to prepared dough.

"Pan". A round metal device with a raised edge for holding dough prior to topping and baking.

"Walk-in". A refrigerated compartment of sufficient size to allow the individual to actually walk into the refrigerated compartment to obtain or store perishable items. Compartment may be sufficiently cold to freeze items.

"Freezer". A refrigerated box maintained at sufficient cold temperatures so as to freeze items stored inside.

"Cutting Board". This is a hard surface board, rectangular or square in shape used to cut pizzas on and other food products.

"Reach-in". A refrigerated piece of equipment with doors which open to allow dough or pizza ingredients to be stored inside for easy access.

"Scraper Block". A device with a stainless steel blade and a wooden handle in a rectangular shape used to scrape the make table/cut table surfaces off for cleaning.

"Prep Table". A table about 34 to 36 inches high, with a stainless steel top. The table is used as a work surface for the preparation of many ingredient items used in the Pizza Hut.

"Kitchen Utensils". Such as knives, spoons, spatulas, etc.

"Miscellaneous Items". Such as carryout boxes, delivery pouches, hand towels, etc.

"Point of Sale Computer". Electronic device used in tracking orders, inventory, payroll information. Contains cash drawer used to make change for customer transactions, track paid outs, delivery orders, and dispatching delivery orders.

PLACES WHERE WORK IS PERFORMED:

This work is performed on the employer's premises, in the kitchen area. This job description was prepared from observing the work in process and from information provided by the management of Daland Corporation.