Cook 2

Proper Hospitality; Santa Monica, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Proper Hospitality in Santa Monica, CA, is seeking a Cook for a fast-paced kitchen aligned with our best-in-class standards. You will prepare menu items, assist senior chefs, and ensure food safety and quality throughout service.

The role requires collaboration across departments, adherence to recipes, and the ability to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays in a dynamic environment. Training and growth opportunities are available within Proper’s culture.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of experience as a Cook in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Certification of culinary training.
• Valid food handling certificate.
• Fluency in English (verbal and written).
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations.
• Ability to read, write, and communicate legibly.
• Working knowledge of various cooking methods, ingredients, equipment, and kitchen procedures.

Responsibilities

• Prepare all menu items according to approved recipes, yield guides, and production schedules.
• Cut, fabricate, dice, mince, chop, and portion meats, fish, fowl, vegetables, fruits, and other food items according to specifications.
• Expand and condense recipes as required to meet business needs.
• Ensure all kitchen work areas are stocked with required tools, equipment, and supplies to meet operational demand.
• Maintain and update recipe cards, plating guides, production schedules, and reference photos.
• Assist Cook 1 and senior team members with prep for high-volume or complex dishes.
• Participate in training sessions, improving knowledge of kitchen techniques and equipment use.
• Perform opening duties including turning on specified equipment, filling steam tables, unlocking secured areas, and securing keys.
• Set up workstation with proper mise en place, tools, equipment, and supplies.
• Inspect cleanliness and functionality of tools, equipment, and workstations.
• Break down workstation at end of shift, ensuring proper storage, labeling, dating, rotation.
• Turn off equipment not required for the next shift and restock depleted items.
• Maintain strict compliance with State health regulations, food safety standards, and hotel sanitation requirements.
• Disinfect and sanitize cutting boards, worktables, and prep surfaces regularly.
• Maintain proper food storage, labeling, dating, and rotation procedures (FIFO).
• Maintain knowledge of proper equipment usage and ensure equipment is used as intended.
• Transport dirty pots, pans, and utensils to wash stations.
• Anticipate guest needs and respond promptly, courteously, and professionally.
• Maintain guest relations and tailor interactions based on guest preferences when applicable.
• Proactively resolve guest concerns in collaboration with leadership to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Maintain familiarity with all hotel services, features, and local attractions to respond to inquiries.
• Meet with Head Cook or Sous Chef to review assignments, anticipated business levels, and updates.
• Attend pre-shift briefings and provide operational feedback when appropriate.
• Assist other kitchen areas and departments as needed to ensure optimal guest service.
• Collaborate cross-departmentally and uphold the Proper Ethos with colleagues and guests.

Skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Under pressure performance

Teamwork

Flexible schedules

Education

Culinary training

Food handling certification

Fluency in English

Math/basic calculations

Reading/writing

Kitchen procedures knowledge

Job description

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Food Preparation & Production:
• Prepare all menu items according to approved recipes, yield guides, and production schedules.
• Cut, fabricate, dice, mince, chop, andportionmeats, fish, fowl, vegetables, fruits, and other food items according to specifications.
• Expand and condense recipes asrequiredto meet business needs
• Ensure all kitchen work areas are stocked with required tools, equipment, and supplies to meet operational demand
• Maintain and update recipe cards, plating guides, production schedules, and reference photos
• Assist Cook 1 and senior team members with prep for high-volume or complex dishes.
• Participate in training sessions, improving knowledge of kitchen techniques and equipment use.
• Opening & Closing Duties
• Perform opening duties including turning on specified equipment (ovens, fryers, steam tables), filling steam tables, unlocking secured areas, and securing keys.
• Set up workstation with proper miseenplace, tools, equipment, and supplies.
• Inspect cleanliness and functionality of tools, equipment, and workstations.
• Break down workstation at the end of shift, ensuring all food items areproperly stored, labeled, dated, rotated, and secured.
• Turn off equipment notrequiredfor the next shift and restock depleted items.
• Sanitation, Safety & Compliance
• Maintain strict compliance with State health regulations, food safety standards, and Hotel sanitation requirements.
• Disinfect and sanitize cutting boards, worktables, and prep surfaces regularly.
• Maintain proper food storage, labeling, dating, and rotation procedures (FIFO).
• Maintain complete knowledge of proper equipment usage and ensure equipment is used only as intended.
• Transport dirty pots, pans, and utensils todesignatedwash stations.
• Guest Experience & Service Standards
• Anticipate guest needs and respond promptly, courteously, and professionallyat all times.
• Maintain positive and personalized guest relations, tailoring interactions based on guest preferences when applicable.
• Proactively resolve guest concerns in collaboration with leadership to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Maintain familiarity with all Hotel services, features, and local attractions to accurately respond to guest inquiries.
• Meet with the Head Cook or Sous Chef to review assignments,anticipatedbusiness levels, and operational updates.
• Attend pre-shift briefings and provide operational feedback whenappropriate.
• Assistother kitchen areas and departments as needed to ensureoptimalguest service.
• Collaborate cross-departmentally whiledemonstratingthe Proper Ethos with colleagues and guests.

Education and/or Experience

• Minimum of3year of experience as a Cook in a fast-paced kitchen environment
• Certification of culinary training.
• Valid food handling certificate.
• Fluency in English (verbal and written).
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).
• Ability to read, write, and communicate legibly.
• Working knowledge of various cooking methods, ingredients, equipment, and kitchen procedures.

Skills/Specialized Knowledge

• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize tasks effectively.
• Attention to detail, speed, and accuracy in food preparation.
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong teamwork and cross-departmental collaboration skills.
• Flexibility toworkvarying schedules, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Physical Demands

• Ability to stand, walk, and move continuously for extended periods of time.
• Ability to perform repetitive physical motions including bending, twisting, stooping, reaching overhead and below the knees.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, pull, and place objects weighing up to25-30pounds withoutassistance.
• Ability to endure varying physical movements throughout kitchen and hotel work areas.
• Ability to communicate effectively with guests, management, and colleagues.

Why Join Proper Hospitality

At Proper, we build experiences that move people — and that begins with the team behind them. As a best-in-class employer,we’recommitted to creating one of the Best Places to Work in hospitality by nurturing a culture where creativity, excellence, and humanity thrive together.

Everything we do is grounded in the belief that hospitality is more than a profession -it’san opportunity to care for others and make lives better. Guided by the Pillars of Proper , we show up with warmth and authenticity ( Care Proper ), strive for excellence in everything we do ( Achieve Proper ), think creatively and resourcefully ( Imagine Proper ), and take pride in the style and culture that make us who we are ( Present Proper ).

We believe our people are our greatest strength, and we invest deeply in their wellbeing, growth, and sense of belonging. From comprehensive benefits to meaningful development programs, Proper is designed to help you build a career, and alife,that feels as inspiring as the experiences we create for our guests.

Our Commitment: Building the Best Place to Work

Our Best Place to Work initiative is a living commitment — a continuous investment in our people, our culture, and our purpose. We listen, learn, and evolve together to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to imagine boldly, achieve confidently, care deeply, and present themselves authentically.

At Proper, joining the team means more than finding a job — it means joining a community that believes in building beautiful experiences together , for our guests and for one another.

Proper Hospitality is anequal-opportunityemployer. Weprovideemployment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other federally or state-protected category.

We also consider qualified applicants with criminal historiesin accordance withlocal Fair Chance Hiring Ordinances.

Qualifications

Licenses & Certifications

Required

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.