COOK (FULL TIME)

Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services; La Crosse (WI); On-site; USD 50,971,200 - 53,726,400; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Free meal during shift

Uniforms provided

Retirement plan

Employee assistance program

Job summary

Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services at the University of Wisconsin is seeking a full‑time kitchen team member to prepare food per recipes and standards, ensuring quality and safety at all times.

You will portion, serve, and maintain temperatures, assist in ordering and planning, and keep a clean, safe work environment while collaborating with staff. Rotating weekends and a 7:00 am–7:30 pm schedule apply.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of cooking experience.
• Full-time schedule with shift 7:00 am – 7:30 pm; rotating weekends.
• Attention to food safety, sanitation and hygiene standards.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepares high‑quality food items according to recipes and schedules.
• Serves meals or prepares for delivery with correct portioning and serving temperatures.
• Maintains cleanliness; stores or discards excess food per safe handling procedures.
• Keeps refrigerators and storerooms clean and organized; ensures proper storage of items.
• Operates and maintains kitchen equipment as instructed; assists in planning and record keeping.
• Assists in ordering and receiving of food and supplies; reports maintenance or safety issues.

Skills

Teamwork

Communication

Food safety

Hygiene

Job description

$500 Sign‑on and Retention Bonus Offered!

Location: University of Wisconsin

Job Summary

Prepares food in accordance with applicable federal, state and corporate standards, guidelines and regulations with established policies and procedures. Ensures quality food service is provided at all times.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepares high‑quality food items according to standardized recipes and instructions to meet production, delivery and service schedules.
• Serves meals or prepares for delivery by using correct portioning, meeting outlined standards, ensuring that food is at the correct temperature and is attractive and tasty; tastes all prepared food items.
• Uses established ticket collection procedures during service. Responsible for records from area worked during service periods.
• Cleans kitchen after preparation and serving, maintaining high standards of cleanliness. Stores or discards excess food in accordance with safe food‑handling procedures.
• Keeps refrigerators and storerooms clean and neat. Ensures food and supply items are stored per standards.
• Operates and maintains kitchen equipment as instructed.
• Assists in production planning, record keeping and reporting as required.
• Assists in ordering and receiving of all food and supplies as required.
• Reports needed maintenance, faulty equipment or accidents to the supervisor immediately.
• Attends in‑service and safety meetings.
• Maintains good working relationships with coworkers, customers, administrators and managers.
• Performs job safely while maintaining a clean, safe work environment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Ensures proper presentation, portion control and maintenance of serving temperatures; follows HACCP standards.
• Personal commitment to your own safety and that of others.
• Abides by all Company policies and procedures including but not limited to:
• The use of medium‑weight cut gloves when handling knives, peelers, choppers, mandolins or cleaning a slicer.
• The use of oven mitts, fryer gloves or steamer gloves when handling hot pans from ovens, warmers or steamtables.
• The use of slip‑resistant shoes and proper lifting techniques.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of prior cooking experience.
• Ability to work a full‑time schedule; days may vary, 7:00 am to 7:30 pm. Rotating weekends.
• Attention to food safety, sanitation and hygiene standards.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills.

Compensation and Benefits

• Fixed Pay Rate: $18.15 per hour.
• Sign‑on bonus: $250.
• Retention bonus: $250.
• Full benefit package for full‑time associates.
• Free meal during shift.
• Uniforms provided.
• Opportunities for training and development.
• Retirement plan.
• Associate shopping program.
• Health and wellness programs.
• Discount marketplace.
• Identity theft protection.
• Pet insurance.
• Voluntary benefits including critical illness insurance, accident insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, legal services, and choice auto and home program.
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance/AD, disability insurance, commuter benefits, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts (FSAs).

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Compass Group is an equal‑opportunity employer. We are committed to treating all applicants and associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Chartwells Higher Ed maintains a drug‑free workplace.