Cook I - City Cruises Chicago

Hornblower Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Hornblower Group is seeking a Cook I to ensure buffet maintenance, replenishment, and timely delivery of food from galley to dining areas aboard our vessel. The role emphasizes guest hospitality and adherence to RESPECT standards in a fast-paced maritime environment.

The successful candidate will have 1+ year of kitchen experience, be able to work under supervision, and maintain high standards of cleanliness and teamwork on a Coast Guard-inspected passenger vessel.

Qualifications

• At least one year of kitchen/culinary experience preferred.
• Energetic and enthusiastic personality essential.
• Will be closely supervised; must be able to take direction.
• Must understand and convey written and verbal information to coworkers and guests.
• Must possess a service orientation – actively helping others.
• Work for extended periods without sitting.

Responsibilities

• Provide hospitality to coworkers and guests per RESPECT service system.
• Maintain and replenish buffet.
• Rotate food for top quality and freshness.
• Read and follow ticketing system to deliver trays to proper location.
• Deliver hot and cold food from galley to dining cabin.
• Receive and organize hot line orders; portion and garnish.

Skills

Service orientation

Communication

Energetic personality

Team player

Take direction

Holiday availability

Stamina

Safety awareness

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Ticketing system

Job description

Hornblower Group is a global leader in experienceand transportation. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water- and land-based experiences and ferry and transportation services. City Experiences, Hornblower Group’s premier experience division, offers dining and sightseeing cruises and walking and food tours through the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour brands. City Ferry, part of Hornblower Group’s Ferry and Transportation Division, is the largest private operator of high-speed passenger and vehicle ferries in the United States, carrying more than 10 million passengers annually and operating services including NYC Ferry, Puerto Rico Ferry, and other regional ferry systems. Hornblower Group’s subsidiaries include Hornblower Marine, which provides vessel outhaul and maintenance services at Bridgeport Boatworks in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Seaward Services, Inc., a full-service shipping, waterfront logistics and management company that specializes in the operation and maintenance of government and commercial vessels. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a Hornblower Group subsidiary and independent entity, provides reservation, ticketing and website integration services for clients in the transportation, tourism and entertainment industries. Today, Hornblower Group’s global portfolio covers over 10 countries, over 50 U.S. cities and serves more than 20 million guests annually. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Hornblower Group’s additional corporate offices reside in San Francisco, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit hornblowercorp.com.

Position Summary

The successful Cook I - will be friendly and efficient while providing buffet maintenance and replenishment, running food from galley to appropriate areas, and assisting in the routine cleaning of galley and buffet areas.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Provide exceptional hospitality to coworkers and guests as prescribed in our RESPECT service system.
• Responsible for buffet maintenance and replenishment.
• Maintains accurate rotation of food to assure top quality and freshness.
• Responsible for reading and understanding ticketing system to deliver trays of food to the proper location.
• Efficiently and promptly deliver hot and cold food items to the dining cabin from the galley.
• Receive and organize hot line food orders; portion, arrange, and garnish food for service.
• Assist in routine cleaning of galley including daily cleaning of equipment and implements, sanitizing food preparation surfaces, and mopping floors.
• Maintain uniform and personal grooming in compliance with appearance standards.

Other Duties And Responsibilities

• Additional job duties as assigned.

Requirements & Qualifications

• At least one (1) year of previous kitchen/culinary experience preferred.
• High school diploma or equivalent preferred
• Energetic and enthusiastic personality essential
• Will be closely supervised; must be able to take direction.
• Must be able to effectively understand and convey written and verbal information to coworkers and guests.
• Must possess a service orientation – actively looking for ways to help others.
• Will work for extended periods without sitting.
• The nature of the work may be strenuous, and the work environment may be warm.
• Required to lift and move heavy items such as cases of provisions and large containers of prepared foods.
• Will be required to be available for work on all major holidays.
• Must meet minimum state age requirements.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work onboard a moving vessel in varying weather and sea conditions, including maintaining balance and stability while underway.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, frequently throughout a shift.
• Ability to navigate stairs, ladders, narrow passageways, and confined spaces commonly found onboard vessels.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull supplies, equipment, and inventory weighing up to 40 pounds independently.
• Ability to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach overhead, and perform repetitive motions as required in food service and hospitality operations.
• Ability to respond quickly and effectively during normal operations, guest service situations, and emergency procedures.
• Ability to safely work in a fast-paced environment with exposure to moving equipment, wet surfaces, temperature variations, and moderate noise levels.
• Ability to visually inspect service areas, food presentation, cleanliness standards, and safety conditions.
• Ability to communicate effectively with guests, crew members, and management in person and via radio or other communication devices.
• Successfully complete vessel-specific safety and emergency training.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended shifts as operational needs require.

Work Environment

• Work is performed primarily onboard a Coast Guard-inspected passenger vessel, with duties split between dining, service, storage, galley-adjacent, and administrative areas.
• Position requires regular movement throughout multiple decks and may involve occasional exposure to outdoor marine environments, including heat, humidity, rain, wind, and sunlight.
• Must be able to safely perform duties while the vessel is docked or underway.

The RESPECT Service System embodies our mission, vision, values and operating principles. By creating a company culture that puts RESPECT at its core, we believe it will drive us to achieve our goal of becoming a Global Experiences and Transportation Leader.

EEO / Disabled / Protected Veteran Employer. Hornblower is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and prohibit discrimination and/or harassment of any type, including but not limited to discrimination and or harassment based upon race, religion, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, pregnancy or relation medical conditions, childbirth, breastfeeding, parental status, veteran and/or military status, disability (physical or mental), medical condition, genetic information or characteristics, political affiliation, domestic violence survivor status, marital status, or other characteristics prohibited by federal, state, or local law. Additionally, as a federal, state, and local contractor, Hornblower complies with government regulations, including affirmative action responsibilities for qualified individuals, where and as they apply. The company also participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations.