Cook III - Specialty

Viejas Casino & Resort; Alpine (CA); On-site; USD 54,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Viejas Casino & Resort is seeking a Cook III - Specialty to prepare intermediate bistro/trattoria style dishes, including meat, fish, poultry and related items, ensuring quality, taste and presentation. You will support the Sous Chef with training, ordering and expediting tasks in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires skills with flat grill, griddle, fryers, chargrill, and other kitchen equipment, plus strong knife and culinary abilities.

Qualifications

• Must have high school diploma or GED.
• Food Handlers Certificate required.
• Age 21+ required.
• 4–5 years of restaurant production/cooking experience.

Responsibilities

• Prepare hot and cold items per recipes and menus.
• Operate kitchen equipment safely (grill, fryers, ovens, steamers).
• Maintain quality, temperature, and presentation of dishes.
• Train and lead line staff as needed.
• Ensure proper storage, rotation, and inventory control.

Skills

Knife skills

Culinary skills

High-pressure environment

Verbal & written communication

Team collaboration

Education

High school diploma or GED

Food Handlers Certificate

Must be 21 years or older

Tools

POS system

Job description

Job Summary

The Cook III - Specialty prepares and cooks intermediate bistro/trattoria style food orders including meat, fish, poultry, and related items in a prompt and accurate manner. Ensures food is of proper quality, taste and presentation when prepared or served to the guests. Assists Sous chef with operational tasks including training, ordering, expediting, and other duties as assigned.

Job Description

• Responsible for the preparation of hot and cold food items. Checks prep list, inventory on hand against projected needs to determine production.
• Prepares and cooks food orders, including meat, fish, poultry, and related items according to prescribed menus or recipes in a prompt and accurate manner.
• Possess skills needed to operate - flat grill, griddle, fryers, chargrill, salamander, range, ovens, and steamers, specialty cooking tools and utensils.
• Possess specialized skills to prepare a range of crafted food - sautéing, pan-searing, pan-roasting and preparing pasta. Plate and decorate desserts.
• Prepares sauces, specialty dishes, bulk recipes, intermediate meat/ fish/ seafood/ vegetable fabrication within the bistro/ trattoria, crafted food menu.
• Takes inventory and creates prep lists.
• Trains and acts as lead line person.
• Observes and tests food being cooked by taste, aroma and temperature using a thermometer to determine that food is cooked properly.
• Maintains high standards of quality and appearance for all food prepared and served.
• Understands and maintains consistency of product and quality assurance.
• Ensures proper storage of product by checking storeroom, walk-ins, freezer, and other areas to ensure maximum product shelf life is maintained.
• Checks recipes for specific storage procedures and requirements.
• Ensures all food items are properly covered, dated, and rotated to obtain proper quality control.
• Checks par levels to determine variety and quantity of food products required per shift as well as the set-up for the following shift.
• Stocks and maintains proper inventory level of food supplies, ingredients, and other consumables on the menus.
• Understands and practices food safety and sanitation procedures.
• Maintains and operates kitchen equipment properly.
• Setups and restocks kitchen.
• Breaks down, cleans, sanitizes, and reassembles all food preparation equipment after each use.
• Exhibits advanced competency with knife handling skills, executing accuracy at an accelerated pace.
• Communicates product needs. Alerts Sous Chef when product levels are low, so that new product can be ordered.
• Attends and supports all guest service training courses.
• Maintains knowledge of current marketing promotions and/or special events.
• Follows the recipes developed by the Sous Chef.
• Maintains knowledge of flavoring and seasoning.
• Ensures that a clean, safe, hazard-free work environment is maintained.
• Adheres to all company and department policies, procedures, and standard operating guidelines.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Does not provide supervision to other team members.
• High school diploma or general education degree (GED).
• Food Handlers Certificate required.
• Must be age 21 years of age or older.
• 4 to 5 years of restaurant production/cooking experience required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of char-grill, range, steamer, salamander, fryers, and oven use.
• Demonstrated knowledge of knife and culinary skills.
• Knowledge of basic butchering of meat and fish, salad, and cold food preparation.
• Good verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to adjust to and manage change effectively.
• Must be dependable, timely and have high attention to detail.
• Previous working knowledge of Point of Sales (POS) system preferred.
• Ability to work in a professional high-pressure environment while demonstrating and maintaining good personal relation/people skills and a positive attitude.
• Must be able to work flexible hours during the day or evening including weekends, holidays, and all blackout dates.

Hiring Preference

The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with tribal and federal law, the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians applies Native American preference in hiring.