Culinary Prep & Food Runner

Bridgeton Holdings LLC.; United States; On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Dawn Ranch is seeking a Kitchen Runner to bridge the kitchen and dining room, assisting with daily prep and service while confidently presenting dishes to guests. The role blends prep, station setup, and food running responsibilities in a fine dining setting within a Sonoma resort environment.

You should be comfortable with knife work, ingredient knowledge, allergens, and sourcing, and be able to communicate clearly with culinary and service teams.

Qualifications

• Previous professional kitchen experience required; fine dining or Michelin-level restaurant experience preferred.
• Strong basic cooking techniques, knife skills, and understanding of professional kitchen operations.
• Strong knowledge of ingredients, cooking techniques, and food preparation methods.
• Ability to speak directly with guests and present food in a professional and engaging manner.

Responsibilities

• Prepare ingredients and food components according to recipes, prep lists, and Chef specifications.
• Wash, peel, trim, cut, portion, and prepare vegetables, fruits, proteins, seafood, and other ingredients as directed.
• Prepare sauces, stocks, dressings, marinades, garnishes, and other components for service.
• Assist with basic butchery, vegetable preparation, portioning, and other culinary tasks as assigned.
• Follow recipes, portion controls, plating standards, and preparation specifications to maintain consistency and quality.
• Set up and stock prep and service stations with the necessary tools, equipment, ingredients, and supplies.
• Complete daily preparation lists accurately and within established timelines.
• Assist the culinary team with plating and final preparation of dishes during service when needed.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and properly stocked kitchen and preparation area.
• Label, date, store, and rotate food products according to kitchen and food safety standards.
• Assist with receiving, organizing, and properly storing deliveries as needed.
• Communicate ingredient shortages, preparation needs, quality concerns, or equipment issues to the Chef or appropriate supervisor.
• Deliver dishes from the kitchen to all restaurant dining areas with precision, urgency, and attention to presentation.
• Ensure dishes arrive at the correct table and position while maintaining the intended temperature, appearance, and timing.
• Present and explain dishes confidently and accurately to guests.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of the current menu, including ingredients, preparation techniques, sourcing, garnishes, and the inspiration behind each dish.
• Maintain strong knowledge of common allergens and dietary restrictions and communicate questions or concerns immediately to the culinary and service teams.
• Communicate effectively with Chefs, Captains, Back Waiters, and other Food Runners to ensure proper timing and coordination of courses.
• Coordinate multi-plate and multi-table food drops when necessary.
• Support Captains and the service team with dish explanations and culinary questions.
• Represent the culinary team professionally when interacting with guests.
• Assist the service team with clearing, resetting, polishing, restocking, and other service responsibilities when necessary.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of the pass, food-running areas, and service stations

Skills

Kitchen experience

Food safety knowledge

Guest-facing skills

Job description

Dawn Ranch is seeking a Kitchen Runner to bridge the kitchen and dining room, assisting with daily prep and service while confidently presenting dishes to guests. The role blends prep, station setup, and food running responsibilities in a fine dining setting within a Sonoma resort environment.

You should be comfortable with knife work, ingredient knowledge, allergens, and sourcing, and be able to communicate clearly with culinary and service teams.