Culinary Steward

Woodland Gourmet; Waukegan (IL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan

Dental plan

Vision plan

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Flexible spending account

Tuition reimbursement

401k with company match

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Employee assistance program

Job summary

Woodland Gourmet is seeking a Culinary Steward to keep the Innovation Center clean, organized and customer-ready. You will support chefs during preparation, maintain par levels and assist with product testing and demonstrations, ensuring the space reflects the company’s standards.

The role emphasizes proactive maintenance, responsiveness to guest visits, and collaboration with the Culinary team to uphold high-quality presentations and demonstrations.

Qualifications

• English and/or bilingual communication skills preferred.
• Clear and respectful communication with chefs, coworkers, leaders, customers and guests.
• Able to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment without sacrificing cleanliness, accuracy or professionalism.
• Flexible schedule with occasional early mornings, evenings, or extended days for visits, presentations or events.
• Prior experience in foodservice, culinary operations, sanitation, dishwashing, production, hospitality or related environment preferred.
• Current Woodland Gourmet experience and familiarity with ingredients, products, standards and culture preferred.

Responsibilities

• Maintain the Innovation Center in a consistently clean, orderly, professional and customer-ready condition.
• Follow sanitation, food safety, personal hygiene, chemical handling requirements.
• Wash, sanitize, and maintain cleaning and sanitation practices; store cookware and equipment properly.
• Complete daily and weekly deep-cleaning tasks including floors, walls, surfaces, ovens, ranges, hoods, vents and storage areas.
• Inspect the Center during the day and address spills, clutter, depleted supplies, or unsafe conditions.
• Restock ingredients, disposables, chemicals, linens, smallwares and other supplies; communicate shortages.
• Receive, rotate, label, date and organize products using proper food-safety practices (FIFO).
• Prepare the Center for customer visits, tastings, tours and events, including room setup and breakdown.
• Assist chefs and team with operational needs to support the Culinary team and Innovation Center.

Skills

Organization

Cleanliness

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Reliability

Job description

Title: Culinary Steward
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Reports To: Senior Culinary Director
Department: Culinary
Location: Waukegan, IL

Job Summary

The Innovation Center Culinary Stewardis responsible foralways keeping Woodland Gourmet’sstate-of-the-artInnovation Centercustomer-ready. This position is a key member of theCulinaryteam and will help create the clean, organized, professional and welcoming environment our customers and guests expect.
This is more than a cleaning position. The Culinary Steward will take ownership of the day-to-day condition of the Center, support chefs during preparation and customer presentations,maintainproduct and supply par levels, andassistwith internal blend and product testing. The right candidate will take genuine pride in the space, notice what needs attention before being asked, and understand that consistent execution behind the scenes has a major impact on how Woodland Gourmet is viewed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain the entire Innovation Center in a consistently clean, orderly,professionaland customer-ready condition, including kitchens, demonstration and presentation areas, storage spaces, dish areas,equipmentand supporting workspaces.
• Follow all company sanitation, food safety, personal hygiene, chemicalhandlingand withapplicable requirements.
• Wash, sanitize, safety procedures;maintainaccuratecleaning and sanitation practicesin accordance dry, inspect andproperly storecookware, utensils,smallwares,serviceware, presentation pieces and equipment.
• Complete daily,weeklyand scheduled deep-cleaning assignments, including floors, walls, work surfaces, ovens, ranges, hoods, vents, dish equipment, refrigeration, storageareasand otherequipment asassigned.
• Inspect the Center throughout the workday and promptly address spills, clutter, depleted supplies, improperly storeditemsor any condition that could affect safety,efficiencyor the guest experience.
• Restock ingredients, finished products, disposables, chemicals, linens,smallwaresand other supplies;maintainestablished par levels and communicate shortages before they affect operations.
• Receive, rotate, label, date and organize products and supplies using proper food-safety and inventorypractices, including FIFO where applicable.
• Keepingredient, product,equipmentand storage areas clearlyidentifiedand consistently organized so theCulinaryteam can work efficiently.
• Monitor dish-machine operation, wash and rinse temperatures, chemicallevelsand general equipment condition; report concerns promptly andassistwith routine deliming and care as directed.
• Remove waste,recyclingand food debris safely and promptly, andmaintainwaste-handling areas to a high standard.

Culinary & Customer Visit Support

• Support Culinary team food preparation, miseenplace, ingredient gathering, weighing, scaling and basic production tasks under chef direction.
• Assistwith in-house blend evaluations, product testing, samplepreparationand scaling of ingredients while following written instructions andmaintainingaccuracy.
• Help prepare the Center for customer visits, presentations, tastings, tours andspecial events, including room setup, staging, service support,replenishmentandtimelybreakdown.
• Remain attentive and professional during guest visits, respond quickly to teamneedsand help ensure service is smooth,quietand unobtrusive.
• Reset kitchens and presentation areasimmediatelyfollowing meetings andeventsso the Center is ready for the next use.
• Assistchefs and other team members with reasonable operational needs that support the success of theCulinaryteam and Innovation Center.

Qualifications/Requirements

• English and/or bilingual communication skillspreferred
• Able to communicate clearly and respectfully with chefs, coworkers, leaders,customersand guests.
• Able to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment without sacrificing cleanliness,accuracyor professionalism.
• Flexible schedule and willingness to work occasional early mornings, evenings or extended days based on customer visits,presentationsandspecial events.
• Prior experience in foodservice, culinary operations, sanitation, dishwashing, production,hospitalityor a related environment preferred.
• Current Woodland Gourmet experience and familiarity with our ingredients, products,standardsand culture strongly preferred.

Skills

• Exceptional organization,cleanlinessand attention to detail; able tomaintainhigh standardsconsistently, not only when directed.
• Positive attitude, strong work ethic,and genuine willingness to learn, accept coaching and follow directions.
• Dependable,punctualand able to work independently whileremainingresponsive to changing team priorities.
• Work calmly,quicklyand quietly when customer meetings,tastingsor presentations are in progress.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical requirements described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to help individuals with disabilities perform these vital functions. The job typically requires standing and walking for extended periods of time, perform repetitive hand-on tasks, frequently bending, reaching stretching, pushing, pulling, carrying and moving throughout the kitchen, storage and presentation areas. Ability to lift and carry up to 40 pounds; heavier items require team lifting or appropriate equipment. Working around heat, steam, moisture, cleaning chemicals, sharp tools and commercial kitchen equipment while using required PPE and safe work practices. cold temperatures, wet environments, and food processing equipment. Ability to wear required PPE, including hair nets, gloves, and protective footwear, etc
This document in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.
Woodland Gourmet hires exceptional people to perform a wide variety of important functions that contribute to the success of our organization. We offer a competitive compensation package with benefits. The estimated pay rate for role is $18 – 22/hour. This position is eligible for an annual bonus (based on the incentive program terms and conditions). Based on your qualifications, previous experience, and transferable skills, the company will determine, at its discretion, the hourly rate offered and will reflect the market conditions and cost of living for your geographic location.
Our benefits program is designed to support our team in leading healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives. We deeply value the contributions of our team members and are committed to offering a competitive total compensation package. Additionally, we offer medical, prescription drug plans, dental, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, vision insurance, flexible spending account, health savings account, tuition reimbursement, employee assistance program, voluntary benefits (hospital, critical illness, personal accident, legal & identify theft), 401k with company match, paid family leave, paid holidays and paid time off.
Woodland Gourmet is a participant in the federal E-Verify program. As part of the hiring process, we will verify the information provided on your Form I-9 to confirm your eligibility to work in the United States.E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from your Form I-9 to government records to confirm employment eligibility. For more information on E-Verify and your rights, please visit theE-Verify website
Woodland Gourmet assures equal employment opportunity in all its hiring and employment policies and practices. This includes all aspects of employment, such as recruiting, hiring, promotions, transfers, demotions, layoffs or terminations, compensation, benefits, training, company-sponsored education, social and recreational programs or events, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. These policies and practices are administered without regard to "legally protected categories" such as: race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation or sexual orientation, pregnancy status or medical conditions related to childbirth, and/or any other factor protected by law