Lead Cook

Solera Senior Living; Malvern (Chester County); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Immediate pay access

Tuition reimbursement

Comprehensive medical benefits

Dental, vision, life, and disability

401(k) with company match

Paid holidays and PTO

EAP

Employee discount programs

Supportive team culture

Job summary

Solera Senior Living in Malvern, PA is seeking a Lead Cook to lead kitchen operations, prepare nutritious meals, and ensure food safety and quality standards for residents.

You will supervise 2–5 line cooks, coordinate with dining teams, and help deliver a positive dining experience for seniors. Shift rotations include mornings and evenings.

Qualifications

• Strong communication, organization, time-management, and teamwork skills.
• Two years of professional cooking experience in a restaurant, senior living, healthcare, or similar environment.
• Experience guiding or coordinating other kitchen team members preferred.
• ServSafe certification or Food Handler’s Permit, or willingness to obtain one as required.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook, and present meals according to standardized recipes, menus, and dietary requirements.
• Coordinate work of line cooks or prep cooks when serving as working lead during a shift.
• Review menus and communicate production priorities to prep cooks.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Time management

Leadership

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Lead Cook

Hours: 7:00AM-3:00PM and 11:00AM-7:00PM with rotating weekends

Love making a difference in the lives of seniors?

At Solera Senior Living, we are guided by our Core Values—Compassion, Communication, Commitment, and Creativity—which shape how we serve residents, support families, and work together as a team. As a Lead Cook, you’ll combine hands‑on culinary expertise with shift leadership to help create nutritious, high‑quality meals that bring comfort, connection, and enjoyment to our residents each day.

What Solera Offers You

• A growing company with opportunities for career advancement

• Immediate pay access—no more waiting for payday

• Tuition reimbursement to support your professional growth

• Comprehensive medical benefits with discounted gym memberships

• Dental, vision, life, and disability insurance

• 401(k) retirement plan with company match

• Paid holidays and paid time off

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Perks and employee discount programs

• Supportive, team‑oriented workplace culture

About the Role

As a Lead Cook, you’ll play a key role in the daily operation of the kitchen by preparing high‑quality meals, maintaining food safety and quality standards, and providing hands‑on guidance to cooks and prep cooks during assigned shifts. You’ll help ensure each station is prepared for service and that meals are delivered consistently, accurately, and on time.

Lead Cook Key Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook, and present meals according to standardized recipes, menus, portion guidelines, and residents’ dietary requirements.

• Execute food production on an assigned station or across multiple stations at a pace that meets established service‑time expectations.

• Provide hands‑on direction and coordinate the work of approximately two to five line cooks or prep cooks when serving as the working lead during a shift.

• Review daily menus and communicate production priorities to prep cooks, including identifying items that require early preparation.

• Verify that all stations have complete mise en place before service and address any gaps before meal service begins.

• Monitor food quality, taste, temperature, portion accuracy, and presentation throughout service, correcting deviations promptly.

• Support and train new and existing cooks on station procedures, recipe execution, knife skills, food safety, sanitation, and community standards.

• Work closely with the culinary and dining teams to accommodate residents’ dietary needs and provide a positive dining experience.

• Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary workstation throughout the shift by following cleaning schedules and sanitizing procedures.

• Complete assigned opening and closing procedures, including temperature logs, food labeling and dating, storage checks, and deep‑cleaning checklists.

• Inspect food storage areas to ensure ingredients are properly stocked, labeled, dated, stored, and rotated.

• Follow all applicable community policies and local, state, and federal requirements related to food preparation, sanitation, and kitchen safety.

• Assist with production planning by contributing to prep lists and providing accurate estimates of upcoming food and supply needs.

• Monitor inventory and promptly report low stock, equipment problems, food‑quality concerns, or safety hazards to the Kitchen Manager or culinary leader.

• Assist with meal preparation and service for special events, community functions, and other culinary programs as needed.

• Support kitchen operations and perform other duties as assigned.

Lead Cook Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.

• At least two years of professional cooking experience in a restaurant, senior living community, healthcare setting, or similar food‑service environment.

• Previous experience guiding, training, or coordinating the work of other kitchen team members preferred.

• Working knowledge of food preparation techniques, kitchen equipment, knife skills, sanitation practices, and food safety requirements.

• Ability to follow standardized recipes, menus, portion guidelines, and dietary requirements while maintaining consistency.

• Strong communication, organization, time‑management, and teamwork skills.

• Ability to prioritize production needs, make sound decisions, and remain composed in a fast‑paced kitchen environment.

• Ability to stand for extended periods and safely lift, carry, bend, reach, and perform the physical duties required in a commercial kitchen.

• Passion for serving seniors and creating an excellent resident dining experience.

• ServSafe certification or Food Handler’s Permit, or willingness to obtain one as required.

At Echo Lake, we’ve partnered with MemoMate, an AI‑powered virtual interviewer, to make the first step in our hiring process simple, convenient, and engaging for all candidates.

Solera Senior Living is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.