Lead Cook - Banquets

Caesars Entertainment; Stateline (NV); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Caesars Entertainment seeks a Banquets Lead Cook to oversee food production for banquet and special events, ensuring quality and timely service. You will lead culinary staff during events, coordinate plating, and uphold high standards of food handling and guest experience.

You will mentor junior cooks, maintain cleanliness, and collaborate with kitchen leadership to ensure smooth operations across outlets during large functions.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of cooking in a high quality establishment.
• Strong English reading and instruction comprehension.
• Experience in banquet or high-volume service preferred.
• Ability to train and mentor junior cooks.
• Knowledge of breads, pastries and bakery production.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all functions of banquet cooking to ensure quality and consistency.
• Lead banquet staff during events and coordinate timing and plating.
• Maintain sanitary kitchen areas and equipment operation.
• Inspect areas and coordinate cleaning with kitchen staff.
• Monitor steam tables for freshness and portions.
• Protect assets from waste and mishandling.
• Provide leadership and training to lower level cooks.
• Stay updated on cooking techniques through ongoing study.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Communication

English

Food safety

Education

High School Diploma

Culinary Arts Certification

ACF Certification

Job description

Job Description

The Banquets Lead Cook is responsible for overseeing food production for banquet and special event functions, ensuring all menu items are prepared accurately, efficiently, and to established quality standards. This role leads and supports banquet culinary staff during event execution, coordinates timing and plating to meet service deadlines, and maintains consistency across high‑volume service. The Banquets Lead Cook works closely with kitchen leadership to ensure smooth operations, proper food handling, and an exceptional guest experience for events of all sizes.

Responsibilities

• Performs all functions of a Cook I and Cook II.
• Maintains adequate supply of menu items.
• Maintains assigned facility in a sanitary condition and equipment in operational condition.
• Inspects assigned areas and coordinates cleaning activities with the Kitchen Steward.
• Regularly inspects food in steam tables to ensure freshness.
• Protects company assets against stealing, breakage and waste.
• Maintains portion controls.
• Provides leadership and training to lower level cooks.
• Continues to update cooking knowledge through books, magazines and discussions with the Executive Chef and Executive Sous Chef.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent preferred; Certificates in culinary arts, ACF Certification, etc., preferred
• Minimum of 5 years of cooking in a high quality establishment
• Heavy experience in cooking soups, sauces and gravies or completed three-year apprenticeship program and/or completion of accredited culinary school
• Ability to understand and respond to written order, recipes and directs in English
• Ability to work flexible time periods as required of a cook in a resort environment as well as be flexible enough to work in multiple outlets as needed
• Knowledge of breads, pastries, bakery production
• Ability to implement a la carte desserts
• Demonstrated expert skill level on all cook stations
• Demonstrated leadership skills with a focus on coaching for success; ability to mentor
• Ability to oversee the daily operations of the kitchen in the absence of a Chef
• Good communication skills
• Ability to uphold and demonstrate the highest level of integrity in all situations and recognize standards required by a regulated business
• Acts as a role model to other Team Members and always presents oneself as a credit to Caesars Entertainment and encourages others to do the same.
• Adheres to all regulatory, company and department policies and procedures

Additional Requirements

• Ability to correctly lift and transport objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to work a minimum of 8 hours with appropriate mobility and endurance
• Ability to stand for 8 hours
• Visual range must include immediate environment
• Auditory range must include near and medium distances.
• Dexterity to use food preparation machinery
• Ability to use repetitive hand motion, holding and grasping
• Ability to tolerate extreme temperatures
• Positions that have contact with the public require the ability to work in a noisy environment and may be exposed to guests who use tobacco products. Also, non-public contact positions may be required to enter public areas from time to time, in connection with their duties, and may be subject to the same environment.