Lead Cook: Healthy Meals, Team Leader in Busy Kitchen

Maryland Food Bank; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lead Cook at Maryland Food Bank leads the culinary team in preparing a variety of healthy, nutritious meals for FoodWorks meal programs. This role provides day-to-day direction to Cooks, the Kitchen Porter, and volunteers, serving as a resource for work assignments.

Responsibilities include rendering entrées per recipes, overseeing staff and volunteers, adhering to HACCP and health regulations, and maintaining inventory, records, and production logs.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 3+ years of experience working in a commercial kitchen.
• Working knowledge of commercial food production, kitchen equipment, food safety, and sanitation standards.
• ServSafe Manager Certification at hire or the ability to obtain it within 90 days.
• Ability to follow standardized recipes, maintain portion-control standards, and perform basic recipe conversions.

Responsibilities

• Prepare entrées and other menu items according to established recipes, production schedules, and quality standards.
• Oversee assigned Cooks, the Kitchen Porter, and volunteers as directed by the Executive Sous Chef or Director/Executive Chef.
• Follow HACCP, food-safety, allergen, portion-control, and cross-contamination-prevention procedures.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local health, sanitation, and food-handling regulations.
• Monitor food temperatures, storage, labeling, dating, and safe handling of food products.
• Operate, clean, and maintain kitchen equipment and work areas; promptly report equipment issues, maintenance needs, and accidents.
• Maintain organized dry, refrigerated, and frozen storage areas, using FIFO inventory-rotation practices to support quality and minimize waste.
• Receive, verify, label, sort, and properly store food and supply deliveries.
• Maintain accurate daily production records, logs, and other required documentation.
• Communicate low-stock items, inventory discrepancies, and anticipated shortages to the Executive Sous Chef; assist with inventory counts and cross-training as needed.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Kitchen experience

Education

High school diploma

Job description

The Lead Cook at Maryland Food Bank leads the culinary team in preparing a variety of healthy, nutritious meals for FoodWorks meal programs. This role provides day-to-day direction to Cooks, the Kitchen Porter, and volunteers, serving as a resource for work assignments.

Responsibilities include rendering entrées per recipes, overseeing staff and volunteers, adhering to HACCP and health regulations, and maintaining inventory, records, and production logs.