Prep Cook

Groundwork Coffee; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free Coffee to Take Home

Employee Discounts

Health Benefits

Paid Time Off

Commuter Program

Job summary

Groundwork Coffee is seeking an experienced Prep Cook to join a busy kitchen and help execute production schedules with efficiency and care. You’ll handle station setup, cooking, and breakdown, while maintaining cleanliness and quality in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires strong English communication, restaurant experience, and the ability to lift up to 50 lbs as part of daily duties. Groundwork offers a friendly, caffeinated team culture in a casual setting.

Qualifications

• Restaurant experience preferred.
• Fluent in spoken and written English.
• Must have valid California Food Handler card.
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs and stand long hours.
• Ability to listen and work on a busy kitchen line.

Responsibilities

• Understand and execute the production schedule.
• Prepare meats, seafood, vegetables using standard recipes.
• Stock and maintain food at line stations for service.
• Maintain a clean sanitary work station and equipment.
• Prepare items for grilling, frying or other methods; operate kitchen machines.

Skills

Restaurant experience

Fluent English

Interpersonal skills

Active listening

Lifts 50 lbs

Stand for long periods

Kitchen environment familiarity

Tools

Mixer

Blender

Slicer

Toaster

Oven

Job description

About Us:

Groundwork Coffee specializes in batch-roasted, certified organic coffees and artisanal teas. From our humble roots as a rare book store and cafe back in 1990, Groundwork would go on to become one of the first certified organic coffee roasters in Southern California, as well as the largest organic coffee roaster in Los Angeles. A truly local pioneer in fair trade and fairly traded coffee and tea sourcing, we remain committed to sustainable business practices, including maintaining direct relationships with growers and importers who promote responsible coffee and tea production.

Now, nearly 30 years later — thanks to the neighbors and friends we’ve been fortunate enough to serve — we have opened 10 cafés along the West Coast, we have two very busy roasteries in Los Angeles and Portland, and we produce a growing line of delicious cold brew coffees. We’ve also been profoundly lucky to see the development of dozens of new organic coffee farms around the world and are proud to continue sharing their exceptional coffees with you. From the ground up, Groundwork is steadfast in its commitment to the values of quality, sustainability and community.

About You:

We are looking to hire an experienced, efficient, and quality-obsessed Prep Cook to join our growing team and jump-start their career. Leveraging your extensive Restaurant experience, you’ll wear many hats and do everything from station set up and maintaining cleanliness to chopping, grinding, mixing, plus station break down, dish-washing and other duties as assigned. As a Groundwork Line Cook, you will work a full-time schedule, and must be both detail-oriented and able to multi-task. If you love a great cup of coffee (or tea), embody a positive “can-do!” attitude, and are enthusiastic about your craft.

What You’ll Do:

• Understand, read, and execute the production schedule
• Prepare a variety of meats, seafood, poultry, vegetables and other food items using standardized recipes for cooking in ovens, grills, pans and a variety of other kitchen equipment
• Stock and maintain sufficient levels of food products at line stations to assure a smooth service period
• Maintain a clean and sanitary work station area including tables, shelves, grills, sauté burners, convection oven, flat top range and refrigeration equipment
• Prepare item for grilling, frying, sautéing or other cooking methods by portioning, battering, breading, seasoning and/or marinating
• Operating machinery including but not limited to; mixers, blenders, slicers, toasters, ovens, proofers, sandwich presses, and microwaves

What It Takes To Rock This Role:

• Restaurant experience is preferred
• Fluent in spoken and written English
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to listen effectively
• Must have valid California Food Handler card from an accredited source
• Must be able to lift at least 50lbs
• Ability to operate machinery including but not limited to; mixers, blenders, slicers, toasters, ovens, proofers, sandwich presses, and microwaves
• Includes long periods of standing while working with equipment
• Kitchen-type, and small food-service retail environments: busy, tight quarters, often warm/hot
• Standing, walking (on even and uneven surfaces), stooping, bending, twisting, leaning, grasping, and lifting of 50 lbs. or less
• Wrist and arm strength and dexterity for repetitive beating, shipping, mixing, and blending with hand tools for 15 minutes or longer
• Repetitive hand chopping, slicing, dicing, coring with knives and other hand tools for more than 30 minutes at a time

Pay Rate:

$19.60/hour

Why Groundwork:

We strive to be the best place our employees have ever worked, and to produce the best coffee our customers have ever sipped. As a part of our team, you’ll be working with people who are down-to-earth, friendly, and passionate in a casual, caffeinated, and fun retail environment.

Groundwork Perks:

*Benefits are offered to eligible employees and are subject to change.

• Free Coffee to Take Home: 1 pound Bulk Coffee or ¼ Pound Loose Leaf Tea every other week
• Employee Discount Program: Discounts on Food, Beverage, & Merchandise
• Health Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Voluntary Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off: Including Sick Hours, Vacation, and Holidays
• Commuter Program: Substantially Subsidized Metro Pass

Groundwork is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regards to race, color, age, sex, ancestry, marital status, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, present or past history of mental disability, genetic information or any other classification protected by state or federal law.