Traveling Cook

Sharp Spoon Network; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 74,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Lodging provided during deployments

Weekly pay

Company-paid travel

Job summary

Sharp Spoon Network is seeking an experienced Traveling Cook to support large-scale culinary operations across the United States. You will prepare meals in high-volume kitchens for deployments, following recipes and schedules to ensure quality.

The role requires 5+ years hands-on cooking, the ability to batch-cook from raw ingredients, and willingness to travel nationwide on a 30/14 rotation with shifts around 12 hours. Lodging and travel are provided where applicable.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on cooking in high-volume kitchens.
• Ability to prepare complete meals from raw ingredients and batch-cook.
• Experience maintaining quality in high-volume meal service.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Willingness to travel nationwide and work 12-hour shifts on a 30/14 rotation.

Responsibilities

• Prepare proteins, vegetables, starches, sauces in high-volume kitchens.
• Follow recipes and production schedules for flavor and freshness.
• Use professional cooking techniques: grilling, roasting, sautéing, frying.
• Maintain food safety, sanitation, and portion control.
• Collaborate with culinary teams in deployment environments.

Skills

High-volume cooking

Recipe execution

Food safety

Travel willingness

Driver's license

Tools

ServSafe certification

Job description

Traveling Cook — High-Volume Culinary Operations

$1,908 Estimated Weekly Gross Pay + $45 Daily Per Diem

$18/hr Base + Overtime | Weekly Pay | Lodging Provided

Nationwide Travel | Approximately 30 Days On / 14 Days Off

The Opportunity

Sharp Spoon Network is recruiting experienced professional cooks for a national leader in large-scale culinary operations, disaster response, and remote workforce support.

We’re looking for skilled, hands-on cooks who can prepare quality food in large quantities—not simply assemble or reheat meals.

You’ll prepare fresh, flavorful meals in high-volume kitchens supporting projects throughout the United States.

Compensation & Benefits

• $18/hour plus applicable overtime, with approximately 12-hour shifts during deployments
• $45 daily per diem during qualifying deployments
• Weekly pay
• Lodging provided during qualifying deployments
• Company-paid travel when applicable
• Approximately 30 days on assignment / 14 days off
• Estimated weekly gross pay of $1,908 during a full 84-hour deployment workweek, assuming overtime after 40 hours. Actual earnings depend on hours worked and applicable overtime rules.
  

What We’re Looking For

Minimum requirements:

• 5+ years of hands-on professional cooking experience in high-volume kitchens.
• Ability to prepare complete meals from raw ingredients, follow recipes, and execute large-batch cooking.
• Experience maintaining food quality and consistency during high-volume meal service.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Willingness to travel nationwide, work approximately 12-hour shifts on a 30/14 rotation, and complete required screenings.

Relevant experience includes: Banquet and catering kitchens, hotels and resorts, convention centers, cruise ships, quality-focused contract dining, and military or remote-site culinary operations.

Especially desirable: Experience preparing several hundred to 1,000+ meals during a single service, strong scratch-cooking skills, and ServSafe certification.

What You’ll Do

• Prepare proteins, vegetables, starches, sauces, and complete meals in high-volume kitchens
• Follow recipes and production schedules while maintaining flavor, freshness, and consistency
• Execute professional cooking techniques, including grilling, roasting, sautéing, frying, and batch preparation
• Maintain food safety, sanitation, portion control, and proper serving temperatures
• Work alongside culinary teams in fast-paced, changing deployment environments

Ready to Join the Team?

Put your professional cooking skills to work on challenging assignments across the country.

Overtime, per diem eligibility, lodging, travel arrangements, and deployment schedules are subject to assignment requirements.