Traveling Cook || $18/hr + OT + Per Diem

Sharp Spoon Network; Jackson (MS); On-site; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Overtime included

Weekly pay

Lodging provided

Per diem

Company-paid travel

Nationwide deployment

Job summary

Sharp Spoon Network is recruiting experienced, hands-on, high-volume professional cooks for nationwide deployments in disaster response, remote workforce support, and large-scale culinary operations.

These roles require five years of professional cooking experience, ability to execute recipes in large batches, and a commitment to flavor, freshness, consistency, and presentation under demanding service conditions.

Qualifications

• Five+ years of hands-on, high-volume professional cooking experience.
• Ability to prepare and cook in professional kitchens.
• Experience producing quality-focused meals in high-volume operations.
• Ability to follow recipes and execute large-batch cooking.
• Knowledge of proper cooking temperatures, kitchen sanitation, and food safety.
• Ability to operate commercial cooking equipment independently.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook high-quality meals in large-scale professional kitchens.
• Execute standardized recipes maintaining flavor, texture, temperature, and presentation.
• Perform hands-on cooking using professional techniques (grilling, roasting, sautéing, frying, baking, batch prep).
• Prepare proteins, vegetables, starches, sauces, and other components per requirements.
• Cook from raw or minimally processed ingredients as needed by the menu.
• Execute large-batch recipes while maintaining consistent quality across portions.
• Follow production schedules and coordinate cooking times for high-volume services.
• Maintain food quality, freshness, and serving temperatures during long meal periods.
• Follow portion-control standards without sacrificing quality.
• Work independently at assigned stations while coordinating with team and leadership.
• Monitor and adjust seasoning, doneness, texture, and presentation as needed.
• Receive, store, rotate, and handle food products properly.
• Follow all food safety and sanitation procedures.

Skills

High-volume cooking

Recipe execution

Batch cooking

Food safety

Quality focus

Tools

Commercial cooking equipment

Job description

• Approximately 12-hour shifts during deployments

Qualifying Culinary Background

Traveling Cook — High-Volume, Quality-Focused Culinary Production

$18/hr + Mandatory Overtime + Per Diem

Nationwide Travel | Approximately 30 Days On / 14 Days Off | Weekly Pay

Compensation & Deployment Highlights

• $18/hour + mandatory overtime
• $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
• Approximately 12-hour shifts during deployments

The Opportunity

Sharp Spoon Network is recruiting experienced, hands-on, high-volume professional cooks on behalf of a nationally recognized leader in disaster response, remote workforce support, and large-scale culinary operations.

We are looking for skilled cooks who know how to prepare quality food — not simply process large numbers of meals.

This position requires strong professional cooking experience, the ability to execute recipes and prepare food in large batches, and a commitment to maintaining excellent flavor, freshness, consistency, and presentation during demanding meal services.

Assignments may support disaster recovery operations, data centers, military-support projects, remote workforce camps, and temporary culinary operations throughout the United States.

This is not an entry-level cooking position, a fast-food position, or a traditional local restaurant job.

Successful candidates must have at least five years of qualifying high-volume professional cooking experience and be comfortable working hands-on in demanding production kitchens.

What You'll Do

• Prepare and cook high-quality meals in large-scale professional kitchen environments.
• Execute standardized recipes while maintaining proper flavor, seasoning, texture, temperature, and presentation.
• Perform hands-on cooking using professional techniques such as grilling, roasting, sautéing, frying, baking, and batch preparation, as assigned.
• Prepare proteins, vegetables, starches, sauces, and other menu components according to established production requirements.
• Cook food from raw or minimally processed ingredients when required by the menu.
• Execute large-batch recipes while maintaining consistent quality across hundreds of portions.
• Follow production schedules and coordinate cooking times to support high-volume breakfast, lunch, and dinner services.
• Maintain food quality, freshness, and proper serving temperatures throughout extended meal periods.
• Follow portion-control standards without sacrificing food quality.
• Work independently at assigned cooking stations while coordinating with other cooks and culinary leadership.
• Monitor food preparation and correct issues involving seasoning, doneness, texture, or presentation.
• Properly receive, store, rotate, and handle food products.
• Follow all food safety, sanitation, and cross-contamination prevention procedures.
• Adapt cooking methods and production processes to different kitchen layouts, equipment, and deployment environments.

Minimum Qualifications — Required

Applicants must meet ALL of the following requirements:

Professional Culinary Experience

• At least five years of hands-on, high-volume professional cooking experience.
• Documented experience personally preparing and cooking food in a professional kitchen.
• Experience producing quality-focused meals in high-volume culinary operations.
• Demonstrated ability to follow recipes, prepare food in large batches, and execute professional cooking techniques.
• Experience maintaining consistent food quality during demanding, large-scale meal services.
• Knowledge of professional food preparation, proper cooking temperatures, food safety, and kitchen sanitation.
• Ability to operate commercial cooking equipment and work independently at assigned production stations.

Qualifying Culinary Background

Relevant Experience May Include

• High-volume professional catering and banquet kitchens.
• Upscale hotels, resorts, and hospitality operations.
• Quality-focused contract or workforce dining operations.
• Convention centers and large-scale event culinary operations.
• Cruise ships and comparable high-volume professional kitchens.
• Military, offshore, or remote-site culinary operations involving substantial hands-on cooking.
• Other professional kitchens demonstrating both meaningful cooking responsibilities and high-volume meal production.

Important Experience Requirement

Five years of general kitchen employment does not automatically satisfy the cooking experience requirement.

Experience limited primarily to fast-food assembly, quick-service transactions, reheating prepared products, dishwashing, serving, or kitchen administration does not independently establish the required professional cooking qualifications.

Applicants must be able to describe the meals they personally prepare, the cooking techniques they use, and the approximate number of meals produced during a typical or peak service.

Candidates Must

Travel and Deployment Requirements

• Be willing and available to travel nationwide.
• Work approximately 30 consecutive days on assignment followed by approximately 14 days off.
• Be willing to work approximately 12-hour shifts, including weekends and holidays when required.
• Have a valid driver's license and reliable transportation.
• Be comfortable working in temporary kitchens, remote locations, and changing operational environments.
• Be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.
• Be willing to complete applicable background screening, drug testing, and onboarding requirements.

Candidates may reside anywhere in the United States but must be available for nationwide deployment.

Preferred Qualifications

We are especially interested in cooks with:

• Experience producing several hundred or more quality meals during a single meal service.
• Experience with very high-volume operations serving 1,000 or more meals in a single service.
• Strong scratch-cooking skills and experience preparing fresh ingredients.
• Experience preparing high-volume proteins, sauces, vegetables, starches, and complete meals.
• Experience executing diverse menus rather than a limited selection of standardized items.
• Experience maintaining restaurant-quality food standards during large-scale production.
• Professional catering, banquet, upscale resort, or cruise-ship culinary experience.
• ServSafe certification or equivalent food safety training.
• Previous experience in disaster-response kitchens, mobile kitchens, or remote workforce dining.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing menus, equipment, production demands, and staffing conditions.

Compensation & Benefits

• $18 per hour plus applicable overtime
• $45 daily per diem during qualifying deployments
• Weekly pay
• Lodging provided during qualifying deployments
• Company-paid travel when applicable
• Approximately 14 days off between standard deployment rotations

Specific assignment schedules, overtime, per diem eligibility, lodging arrangements, and travel provisions are subject to current client requirements.

Before You Apply

Please apply only if you can answer YES to the following:

• Do you have at least five years of hands-on professional cooking experience in high-volume kitchens?
• Have you personally prepared and cooked complete menu items using professional cooking techniques?
• Have you worked in kitchens producing large quantities of quality-focused meals?
• Can you follow recipes and prepare food in large batches while maintaining flavor, freshness, and consistency?
• Can you describe your actual cooking responsibilities and the meal volume produced during your busiest service?
• Are you willing to travel nationwide for approximately 30 days at a time and work approximately 12-hour shifts?
• Do you have a valid driver's license and reliable transportation?

Applicants whose experience consists primarily of fast-food assembly, reheating, serving, dishwashing, or non-cooking kitchen duties will not meet the professional cooking requirements unless they have additional qualifying experience.

About Sharp Spoon Network

Sharp Spoon Network has been retained to recruit qualified candidates on behalf of our client. Selected candidates will become employees of the client, not Sharp Spoon Network.

Position details, schedules, assignments, compensation, and benefits are subject to confirmation during the hiring process.

Apply with a resume that clearly identifies your professional cooking experience, the types of food you personally prepare, the volume of meals produced, and your employment dates.