Culinary Leader at Range Cafe in Bernalillo, NM

Pay Rate -Exempt Salary 50 hour/week minimum

**SUMMARY OF POSITION**

As a Kitchen Leader at the Range Café, you are a crucial part of our guests’ experience. Our high standards of “Guest Amazement” are maintained through the effective teamwork of our team members who share and embody our values and the desire to do the very best for our guests. During the hands-on training you will receive, you will learn about cross team relationships and will experience other positions to expand and diversify your skill set and prepare you to lead a productive and professional culinary team. Food quality, presentation and family-friendly service are an essential part of this position. These steps of service will act as a guide and reference point for your valued position as a Chef de cuisine at the Range Café.

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**

o The safety of our guests and employees is the Culinary Leader’s #1 responsibility

• Directly responsible for all kitchen functions including food purchasing, preparation, and maintenance of quality standards; sanitation and cleanliness; training of employees in methods of cooking, preparation, plate presentation, portion, and cost control. Upholds set standards and company culture. Implements and enforces sanitation and cleanliness practices.
• Ensure that all food and products are consistently prepared and served according to set specifications, recipes, portioning, cooking, and serving standards.
• Make employment and termination decisions including interviewing, hiring, evaluating, and disciplining culinary personnel as appropriate using company standards, policies, guidelines, and procedures. Provide orientation of company and company culture and rules, policies and procedures and oversee and conduct ongoing training of culinary employees.
• Oversee and ensure that company policies are followed, ensuring fair and consistent discipline to all team members, and ensuring accountability. Provide fair and accurate employee evaluations twice annually to all culinary team members.
• Fill in where needed to ensure guest service standards and efficient operations. This includes working on the line if need be.
• Monitor all food production and set and update quantities as business needs fluctuate.
• During peak service times the expectation is to be on the expediting line ensuring consistency, proper specs are followed, and food quality is up to standard. If needed, this can be done behind the line.
• Prepare all required paperwork, including forms, reports, and schedules in an organized and timely manner.
• Ensure that all equipment is kept clean and kept in excellent working condition through personal inspection and by following company preventative maintenance programs.
• Ensure that all products are ordered according to predetermined product specifications and received in correct unit count and condition and deliveries are performed in accordance with company receiving policies and procedures.
• Control food cost and usage by following proper purchasing, product storage procedures, standardized recipes, and waste control procedures.
• Schedule labor as required by anticipated business activity while ensuring that all positions are staffed when and as needed and labor cost objectives are met. All vacations must be approved using a plan for coverage to not accrue any overtime. Any overtime must be communicated to the Executive Culinary Leader and be justified as to why it will occur.
• Be knowledgeable of company policies regarding personnel and administer prompt, fair and consistent corrective action for all violations of company policies, rules, and procedures.
• Responsible for the training of kitchen personnel in safe operation of all kitchen equipment, utensils, cleanliness, and sanitation.
• Responsible for maintaining appropriate cleaning schedules for kitchen floors, mats, walls, hoods, other equipment, and food storage areas. Be always prepared for company and local authorities’ sanitation inspections.
• Check and maintain proper food holding and refrigeration temperature control points and maintain record keeping of documents.
• Perform shift line checks. Ensuring consistency, proper stock, seasoning, portioning, and sanitation.
• Taste products regularly for proper flavor profile and encourage tasting with staff.
• We are a team and work as a team. Provide your team assistance, guidance, support, and coverage throughout restaurants.
• Monthly inventories are to be completed with accuracy and no later than 11PM on the last day of every month.
• Recipes are kept current and recipe policy is enforced.
• All training and menu or special items are stepped down to culinary staff promptly and any documents regarding training are completed and turned in by deadlines set.
• Maintain open lines of communication between the management team.
• Respond to all communications promptly and attend all scheduled meetings unless an excuse has been granted.

We ALL have the same job…to provide an AMAZING experience for our guests.

QUALIFICATIONS

• High School Diploma or GED required. Formal culinary education preferred, not required.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in varied kitchen positions including food preparation, line cook, fry cook and expediter. At least 6 months experience in a similar capacity.
• Have working knowledge of the predominant language(s) of our guests. Must be able to communicate clearly with management, team members and guests.
• Basic computer skills, inventory management, food purchasing and developmental skills.
• Be able to reach, bend, stoop and frequently lift up to 50 pounds. Be able to work in a standing position for long periods of time (up to 9 hours).
• Must possess, understand, and utilize a sense of urgency.
• Must be able to multitask and able to withstand and environment high temperatures and pressure.

Work schedule

• Weekend availability
• Holidays
• Day shift
• Night shift

Benefits

• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Employee discount
• Paid training