Lead Cook

Hillsboro, OR, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Work Schedule

Standard Hours

Job Description

Aramark is a global leader in food, facilities, and uniform services operating in 15 countries worldwide. The company proudly serves millions of guests daily, providing innovative solutions across various industries including education, healthcare, business, and sports. Rooted in service and united by purpose, Aramark is dedicated to doing great things for its employees, partners, communities, and the planet. The company fosters a culture where every employee has equal employment opportunity and is encouraged to participate fully in company activities regardless of race, color, religion, gender, or other legally protected characteristics. Aramark believes careers should nurture talents, fuel passions, and empower professional growth to help employees reach their full potential.

The Lead Cook role at Aramark is pivotal in ensuring the preparation and cooking of food meets high standards of quality, safety, and customer satisfaction. This position requires a dedicated individual who can use standard recipes and production guidelines to deliver consistent and well-prepared meals. The Lead Cook is responsible for handling kitchen equipment safely, including grills, fryers, ovens, and broilers, and must adhere strictly to food safety and sanitation procedures. This role often includes supervising and training kitchen staff, delegating daily tasks, and ensuring efficient kitchen operations in line with client and company standards. The Lead Cook sets up the workstation, prepares ingredients by measuring, mixing, chopping, trimming, or peeling, and applies various cooking methods such as baking, roasting, broiling, and steaming. Additionally, this position requires proper storage of food items following safety policies and diligent cleaning and sanitizing of work areas and utensils.

Beyond cooking duties, the Lead Cook plays a vital role in maintaining excellent customer service with a positive attitude towards guests and co-workers alike. The position involves following Aramark’s safety policies rigorously, ensuring the security of company assets and producing work schedules to optimize kitchen workflow. This dynamic position may vary based on location and client needs, demonstrating the adaptability and leadership qualities that Aramark values. The company supports employees in developing new skills and adjusting to evolving job duties to meet organizational goals.

Job Requirements

Food safety certification required
experience as a cook or related role required
previous supervisor experience preferred
ability to work independently with limited supervision
ability to safely handle kitchen equipment and utensils
knowledge of food safety regulations and procedures
basic math skills
effective communication skills
physical ability to perform tasks such as lifting, bending, pushing, pulling, and extended walking or standing

Job Qualifications

Previous supervisor experience in a related role preferred
experience as a cook or related role required
ability to work independently with limited supervision required
proven knowledge of the basic principles of food preparation, various cooking methods, and food safety regulations such as proper food handling, sanitation, and storage
food safety certification required
demonstrates basic math and counting skills
demonstrates effective interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal

Job Duties

Schedules and assigns daily work activities to staff and supervises the completion of tasks
trains and guides staff on job duties, standard food safety and sanitation procedures, cooking methods, etc
cooks and prepares food following production guidelines and standardized recipes
sets up workstation with all needed ingredients and equipment
prepares ingredients by measuring, weighing, mixing, chopping, trimming, and peeling food items
safely uses all food utensils including knives
operates equipment such as ovens, stoves, slicers, mixers, etc
bakes, roasts, broils, steams, and uses a variety of cooking methods on meats, vegetables, and other foods
arranges, garnishes, and portions food following established guidelines
properly stores food by following food safety policies and procedures
cleans and sanitizes work areas, equipment, and utensils
maintains excellent customer service with a positive attitude towards guests, customers, clients, co-workers, etc
follows Aramark safety policies and procedures including food safety and sanitation
ensures security of company assets
produces and maintains work schedules and may prepare production records