Prep Cook

About Company: New School Mediterranean Celebrating 55 Locations Our journey began in downtown San Diego, where we worked alongside our team to create a ‘New-School’ Mediterranean style, combining traditional flavors, familiar ingredients, and genuine service to create memorable experiences for all.

About the Role

The Prep Cook plays a crucial role in the kitchen by ensuring that all ingredients are properly prepared and ready for use by the culinary team. This position supports chefs and cooks by performing essential food preparation tasks such as washing, chopping, and measuring ingredients, which contributes to the smooth and efficient operation of the kitchen.

The Prep Cook helps maintain high standards of cleanliness and organization in the food preparation area, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. By preparing ingredients in advance, the Prep Cook enables the kitchen to deliver meals promptly and maintain consistent quality. Ultimately, this role is vital in supporting the overall dining experience by contributing to timely and well-prepared food service.

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent. Basic knowledge of food safety and sanitation practices. Ability to follow instructions and work efficiently in a fast-paced environment. Physical ability to stand for extended periods and perform repetitive tasks. Prior experience in a kitchen or food preparation setting is preferred but not required.

Preferred Qualifications

Formal culinary training or certification. Experience working in a professional kitchen environment. Familiarity with various kitchen equipment and tools. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.

Responsibilities

Wash, peel, chop, and measure ingredients according to recipes and kitchen standards. Assist chefs and cooks by preparing basic components of dishes to facilitate efficient meal preparation. Maintain cleanliness and organization of the prep area, including proper storage of ingredients and disposal of waste. Follow all food safety and sanitation guidelines to ensure a safe working environment.

Monitor inventory levels of prep items and communicate needs to kitchen management. Skills: The Prep Cook uses their knowledge of food safety and sanitation daily to maintain a clean and safe kitchen environment, preventing contamination and ensuring compliance with health regulations. Their knife skills and ability to accurately measure and prepare ingredients are essential for supporting chefs and maintaining the flow of kitchen operations.

Organizational skills help the Prep Cook manage multiple tasks simultaneously, keeping the prep area orderly and ensuring ingredients are ready when needed. Communication skills are important for coordinating with kitchen staff and reporting inventory needs. Additionally, physical stamina and attention to detail enable the Prep Cook to perform repetitive tasks efficiently while maintaining high standards of quality.