Assistant Cook Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for an assistant cook job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an assistant cook. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an assistant cook.
Who is an Assistant Cook?
This is an individual also known as the assistant chef, that works directly with the cook or chef, managing a staff of cooks, kitchen assistants, and workers to ensure the orderly arrangement of the kitchen and help or assist the chef in the preparation or arrangement of food. The one who ensures the cooking area is washed and kept clean regularly is the assistant cook. Every ingredient needed for foods, beverages, and cocktails is usually prepared by the Assistant cook.
The Assistant cook ensures Health and safety precautions are carried out. Waste bins are washed thoroughly, and kitchen appliances like refrigerators are repaired if damaged, kitchen inventory is taken regularly to ensure ingredients aren’t lacking especially in the case of rush hour. The assistant cook is said to be involved constantly in performing other tasks such as assisting the Cook with the preparation of meal ingredients, which includes washing, cleaning, peeling, cutting, and chopping fruit, vegetables, poultry, and meat, sweeping and mopping the kitchen floors as well as wiping down kitchen walls, assisting with the unloading of delivered food supplies and constantly taking stock of the supplies and the regular usage., to ensure that the restaurant or establishment they work runs smoothly.
Assistant cooks typically work under the supervision of a head chef or sous chef. They may also be assigned to work with individual chefs on specific projects or recipes. The assistant cook’s responsibilities include assisting with inventory control, removing garbage, washing garbage cans, and clearing refrigerators, freezers, and storage rooms. Being able to carry out analytical tasks and take electronic records of kitchen supplies, appliances, and equipment and still paying attention to take note of notable food wastage as seen from customers’ leftovers.
To be successful as an Assistant cook, you should exercise exceptional time management skill organizational skills, and constantly pay attention to detail especially involving the proper storage of food supplies. The Assistant cook should promptly deliver meal ingredients from storage areas to the kitchen as per the Cook’s instructions, to deliver on time and earn their customers’ satisfaction. Stirring and heating soups and sauces as well as preparing hot beverages are all duties to be completed on time. Ultimately, an outstanding Assistant cook should be able to comply with all food health and safety regulations or adhere to standardized precautions.
Assistant Cook Job Description
What is an assistant cook job description? An assistant cook job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of an assistant cook in an organization. Below are the assistant cook job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an assistant cook job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of an assistant cook include the following:
- Meeting the expectations of the customers at all times.
- Conducting training for pantry workers, helpers, and kitchen workers on job responsibilities and ensuring they effectively deliver.
- Creating a production list to ensure efficient execution of service and optimization of each individual amongst the kitchen staff.
- Offering customer service in relation to what’s demanded of the organization and ensuring all patrons receive effective customer service.
- Assisting the Cook in organizing and preparing dishes, ensuring proper cleaning of kitchen appliances or utensils, or cutting, chopping, and peeling of food ingredients.
- Cleaning the food preparation areas in the kitchen based on one’s organization’s policies and every industry’s hygiene and health and safety standards.
- Washing, disinfecting, and properly storing cooking or kitchen equipment.
- Buying, weighing, and storing ingredients and food supplies, especially in favorable market conditions before market inflation.
- Understanding the operation of a variety of kitchen appliances and instruments including cutters, knives, mixers, and ovens.
- Managing kitchen inventory, unloading supplies, and organizing the storeroom regularly.
- Meeting with suppliers and also aiding in the negotiating process for supplies demanded in the kitchen.
- Maintaining a solid knowledge, understanding, and preparation of base sauces, stocks, stews, and soups ·
- Having an understanding of proper etiquette in food preparation, delivery, packaging or plate presentation.
- Assisting the cook to set up goals and objectives which focus on profit, product, and people optimation of the staff.
- Ensuring all kitchen staff involved in the food preparation or kitchen management wear all appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when required.
- Preparing food items especially perishable foods for storage using methods such as canning, freezing, dehydrating, or pickling.
- Plan menus that are varied, nutritionally balanced, and appetizing, taking advantage of foods in season and local availability. Managing kitchen staff to deliver cooking
- Ensuring weekly requests are forwarded to the procurement officer for processing.
- Covering all duties of the cook even in the cause of absence.
- Undertaking project work & training to develop skills in food production, management & enhancing customer service.
- Preparing ingredients for cooking, including chopping, slicing, dicing, mincing, blending, and grinding.
- Following every healthy established for food preparation, not overlooking the safety standards for storing, handling, and preparing food.
- Cleaning and sanitizing kitchen equipment and utensils after each use regularly.
- Preparing food for large events such as weddings or banquets or business conferences.
- Cleaning dishes, pots, pans, and utensils after they have been used in cooking or serving food.
- Ensuring the satisfaction of the customers or clients.
- Evolving even as the food industry shifts.
- Staying current on food recipes and trends with food blogs and channels.
- Training constantly to stay on top of the game in the food industry.
- Undergoing training, and drilling to ensure effective optimization of one’s skill.
- Working under pressure yet still effectively delivering quality, nutritious food.
- Promoting the benefits of eating healthy to customers and Clients.
- Teaching and ensuring other kitchen staff properly use and maintain equipment and appliances in the kitchen station.
- Taking stock of kitchen inventory constantly and ensuring their quality and adequacy.
- Ensuring all sanitation rules are observed and properly followed by kitchen staff and team members.
- Testing new recipes to ensure their quality and taste measure up with what’s demanded by the client, employers, or organization.
- Recording and taking stock of prepared food.
- Preparing recipes and working with other kitchen staff to ensure that food meets specific nutritional requirements, such as low sodium or low-fat content, or is a healthy diet for each client.
- Verifying prepared food meets quality and quantity standards.
- Sourcing for the right ingredients needed for food preparation.
- Creating menus and recipes that are nutritious regularly.
- Delivering all food orders on time always.
- Recording all food wastage and reporting to the manager in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
- Making sure all requests by patients or staff with special dietary requirements are provided for.
- Checking dates on food and disposing of any out off date food and ensuring to carry out safety precautions that can prevent food poisoning.
- Designing or contributing to the designing of buffet areas and ensuring their cleanliness.
- Networking with head chefs, and other cooks to stay current.
- Attending culinary arts events in order not to be stagnant in growth.
- Maintaining a safe work environment for team members and the entire kitchen staff, especially in the kitchen station.
- Implementing national center plate HACCP guidelines and safety procedures regularly.
Qualifications
Minimal education is required for this entry role of an Assistant cook, but to stay top in the game more knowledge is required.
- Obtaining a high school certificate or GED Certificate.
- Having an associate degree or bachelor’s degree in culinary art and courses such as food preparation, baking, nutrition, sanitation, and food safety, or being certified.
- Experience in kitchen operations due to work experience.
- Having an in-depth understanding of food health and safety regulations
- Exceptional time management and organizational skills are important, especially in the delivery of food orders and the satisfaction of impatient patrons.
- Excellent verbal or written communication skills for effective work delivery.
- Exceptional physical stamina and strength to work and lift equipment or appliances when needed in the kitchen station.
- Ability to work as part of a team and still effectively deliver or be productive.
- Thoroughness and paying attention to detail always.
- Having the basic knowledge that food preparation and presentation requires, the method of delivery, techniques, quality standards, and even basic knife skills.
Essential Skills
- Food safety and health precaution skills: In as much as the job entails feeding and caring for humans, the assistant cook needs to understand and adhere to all food safety precautions enforced by the government, their professional body, and the restaurant, client, or organization they offer their services. Every assistant cook should be able to follow proper food safety practices to ensure the safety of the food they prepare and the health of every client they serve. The assistant cook should understand and know foods or ingredients that can cause food poisoning or the best possible ways to stop food poisoning and allergies in the case of any sudden breakout. The assistant cook should follow proper hand washing procedures, keep food at the proper temperatures, and properly store food.
- Communication skill: The assistant cook comes in contact with people regularly so there must be an understanding of what such ones communicate. In relation to the cook and other kitchen staff that aid in food preparation and kitchen management the assistant cook must be able to verbally, through writing, and even eye contact to communicate properly because this will ensure the other members of staff, the head chef, and other supervisors work together also with a mutual understanding. In the case of communicating with customers or clients to explain recipes, and menus or answering questions, even those of other kitchen staff during orientation or presentations in board and departmental meetings, effective communication is essential.
- Organizational skill: The assistant skill needs to be orderly and effective in completing tasks in an orderly manner. The assistant cook should be able to maintain a clean and organized workstation. Keeping your work area free of clutter and having all the tools you need to complete your duties properly cleaned and in good use at all times.
- Teamwork skill: The assistant cook must be able to thrive even in a team and still be able to give room for the team members to grow and optimize their skills and broaden their knowledge.
- Creativity: With the evolution of the food industry, the assistant cook ought to constantly think up new ideas or better ways of doing things, to satisfy the clients. Constantly the assistant cook needs to develop and prepare interesting and innovative recipes that can keep the patrons, client’s or customers enthralled especially the foodies.
How to Become an Assistant Cook
- Obtaining a high school diploma or a Ged certificate.
- Having an associate degree or bachelor’s degree in culinary art.
- Taking culinary arts courses such as food preparation, baking, nutrition, sanitation, and food safety, and being certified.
- Having a work experience of at least 3 years from on-the-job training ensures you learn the employer or restaurant’s menu, food preparation techniques, and safety procedures.
- Adopting new recipes and cooking methods that effective food delivery and satisfaction.
- Must be able to multi-task and meet up with orders and deadlines.
- Having a working experience that ensures effective delivery even in the case of working under duress or pressure.
Where to Work as an Assistant Cook.
- Commercial Kitchen
- Restaurants
- Federal and private schools, universities, or colleges.
- Hospitals and health care facilities.
- Government houses.
- Catering agencies.
- Hotel and suites.
- Private establishments or houses.
- Food delivery service agencies.
- Airports and flight services.
Assistant Cook Salary Scale
Depending on several factors, including their level of experience, the size of the restaurant or hotel they work in, compensation, the benefits perks that come due to work hours put in, and the location of the job the salary of an Assistant Cook varies. In the United States, the average annual Assistant Cook/chef salary is $49,700 but it ranges typically between $42,100 and $59,500.
The average assistant cook salary in the United Kingdom is £21,450 per year with all Entry level positions starting at £20,475 per year while the experienced workers make up to £29,254 per year. In Canada, the average annual salary of the assistant cook is $42,879 with a range between $30k to $62k annually. Australia’s average assistant cook salary is $51,762 with an hourly rate of $26.43.
The average Assistant cook’s salary in Germany is €19,500 per year, with the entry-level Assistant cook starting at €5,400 per year and the experienced senior Assistant cook getting up to €25,296 per year. In Ireland, the average assistant cook’s salary is € 22 523 per year with entry-level positions starting at € 21 450 per year, while most experienced workers make up to € 27 300 per year.