Position Overview
Buffet cooks generally work at restaurants or hotels that offer fine dining services to their patrons.
A buffet cook duties are not much different from any other cook – the difference is perhaps the quantity of food that a buffet cook prepares.
Buffet cooks prepare large amounts of food every day to cater to a big clientele.
It is the job of a buffet cook to anticipate the number of guests that a hotel or restaurant will entertain on any given day and prepare food items accordingly.
Since buffet cooks work in fine dining environments, they need to be familiar with different types of cuisines, specifically ones that the restaurant or hotel is famous for.
They may be required to develop menus – a change in the menu now and then is required as a means to attract more people to the restaurant.
They may also be expected to develop recipes and make changes to existing recipes to ensure that a restaurant is associated with a particular type of taste.
Needless to say, buffet cooks need to maintain the highest standards of personal hygiene.
Also, they need to make sure that the kitchen is kept clean and those food items are used and stored in a proper manner.
See also: Buffet Cook Resume
Additionally, they must maintain knowledge of using sophisticated kitchen equipment and cooking and baking tools.
Buffet Cook Duties and Responsibilities
- Confer with restaurant managers to understand what type of food to make.
- Provide suggestions for various meals and popular cuisines.
- Assist in the preparation of menus – add or take items off the menu.
- Determine an entire week or month’s menu in advance, taking special measures not to let it stay conventional each day.
- Make spur-of-the-moment changes in the menu of the day to inspire patron curiosity.
- Develop recipes and follow existing recipes to handle food preparation activities.
- Direct kitchen staff to prepare meats, vegetables, and fruits for cooking purposes.
- Cook different types of foods in large quantities to ensure that the flow of the buffet table is not affected.
- Make sure that extra food is always prepared to cater to last-minute guests or unexpectedly busy hours.
- Direct kitchen staff to clean and sanitize counters and floors and to rotate food items in the refrigeration.
- Check each food item to ensure that it conforms to the recipe and the norms of food preparation within the restaurant.
- Determine the amount of meat, fruits, vegetables, and spices needed on a daily basis and ensure that they are procured and stored in a timely manner.