Position Overview
Front line cooks are individuals who begin the cooking process in a restaurant kitchen. The front line is where all the broiling, sautéing and grilling is done and it is these things primarily that front line cooks need to be good at.
In many foodservice organizations, front-line cooks are required to do much more than handle just one stage of the cooking process. Depending on the size and type of food service facility that you are working for, you may be asked to prepare salads and soups and garnish dishes as well.
Since customer satisfaction is the priority of every individual working in the foodservice industry, it is also important for front-line cooks to be organized and be able to time themselves well, so that each order can be delivered on time.
Position Requirements
To be eligible for a front-line cook position, you do not need more than a high school diploma and cooking prowess.
However, in many large food service establishments, you may not be considered qualified if you do not hold a degree in culinary arts.
Love for cooking and mastering this art is probably the only two things you need to be eligible for this position.
See also: Line Cook Resume Sample
Front Line Cook Job Duties, Tasks, Roles and Responsibilities
• Communicate with the wait staff to determine special orders such as low spices/oil.
• Look through order slips to determine items that can be prepared at the front line.
• Toss salads and make soups according to the restaurant’s specific recipes.
• Grill meats and cheeses by ensuring that they meet the food quality standards of the restaurant.
• Operate kitchen equipment such as grills, ovens, and hot plates to grill, cook, and heat dishes.
• Wash, cut, and prepare vegetables, fruits, and meats to make them ready for cooking or mixing.
• Assist in cooking and packaging batches of food to be kept until warmed to be sold.
• Handle food storage issues by ensuring that all food items are properly and safely stored in pantries or cold storage areas.
• Rotate food items in storage to ensure that they remain fresh and are used before their expiry dates.
• Serve orders to waiters after ensuring that proper garnishing and portioning have been done.
• Oversee the general cleanliness and maintenance of kitchen areas by following strict sanitation standards.