LINE COOK - PIZZA FOCUS

Description

LINE COOK – PIZZA FOCUS

Parma Tavern | Buford, Georgia

$16–$18 per hour, based on experience

Pizza • Line Cook • Scratch Kitchen • Cross-Training • Flexible Schedule

Parma Tavern is seeking an experienced, dependable, and career-minded Line Cook with strong pizza experience to join our kitchen team. For years, Parma Tavern has been a neighborhood favorite, serving an eclectic mix of Italian-inspired pub fare featuring stone oven pizzas cooked in our 600-degree brick oven, fresh pasta with made-from-scratch sauces, house-ground burgers, shareable appetizers, and an extensive selection of craft beer, wine, and handcrafted cocktails.

What truly sets Parma apart isn't just the food—it's our people. Many of our team members have been with us for years because we've built a culture based on teamwork, respect, consistency, and pride in what we do. We work hard, support one another, and believe every plate that leaves our kitchen represents our commitment to quality.

For this position, pizza experience is a major focus. We're looking for someone comfortable working with fresh dough, hand-stretching and building pizzas, managing oven execution, and maintaining quality and consistency during high-volume service. However, this is not a pizza-only position. We're looking for a well-rounded kitchen team member who is willing and able to support other stations as business demands. The right candidate will be cross-trained on our other line positions, including sauté and grill/fry, and should be comfortable jumping in wherever the kitchen needs support.

If you take pride in making great pizza, enjoy working in a fast-paced scratch kitchen, and want the opportunity to expand your skills across multiple stations, we'd love to meet you.

What We're Looking For

• Previous pizza cook or pizza line experience strongly preferred
• Experience hand-stretching dough and building pizzas in a high-volume restaurant environment
• Experience managing pizza oven timing and multiple pizzas simultaneously
• Previous line cook experience in a full-service restaurant preferred
• Experience in a scratch kitchen environment is a plus
• Willingness and ability to cross-train on sauté, grill/fry, and other kitchen stations
• Strong understanding of recipe execution, portion control, and presentation standards
• Ability to consistently produce high-quality food during busy services
• Commitment to following company recipes, build sheets, and plating standards
• Strong sense of urgency without sacrificing quality
• Ability to multitask and remain organized under pressure
• Dependable attendance and punctuality
• Positive attitude and team-oriented mindset
• Flexible availability, including nights, weekends, and holidays
• Willingness to work where needed to support the kitchen team

Pizza Station Responsibilities

Our pizza station requires speed, consistency, attention to detail, and strong oven awareness.

Responsibilities include:

• Work with fresh pizza dough and properly prepare dough for service
• Hand-stretch dough to the proper size, shape, and thickness
• Build pizzas according to company recipes and specifications
• Properly portion sauces, cheeses, proteins, vegetables, and other toppings
• Maintain consistency in every pizza regardless of business volume
• Manage oven placement, rotation, timing, and removal
• Monitor pizzas throughout the cooking process for proper bake and finish
• Finish and garnish pizzas according to recipe specifications
• Maintain organized ticket flow during high-volume service
• Coordinate pizza timing with other kitchen stations so the entire table's food is ready together
• Prepare and maintain pizza station ingredients, sauces, cheeses, toppings, proteins, and garnishes
• Keep the pizza station stocked, clean, organized, and service-ready throughout the shift
• Minimize waste through proper portioning and product handling

Line Cook & Cross-Training Responsibilities

While pizza experience is the primary focus of this position, every member of our kitchen team is expected to support the overall operation. The successful candidate will be trained and expected to become comfortable working additional stations based on experience, training, and business needs.

This may include:

• Sauté – executing pastas, sauces, proteins, and other sautéed menu items while managing multiple pans and ticket times
• Grill/Fry – preparing burgers, proteins, fried appetizers, and other menu items to proper temperatures and specifications
• Pantry – assisting with salads, cold preparations, appetizers, and other station responsibilities when needed
• Prep – helping prepare sauces, cheeses, proteins, vegetables, toppings, garnishes, and other ingredients needed for service

You don't need to walk in knowing every Parma station. We will train the right experienced kitchen professional on our recipes, systems, sauté station, grill/fry station, and other areas of the line. What matters is that you're willing to learn, able to take direction, and understand that being part of a strong kitchen means helping wherever you're needed.

Position Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook menu items according to company recipes and presentation standards
• Execute pizza station responsibilities with consistency, speed, and attention to detail
• Cross-train and work sauté, grill/fry, pantry, and other stations as assigned
• Maintain proper station setup, stocking, and organization throughout each shift
• Complete daily line checks, temperature logs, and food quality checks
• Follow all recipe builds, portion standards, and plating specifications
• Maintain ticket times while preserving food quality during high-volume service
• Communicate effectively with fellow cooks, expeditors, and management
• Coordinate timing with other stations to ensure complete tables are executed properly
• Keep workstations clean, organized, and sanitized throughout the shift
• Properly label, date, rotate, and store all food products
• Assist with prep, inventory, receiving, and cleaning responsibilities as assigned
• Complete opening, running, and closing duties
• Take ownership of every plate or pizza leaving your station
• Support teammates and move between stations as business demands
• Help create a culture of teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement

Food Safety & Quality Standards

Great food starts with disciplined execution.

Our Line Cooks are expected to:

• Follow all company recipes and build sheets
• Maintain consistent product quality regardless of business volume
• Follow all Health Department regulations and food safety requirements
• Adhere to SERV Safe principles and proper sanitation procedures
• Maintain proper food temperatures, labeling, storage, and rotation
• Prevent cross-contamination through proper food-handling procedures
• Maintain clean, organized, and service-ready workstations
• Follow proper portioning standards and help minimize unnecessary food waste
• Take pride in every pizza and every plate served to our guests

Schedule & Availability

Parma Tavern serves guests throughout lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, and late-night service.

Applicants must have flexible availability, including:

• Dinner and late-night shifts
• Weekend availability is required
• Holidays and special events
• Closing responsibilities
• Additional shifts during peak business periods

The strongest candidates understand the demands of a high-volume restaurant and are willing to work where they're needed most.

Qualifications

• Pizza-making experience strongly preferred
• Experience hand-stretching dough and building pizzas preferred
• Experience working with high-temperature pizza ovens preferred
• Recent line cook experience in a full-service restaurant preferred
• High-volume restaurant experience strongly preferred
• Experience with sauté, grill, fry, pantry, or multiple stations is a plus—but we're willing to cross-train
• Strong understanding of kitchen operations and ticket flow
• Ability to remain calm and organized under pressure
• Ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 pounds
• Working knowledge of SERV Safe and Health Department standards preferred

What We Offer

• $16–$18 per hour based on experience
• Flexible scheduling
• Employee dining benefits
• A clean, organized, and professional kitchen environment
• Supportive leadership and strong team culture
• Cross-training on multiple kitchen stations
• Opportunity to develop sauté, grill/fry, and other line skills
• Ongoing training and development
• Opportunities to advance within our growing restaurant group
• A workplace built on respect, teamwork, consistency, and pride in execution

Why Join Parma Tavern?

We're looking for more than someone who can make a pizza or cook a ticket. We're looking for kitchen professionals who understand that consistency, preparation, cleanliness, communication, teamwork, and pride in execution are what create exceptional guest experiences.

If pizza is your strength, we want you to bring that experience to our team—but we also want to help you become a stronger and more versatile Line Cook. The ideal candidate can confidently take ownership of the pizza station while also being willing to learn sauté, grill/fry, and other positions so the entire kitchen can work together as one team. If you're dependable, hardworking, experienced with pizza, and interested in expanding your skills in a busy full-service restaurant, we'd love to meet you.

Apply today and become part of the Parma Tavern kitchen team!