Cook

Situated in Downtown’s Second Street District, Austin Proper Hotel & Residences is the newest luxury lifestyle hotel in Austin, just steps from Lady Bird Lake, the legendary Austin City Limits music venue and nearby boutiques. With inspiring interiors by Kelly Wearstler and culinary offerings in collaboration with MML Hospitality, Austin Proper offers 238 rooms and suites, a dedicated spa and fitness center, and 9,500 square feet of meeting and event spaces, including a rooftop pool deck offering small‑batch tequilas and majestic lake views. Anything less just wouldn’t be Proper.

Job Overview

Working under the guidance of experienced chefs and kitchen staff, your primary goal is to assist in the preparation of food items, maintain a clean and organized workspace, and ensure that dishes are prepared according to the established recipes and quality standards while learning and implementing the fundamentals of culinary arts and kitchen operations.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Following appropriate personal hygiene procedures to ensure food served to guests is safe for consumption, including disinfecting hands prior to handling food and wearing a hat/hairnet and proper footwear.
• Preparing and cooking food according to recipes, quality standards, presentation standards, and food preparation checklist, establishing priority items.
• Preparing ingredients for cooking, including portioning, chopping, and storing food before use.
• Washing and peeling fresh fruits and vegetables to prepare them for cooking or consumption.
• Testing foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using appropriate methods and notifying management if a product does not meet specifications.
• Weighing, measuring, and mixing ingredients according to recipes using various kitchen utensils and equipment.
• Monitoring food quantity and quality during preparation to control food waste and ensure that good food is not thrown away.
• Preparing cold foods, including salads, cold sandwiches, condiments, and dressings.
• Washing and disinfecting kitchen area including tables, tools, knives, and equipment to ensure sanitary conditions including using sanitizers required by the health department.
• Following and ensuring compliance with food safety and handling policies and procedures, such as product rotation, dating, labeling, cleaning, and organizing coolers/freezers/storage areas across all food‑related departments and areas.
• Setting up and breaking down workstation with required mise en place, tools, equipment, and supplies, ensuring items are to established specs, ensuring adequate fill of containers, storing items appropriately, and cleaning station as appropriate.
• Following and ensuring compliance with sanitation and cleaning procedures and pest control guidelines.
• Disassembling and assembling kitchen equipment following safety procedures when cleaning.

Required Skills & Abilities

• Ability to use kitchen tools safely and appropriately, keeping knives sharpened; using proper knife handling procedures; using correct knives for food item or specific task, and engaging all appropriate safety devices prior to operating equipment.
• Use measuring tools (for example, scale, measuring cups, measuring spoons) to precisely measure ingredients and portion sizes.
• Prepare all potentially hazardous foods at the correct temperature according to health code guidelines.
• Operate ovens, stoves, grills, microwaves, and fryers to prepare foods and report maintenance issues immediately to appropriate personnel.
• Communicate any assistance needed during busy periods to the Chef to ensure optimum service to guests.
• Ability to check and ensure the correctness of the temperature of appliances and food using thermostats and thermometers, including monitoring freezer systems, such as fans, drains, and doors, for proper operation, and report issues or problems to facility management.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of company Food Safety Programs within assigned area of responsibility, as well as all local, state, and federal regulations.
• Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by Supervisors.
• Support all co‑workers and treat them with dignity and respect.
• Develop and maintain positive and productive working relationships with other employees and departments.
• Partner with and assist others to promote an environment of teamwork and achieve common goals.
• Move, lift, carry, push, pull, and place objects weighing less than or equal to 25 pounds without assistance.
• Stand, sit, or walk for an extended period or for an entire work shift. Reach overhead and below the knees, including bending, twisting, pulling, and stooping.
• Flexibility to work non‑traditional hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Education and Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED equivalency
• At least 1 year of related work experience
• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must be authorized to work in the United States

Company Overview

Proper Hospitality is made up of a diverse group of passionate individuals who share a common love for hotels and the art of hospitality. Our philosophy is simple: There is a right way to do things, and anything less just isn’t proper. We are seeking out the ‘best of the best’ from inside and outside the industry to work alongside us as we grow a new kind of lifestyle Hospitality Company inspired by a centuries‑old tradition. The work is challenging, fast‑paced, and rewarding above all.

Proper Hospitality provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other federal/state protected category.

Proper Hospitality will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local Fair Chance Hiring Ordinances.

Compensation: To be discussed