Assistant Culinary Leader

Job Summary

As an assistant Culinary Leader at the Range Café, you are a crucial part of our guests’ experience. Our high standards of “Guest Amazement” are maintained through the effective teamwork of our team members who share and embody our values and the desire to do the very best for our guests. During the hands-on training you will receive, you will learn about cross team relationships and will experience other positions to expand and diversify your skill set and prepare you to lead a productive and professional culinary team. Food quality, presentation and family-friendly service are an essential part of this position. These steps of service will act as a guide and reference point for your valued position as Assistant Culinary Leader at the Range Café.

Responsibilities

Focus

Promote, work, and act in a manner consistent with the Mission of the Range Cafe: 

The Range Cafe’s mission is to enrich the lives of our guests, our employees, and our owners. We do this through superior quality food and beverages, legendary hospitality, sales growth, cost controls, and treating our employees like family. We believe that our employees are our most important resource, and our success depends upon creating and retaining a staff capable of delivering an exceptional dining experience to every guest, every time. 

• Promote, work, and act in a manner consistent with the Core Values of the Range Cafe: 
• HOSPITALITY FROM SCRATCH A hospitable environment should always feel natural, never forced. Kindness and compassion are the building blocks of our workforce. 
• GUEST AMAZEMENT From the moment a guest walks through our doors to the moment they leave they should be wowed. 
• ORDINARY FOOD DONE EXTRAORDINARILY WELL We pride ourselves on the ability to take simple, quality ingredients and create a fantastic dining experience.
• INSPIRED EMPLOYEES Our employees are excited to be a part of our team because we work hard on creating a hospitable environment. Happy employees make happy guests. 
• COMMUNITY GENEROSITY Our community allows us to thrive. By giving back, our strength in our community grows.

Duties and Responsibilities

• The safety of our guests and employees is the Assistant Culinary Leader’s #1 responsibility. 
• Directly responsible for all kitchen functions including food purchasing, preparation, and maintenance of quality standards; sanitation and cleanliness; training of employees in methods of cooking, preparation, plate presentation, portion, and cost control. Upholds set standards and company culture. Implements and enforces sanitation and cleanliness practices.
• Ensure that all food and products are consistently prepared and served according to set specifications, recipes, portioning, cooking, and serving standards.
• Make employment and termination decisions including interviewing, hiring, evaluating, and disciplining culinary personnel as appropriate using company standards, policies, guidelines, and procedures. Provide orientation of company and company culture and rules, policies and procedures and oversee and conduct ongoing training of culinary employees.
• Oversee and ensure that company policies are followed, ensuring fair and consistent discipline to all team members, and ensuring accountability. Provide fair and accurate employee evaluations twice annually to all culinary team members.
• Fill in where needed to ensure guest service standards and efficient operations. This includes working on the line if need be.
• Monitor all food production and set and update quantities as business needs fluctuate.
• During peak service times the expectation is to be on the expediting line ensuring consistency, proper specs are followed, and food quality is up to standard. If needed, this can be done from behind the line.
• Prepare all required paperwork, including forms, reports, and schedules in an organized and timely manner.
• Ensure that all equipment is kept clean and kept in excellent working condition through personal inspection and by following company preventative maintenance programs.
• Ensure that all products are ordered according to predetermined product specifications and received in correct unit count and condition and deliveries are performed in accordance with company receiving policies and procedures.
• Control food cost and usage by following proper purchasing, product storage procedures, standardized recipes, and waste control procedures.
• Schedule labor as required by anticipated business activity while ensuring that all positions are staffed when and as needed and labor cost objectives are met. All vacations must be approved using a plan for coverage to not accrue any overtime. Any overtime must be communicated to the Executive Culinary Leader and be justified as to why it will occur.
• Be knowledgeable of company policies regarding personnel and administer prompt, fair and consistent corrective action for all violations of company policies, rules, and procedures.
• Responsible for the training of kitchen personnel in safe operation of all kitchen equipment, utensils, cleanliness, and sanitation.
• Responsible for maintaining appropriate cleaning schedules for kitchen floors, mats, walls, hoods, other equipment, and food storage areas. Be always prepared for company and local authorities’ sanitation inspections.
• Check and maintain proper food holding and refrigeration temperature control points and maintain record keeping of documents.
• Perform shift line checks. Ensuring consistency, proper stock, seasoning, portioning, and sanitation.
• Taste products regularly for proper flavor profile and encourage tasting with staff.
• We are a team and work as a team. Provide your team assistance, guidance, support, and coverage throughout restaurants.
• Monthly inventories are to be completed with accuracy and no later than 11PM on the last day of every month.
• Recipes are kept current and recipe policy is enforced.
• All training and menu or special items are stepped down to culinary staff promptly and any documents regarding training are completed and turned in by deadlines set.
• Maintain open lines of communication between the management team.
• Respond to all communications promptly and attend all scheduled meetings unless an excuse has been granted.

• Uphold and adhere to all policies and procedures in the current Range Cafe Employee Handbook for salary leaders and hourly staff. 
• Uphold and adhere to all policies and procedures in the current Range Cafe Leader Manual for both Hospitality and Culinary Leaders. 
• Follow all guidelines in the Leader Training Manual and the Employee Handbook.
• Be on time for all scheduled shifts and meetings.
• Follow the Leader Attire policy for scheduled shifts, meetings, and location visits. 
• Set an example for hourly staff by following all Range Café policies and procedures.
• Work a maximum 40 hour work week.

Requirements 

Basic Knowledge

• Toast POS
• Excel & Word
• Basic computer operations
• US Foods inventory and ordering system
• Sling
• Company Google Calendar 
• Current time keeping and schedule process

Required Skills/Abilities:

• High School Diploma or GED required. Formal culinary education preferred, not required.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in varied kitchen positions including food preparation, line cook, fry cook and expediter. At least 6 months experience in a similar capacity.
• Have working knowledge of the predominant language(s) of our guests. Must be able to communicate clearly with management, team members and guests.
• Basic computer skills, inventory management, food purchasing and developmental skills.
• Be able to reach, bend, stoop and frequently lift up to 50 pounds. Be able to work in a standing position for long periods of time (up to 9 hours).
• Must possess, understand, and utilize a sense of urgency. 
• Must be able to multitask and able to withstand and environment high temperatures and pressure.
• Excellent supervisory and leadership skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a focus on internal and external hospitality. 
• Excellent time management skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent knowledge of food handling, food safety, and all restaurant guidelines.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office.
• Development of new leaders. 

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of standing and walking. 
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds at times.
• Must be able to assist and fill in all positions in the restaurant.

Working at Range Café is more than just a job.
It's a lifestyle!
We pride ourselves on our ability to provide exceptional hospitality. We go out of our way to ensure that every guest's experience is a positive representation of our culture. We want to provide our guests positive memorable dining experience. We believe in hiring for personality because happy employees equal happy guests. If you're the type of person who loves to make others feel special and thrive in a team environment, we want you to join our team.
At The Range Café you'll receive:
Flexible scheduling
Competitive pay
Full and part-time employment
Great food and great people
Employee discounts while working
and when dining as a guest
For those who qualify:
Pet Insurance
FSA
Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
401K
The Range Café embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.
At the Range Café, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.
The Range Café is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.