Prep Cook job description template
Prep cooks get the kitchen ready before service: washing, cutting, portioning and making sauces and stocks so the line can cook quickly. It's a great entry point for people who want to learn a kitchen. Your post should say whether you'll train, which shifts you need covered and what kind of prep list they'll work from.
Prep Cook
Full-timeYour Company needs a prep cook to help our kitchen start every day ready to go. You'll work from a daily prep list, cutting vegetables, portioning proteins and making sauces and dressings to our recipes. It's steady, hands-on work with a predictable schedule and a good way to build kitchen skills. Some kitchen experience helps, but if you're careful, organized and willing to learn, we'll teach you.
What you’ll do
- Work through the daily prep list in order of priority and mark items as completed
- Wash, peel and cut produce to the sizes and shapes our recipes call for
- Portion, weigh and package proteins and sides for the line
- Make sauces, dressings, soups and stocks from standard recipes
- Label and date everything you prep, and store it at safe temperatures
- Check in deliveries against the invoice and put product away correctly
- Keep cutting boards, prep tables and the walk-in cooler clean and organized
What we’re looking for
- Comfortable using a chef's knife safely and consistently
- Able to follow written recipes and measure ingredients accurately
- Organized enough to manage a prep list without constant check-ins
- Able to lift produce and protein cases up to 50 lbs and work in a walk-in cooler
- Willing to get a food handler card in your first weeks, if our area requires it
Nice to have
- Previous prep or line cook experience
- Experience with batch cooking or large-volume recipes
- Interest in moving up to a line cook position
Schedule
Mostly morning and daytime shifts, with some weekends before busy days or holidays.
What we offer
- Daytime hours, so your evenings stay free
- Staff meal and food discount
- On-the-job training from our cooks
- Chance to train on the line and move up
Add your pay, location and schedule when you post. Jobs that show pay get noticeably more applicants.
Prep Cook our company needs a prep cook to help our kitchen start every day ready to go. You'll work from a daily prep list, cutting vegetables, portioning proteins and making sauces and dressings to our recipes. It's steady, hands-on work with a predictable schedule and a good way to build kitchen skills. Some kitchen experience helps, but if you're careful, organized and willing to learn, we'll teach you. What you’ll do • Work through the daily prep list in order of priority and mark items as completed • Wash, peel and cut produce to the sizes and shapes our recipes call for • Portion, weigh and package proteins and sides for the line • Make sauces, dressings, soups and stocks from standard recipes • Label and date everything you prep, and store it at safe temperatures • Check in deliveries against the invoice and put product away correctly • Keep cutting boards, prep tables and the walk-in cooler clean and organized What we’re looking for • Comfortable using a chef's knife safely and consistently • Able to follow written recipes and measure ingredients accurately • Organized enough to manage a prep list without constant check-ins • Able to lift produce and protein cases up to 50 lbs and work in a walk-in cooler • Willing to get a food handler card in your first weeks, if our area requires it Nice to have • Previous prep or line cook experience • Experience with batch cooking or large-volume recipes • Interest in moving up to a line cook position Schedule Mostly morning and daytime shifts, with some weekends before busy days or holidays. What we offer • Daytime hours, so your evenings stay free • Staff meal and food discount • On-the-job training from our cooks • Chance to train on the line and move up
Screening questions for a prep cook
Ask these on the application form to sort applicants quickly. They’re added automatically when you post this template.
- Are you available for early morning shifts during the week?Yes / No · required
- What kitchen or food prep experience do you have, if any?Short answer · required
- How would you organize a long prep list when you're short on time?Paragraph
Prep Cook interview questions
- What prep tasks have you done before, and which do you enjoy most?
- How would you prioritize a prep list if you only had time for half of it before service?
- How do you keep your cuts and portions consistent from batch to batch?
- What do you do if you find product in the walk-in that looks or smells off?
- How do you label and store prepped food to keep it safe?
- Tell me about a time you had to follow detailed instructions exactly.
- Would you be interested in learning to work the line down the road?
Tips for hiring a prep cook
- Ask candidates to dice an onion and slice a few vegetables during the interview. Knife skills and safe habits show up in two minutes.
- Hire for reliability. Your line can't open on time if prep doesn't show up, so ask past employers about attendance.
- Lead with the daytime schedule in your post. It appeals to people who want their evenings free or who work a second job.
- Look at your own dish team first. Many dishwashers already know your kitchen and are eager to learn to cook.