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Posted: 01-May-26
Location: Claremont, California,
Type: Full-time
Categories:
Internal Number: REQ-8071
ABOUT POMONA COLLEGE: Located near Los Angeles, California, Pomona College is widely regarded as one of the nation's premier liberal arts colleges. Established in 1887, Pomona College is known for small classes, a challenging curriculum, close relationships between students and faculty, and a range of student research and leadership opportunities. Pomona is a member of The Claremont Colleges.
JOB PURPOSE: The Cook 1 prepares customer meal requests using the Cook to Orderâ cooking system primarily at the grill services, exhibition, and pizza areas of assigned Dining Halls at Pomona College. This position serves as a prep and helper cook in the kitchen and service areas. The Cook 1 operates a variety of kitchen equipment and tools to cook, measure, mix, wash, peel, cut, shred meats, fruits, vegetables and other ingredients. This position trims and cuts meats, poultry, and fish by incorporating HACCP and PPE procedures in kitchen production areas. The Cook 1 maintains and records temperatures and food production labeling and dating to ensure Health Department compliance. This position maintains the kitchen work area at all times to ensure cleanliness. The Cook 1 also assists with maintaining food service lines and catering production as needed. Shifts will be determined based on the needs of the department.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Reporting directly to the Executive Chef and secondarily to the Chef Manager, the Cook 1 performs the following essential duties and responsibilities:
Prepare customer meal requests using the Cook to Orderâ cooking system primarily at the grill services, exhibition, and pizza areas of assigned Dining Halls.
Serve as a prep and helper cook in the kitchen and service areas as needed.
Read and follow numerous recipes.
Prepare, season, marinate, cook, taste, carve, and serve soups, meats, vegetables, and desserts.
Cook, measure, mix, wash, peel, cut, or shred meats, fruits, vegetables and other ingredients.
Trim and cut meats, poultry, and fish.
Assist with catering production as assigned.
Must be California Food Handler certified, and successfully recertify every 3 years.
Ensure that the kitchen of assigned Dining Halls meets all safety and sanitary guidelines to comply with safe food handling practices and to provide the highest level of food quality and customer service for the Pomona College community.
Clean and maintain and sanitize work and service areas before and after meal periods.
Incorporate HACCP and PPE procedures in all kitchen production areas to ensure a safe kitchen.
Take and record temperatures to ensure compliance with Health Department guidelines.
Keep production records for all food produced.
Properly use Just in Timeâ and Batchâ cooking to ensure freshness.
Minimize leftover and/or excess food production and use leftovers to decrease waste.
Label, date, and store items in appropriate areas.
Set up and maintain food service lines and steam tables as assigned.
Provide excellent customer service to students, faculty, staff, and external customers.
Resolve problems and follow up with customers directly to ensure full customer satisfaction, without unnecessarily referring customers to other staff members.
Participate in training sessions provided by the College.
Perform special projects/tasks/duties and provide assistance as assigned.
NOTE: This position is represented by a labor union. Employees must join union upon hire.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education: Any combination of education, training and/or experience equivalent to High School Diploma or GED that provides the required knowledge, skills and ability.
Licenses/Certificates: Must take and successfully pass the California Food Handler Certification within 30 days of hire and successfully recertify every 3 years. A valid driver's license is essential to drive College-owned vehicles. Must take and successfully pass a functional capacity test after job offer and prior to hire.
Experience: Food production assignments and staff supervision in a kitchen at an academic institution is preferred.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND CRITICAL SKILLS: This position must possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to be able to successfully perform the essential functions of the job or must be able to demonstrate how the essential functions will be performed (with or without reasonable accommodation) using other knowledge, skills and abilities not listed below.
Deploy professional skills in culinary food production and food services safety, in collaboration with colleagues, to best promote the College's strategic interests.
Must create, read and follow numerous recipes.
Must assist in training staff in food prep and production.
Can maintain a friendly, professional and helpful demeanor around staff and customers and act as a staff role model for how to deliver superior customer service and food services to the Pomona College community and the general public.
Can operate and oversee the use of a variety of kitchen equipment, appliances and machines in order to cook, measure, mix, wash, peel, cut, shred, and store a variety of food items such as meats, fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients.
Can use various cleaning supplies to ensure good sanitation.
Demonstrate effective, accurate and clear communication with strong verbal, written, interpersonal, reading, phone, and customer service skills. Follow all written and verbal instructions, asking questions as needed for clarification of projects/tasks/duties/assignments.
Handle all activities with patience, discretion, good judgment, and tact while working with people from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Prioritize and perform multiple projects/tasks, meet deadlines/timelines, respond to others in a timely manner, and work both independently and as a collaborative member of the College with a high standard of integrity and ethics, in support of the College's strategic vision and the division's/department's annual goals.
Use strong organizational, time management, problem solving, and basic math skills to complete work with accuracy and a keen attention to detail in a highly visible, deadline-driven environment.
Must safely lift and move supplies and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds and walk and stand for long periods of time.
Must report to work on time and in uniform at the start of each shift.
REQUIRED HOURS: The regular hours for this full time position are 40 hours per week, 5 days per week, on a variable schedule. Overtime, holiday, weekend and evening work hours will be required. Regular hours may vary due to needs of the College or division. Must be willing to work a flexible schedule.
HOULRY RATE: The hourly rate for this role is $27.69 with a competitive benefits package. The specific factors that the College will consider when offering a salary to an individual will include, but not be limited to: education, training, relevant prior experience, and performance in prior roles.
ADA/OSHA: This job description defines the essential job duties of this position. The College expects that employees hired for this position can perform the essential functions of this job without imposing risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of themselves or others. It may also include marginal functions, generally defined within Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
DISCLAIMER: This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this position. When duties and responsibilities change and develop, the College will review this job description and make changes of business necessity.
