Many people like to eat different kinds of food with different kinds of tastes. Most of the restaurants have number of staffs to serve their clients. One of the best assets in growing a restaurant business is having a Line Cook that will prepare the food items that are both presentable as well as palatable. A Line Cook must also aware of the proportion of ingredients to be used and the exact method of preparing the food items. A Line Cook is very important in every restaurant because they prepare a high-quality food in a timely, efficient, sanitary and a very consistent manner.
What is a Line Cook?
A Line Cook is a person who is in charge of preparing the food items in the pantry, fry and/or stations or other areas in the kitchen. He/she is also responsible for cleaning and maintaining the station in practicing good safety, sanitation, and organizational skills. A Line Cook is working as a team member in a dynamic workplace, and to follow all the safety procedures, and must have a high threshold for heat in a kitchen environment.
Duties of a Line Cook
- Prepares all the food items as directed in a sanitary and timely manner.
- He/she also follows recipes, controls, portion, and presentation specifications as set by the restaurant.
- A Line Cook also assumes 100% responsibility for quality of the products that is served.
- He/she is also responsible for performing other related duties as assigned by the manager.
- Following proper plate presentation and garnish set up for all dishes is also done by a Line Cook.
- He/she is also tasked to track and report any food waste.
- A Line Cook must also handle, store and rotate all the products properly.
- All Line Cooks are assigned to prepare dishes for costumers with food allergies or intolerances.
Work Conditions of a Line Cook
A Line Cook is usually working in the kitchen of any restaurants. He/she can transport up to 50 pounds on occasion and up to 35 pounds regularly. He/she may be exposed to infectious waste, conditions, disease, etc. and also exposure to the AIDS and hepatitis B viruses.
Educational Requirements of a Line Cook
To become a Line Cook, one must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent, a professional diploma or food services management. The applicant must also have a minimum of 1 year of cooking experience and must demonstrated knowledge of food and catering trends, quality, production, sanitation, presentation and food cost control. He/she must also be free of diseases that may be transmitted while performing the job responsibility. The applicant must also have effective communication skills.
Occupation and Progress of a Line Cook
The hospitality industry is known as a tough area to work and you need to be very skilled and competent to become victorious here. The salaries for Line Cooks depend on the several factors that are ranging from their number of years of practical experience to their location of work. This is because of the fierce competition and the policies of the employers to hire extremely talented and deserving candidates. To be able to get a job, you should have to go through three stages – group discussion, written examination and the final personal interview.
Always remember that every patience and passion you give to your job, will lead you to success. Just always trust yourself and start opening the road towards success.