Production Cook

Who We Are:

National Louis is a 135+ year old university that has been grounded in the values of innovation, access, excellence, and equity from its inception. As an institution, we believe in providing access to educational opportunity and that education is our greatest lever for social and economic mobility. We are a student-focused community that is committed to continuous improvement and superior student service. We believe that through education we are able to empower change and build healthy communities. Our hard-working community is based on collaboration and respect for all team members and students.

What You Will Do:

The Production Cook is responsible for preparing, cooking, and presenting food in accordance with established recipes, menus, and quality standards. This role supports daily food production for dining services, catering, and special events, ensuring that meals are produced efficiently, safely, and consistently. The Production Cook works as part of the culinary team to provide an excellent dining experience for students, faculty, staff, and guests.

Essential Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook food items according to standardized recipes, production sheets, and menu specifications.
• Ensure consistent portioning, flavor, and presentation of all menu items.
• Assist in large-batch cooking for catering, banquets, and residential dining.
• Maintain compliance with university, state, and federal food safety standards. Properly store, label, and rotate ingredients following HACCP guidelines.
• Keep workstations, equipment, and utensils clean and sanitized at all times.
• Set up, operate, and break down cooking stations and equipment safely.
• Assist in inventory control by monitoring ingredient levels and communicating needs to supervisors.
• Follow daily production schedules to meet service deadlines.
• Support catering and event execution with food preparation and plating.
• Work collaboratively with chefs, cooks, and service staff to ensure smooth operations.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors regarding food quality, shortages, or production issues.
• Assist with training and mentoring of student employees or new team members.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Associate’s Degree, or equivalent mix of experience and education (high school diploma or GED and at least 3 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
• Certified ServSafe Manager
• 1+ year of catering production experience
• Proficiency in large-batch cooking and use of commercial kitchen equipment.
• Knowledge of standard cooking techniques (grilling, roasting, sautéing, steaming, etc.). Knife skills and knowledge of proper food preparation methods.
• Understanding of food safety, HACCP, and sanitation standards.
• Ability to read and follow recipes, production sheets, and portion guidelines. Basic math skills for measurements, conversions, and portioning.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

Commercial kitchen and food service settings, including dining halls and catering venues. Fast-paced environment with exposure to heat, cold, steam, and noise. Evening, weekend, and holiday shifts may be required based on dining and event schedules. Ability to stand for extended periods (up to 8 hours). Frequent lifting and carrying of items up to 40 pounds. Repetitive motions including stirring, chopping, and lifting. Ability to bend, reach, and move in a kitchen environment

Compensation and Benefits

At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full-time staff benefits can be found here.

The pay range of the grade for this position is $$18.14 to $24.49 per hour (typical workweek is 40 hours). Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate. Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity. 

Tagged as: Employment