Job Title
Hot Food Cook
Job Description Summary
Haverford College invites applications for our full-time (40 hours per week), non-exempt, benefits-eligible Hot Food Cook opportunity.
Job Description
Total Compensation
- Hourly rate: $19.50
- Benefits: The College offers a comprehensive benefits program that includes automatic 10% retirement contribution to your retirement account upon eligibility (no match required), a 50% tuition benefit for dependent children upon eligibility, 14 paid holidays (including the week before New Year’s Day), affordable medical plans, Health Savings Account contribution of $700 for individuals and$1400 for families (no match required, available to employees enrolled in the High Deductible Health Plan), and a beautiful arboretum campus with walking trail and easy public transportation access. Please visit the Benefits page (https://www.haverford.edu/human-resources/benefits) for more information.
Work Location: On-site in Dining Center.
About the Position
The Hot Food Cook performs a variety of culinary duties related to the preparation and presentation of meals, and is responsible for portion control and general food production procedures in the kitchen. This position requires working early morning hours, evening hours, weekends, and holidays as needed, and is considered essential staff.
Primary Responsibilities
- Prepare entrees, soups, and side dishes for meals
- Pre-check the production sheet to ensure that all items are available for the meal in the correct quantity and quality
- Instruct swing cook, and direct general kitchen workers and student workers
- Check equipment to ensure it is available, clean, and in good working order
- Cook and/or otherwise prepare food in accordance with the production sheet menu, correcting, if necessary, recipes for yield and quality after review with the manager
- Time food preparation to coincide with starting meal hours and ensure that all food items are ready to serve at the necessary time
- Make substitutions as dictated by meal counts and approved by the manager
- Prepare food in small batches, when possible, to ensure freshness and high quality
- Monitor service line to ensure proper food service utensils are available, to instruct servers in food portion size, and to decorate line for proper presentation
- Consult with the manager to determine the use of leftover food
- Properly store leftover food in accordance with HAACP and Serv Safe guidelines
- Assess the quality of all food items coordinating with the manager
- Ensure that items on the service line are properly labeled
- Consult with the receiver to ensure food items are pulled for the next day’s meals and notify the manager of any problems
- Maintain proper food temperatures of both hot and cold foods (hot above 140F and cold food below 40F), taking corrective action when necessary; keep accurate food temperature charts, reporting problems to supervisors
- Adhere to standards outlined by the sanitation program (Serv-Safe), Lower Merion Health Department, and Haverford College Dining Services
- Perform other job-related duties as assigned
- Work special events and catering functions as needed
- Clean equipment used in the preparation of the meal
- Coordinate cleaning schedule for the kitchen with other kitchen staff and student workers
- Complete production sheet and submits to manager
Line of Report: The Hot Food Cook reports to the Executive Chef and Sous Chef/Culinary Supervisors. General Food Services Workers may report to this person.
Minimum Qualifications
- Three years of experience as a cook in the food service industry or any combination of education and experience in producing the necessary skills, abilities, and knowledge
Professional Competencies
- Ability to operate industrial-type kitchen equipment including but not limited to meat slicer, steamer, steam kettles, ovens, cooking utensils, buffalo chopper, deep fryer, mixer, grill, and range
- Ability to properly use various knives, hand tools, utensils, and equipment to portion, cut, slice, score, julienne, whip, beat, or otherwise prep food
- Ability to perform basic mathematical functions
- Ability to use and convert weights and measures, both liquid and dry
- Effective communication skills to include reading, writing and following instructions
- Ability to view small print in various forms (such as cash register keys, receipts, and instruction sheets)
- Must be mobile between work stations and numerous campus buildings, able to climb stairs while carrying heavy items, to bend over/pick up and lift heavy items up and down, and to work in extreme temperatures
Special Requirements
- Serve Safe Certification or ability to obtain certification at the college’s expense within 3 months
- Aller-train Certification or ability to obtain certification at the college’s expense within 3 months
To Apply: Interested applicants are invited to submit an application through Haverford College’s Workday career website (no other form of application is accepted). A complete application includes 1) a resume and 2) a cover letter summarizing your interest and how your experiences and skills meet the requirements of the position. Please email recruiting@haverford.edu with questions about submitting your materials.
The application deadline is November 17, 2026. Application review will begin after the deadline has passed. Should the search committee be interested in pursuing your candidacy, you will hear from them directly. Finalists will be asked to provide three professional references.
Haverford College strives to maintain an equitable, accessible, and welcoming environment where staff, faculty and students of all backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experience can work, learn, and thrive. Haverford College is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or any other identity or characteristic protected by law. Haverford College recognizes that we live and work on Lenape land.
