Cook / Prep Cook

The job descriptions have been created and utilized from International House of Pancakes, Inc. (IHOP Corporation) Standard Operating Procedures and utilized by this franchise organization.

• All references to “The Company” refer(s) to the independent Franchise Corporation.

Summary

IHOP Cooks are responsible for the preparation and cooking of food products accurately and with minimal waste. Duties of this position include learning and applying all IHOP-specialized galley terminology, plating, menu items and procedures according to company standards. IHOP Cooks are expected to set up equipment, verify stock, and maintain a clean and sanitary work area while maintaining company sanitation standards. This position requires you to stand for up to 8 hours during a shift, be able to lift at least and/or move up to 50 pounds, and have full mobility of hands and arms while performing repetitive tasks. IHOP Cooks are also required to perform duties necessary for restaurant operations as assigned by acting supervisor, following governmental and company policies. The above is not an all-inclusive job description.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities including the following:

• Develop and maintain professional and functional working relationships with IHOP employees and customers.
• Prepare food to specifications set forth in the IHOP Standard Operating Procedures Manual (SOP) and recipe cards as well as to satisfy customer expectations.
• Memorize and apply all IHOP specialized galley terminology, plating, menu items, procedures, galley utensils, abbreviations, and methodologies.
• Maintain a clean and sanitary work station.
• Perform Food Safety Evaluations (FSE), LTO Training, A/B Status, Operations Excellence (OE), Health Department Inspections (HDI) per the IHOP SOP.
• Execute the Guest Relations for NGC – Normalized Guest Complaints Index per the IHOP SOP to ensure the quality guest experience.
• Comply with all local, state, and SOP health, sanitation, and safety guidelines.
• Perform all cleaning duties according to posted cleaning charts.
• Comply with IHOP uniform and appearance standards per the IHOP SOP guidelines.
• Perform other assignments or tasks as assigned by the General Manager, Assistant Manager, or acting supervisor.

• Must have prior experience as a cook.
• Must be skilled in operating kitchen equipment.
• Must be skilled in various cooking techniques.
• Must know and follow sanitation procedures.
• Must showcase teamwork and communication skills.
• Must showcase great organizational skills.
• Must be able to multitask and act quickly.
• Must carry at least a high school diploma.
• Maintaining a sanitized and well-organized kitchen.
• Preparing workstations for cooking.
• Preparing and maintaining kitchen equipment.
• Checking the quality of the ingredients.
• Preparing cooking ingredients using various techniques.
• Cooking food using various culinary techniques.
• Arranging food and ensuring appealing presentation.
• Manage food storage, stock, and ingredient orders.

Qualifications

To provide this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• Six months to a year of related experience and/or training; or equivalent.

Language Skills

• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to understand oral instructions in English and read English or Spanish well enough to understand recipes and customers’ food orders, and read instructions, warning, and safety labels.

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Other Skills and Abilities

• IHOP training course work as assigned.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk, and hear. The employee is required to frequently use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and/or moved up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative to those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to fumes or airborne particles. The employee frequently works near moving parts and is frequently exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, extreme cold, extreme heat, risk of electrical shock, and risk of radiation. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Employees must be at least 18 years old to operate kitchen equipment.