Café Team Member — Balkan Bakery (La Grange, IL)

Café Team Member — Balkan Bakery (La Grange, IL)

About Us

Balkan Bakery has been a fixture of La Grange since 2007, when a mother and her son opened the doors with a simple conviction: that the flavors of Serbia and the Balkans deserve a home here in the Midwest. Nineteen years later, we're still family-run — the next generation took the reins in 2020 — and we're in the middle of our most exciting chapter yet.

We make everything from scratch: traditional burek and savory pies, delicate pralines and desserts, specialty croissants, and illy coffee pulled just right. Our recently renovated café space — complete with a new outdoor pergola — brings a touch of European café culture to La Grange, and our newly launched menu weaves Balkan staples like ajvar, kulen, and kajmak into modern paninis, salads, and bowls, alongside beer and wine. We're proud to be a place where people slow down, gather, and feel a little closer to home.

The Role

We're immediately hiring a Café Team Member to join our small, close-knit team. This is a front-of-house role at its core — you'll be the first face customers see when they walk through the door, the person who makes the experience feel warm and welcoming, and the hands that keep the shop running smoothly behind the scenes.

It's a varied role. One moment you're greeting a regular by name and pulling their illy coffee; the next you're restocking shelves, organizing a delivery in the back, or helping a first-time visitor discover what a burek is. You'll work alongside people who take real pride in what comes out of the kitchen — and you'll be part of a family-run business where your presence genuinely matters to the day.

What You'll Do

• Greet every customer with genuine warmth — assist with their selections, share knowledgeable recommendations on our baked goods and beverages, and make sure everyone leaves with a good impression.
• Prepare drinks with precision and care: illy coffee, tea, and specialty beverages, served to the standard our regulars expect.
• Operate our POS system to process retail sales efficiently and accurately — handling cash and card payments, giving correct change, and balancing the register at the end of each shift.
• Keep the café looking its best: maintaining cleanliness across counters, tables, equipment, and food-handling stations in accordance with food safety standards. This includes organizing product displays, restocking shelves, pricing items, and ensuring supplies of baked goods, beverages, utensils, and cleaning materials are always available.
• Receive and store incoming deliveries properly, manage storage conditions, and keep the storeroom and backroom tidy and organized.
• Help customers find what they're looking for, share pricing info, and resolve any issues or questions that come up with patience and care.
• Support food preparation tasks as needed, adhering to food safety guidelines and proper food-handling procedures.
• Pitch in on the little things that keep a small business running — taking out the trash, wiping down counters, adopting better display techniques, and contributing to the team effort however it's needed.

What We're Looking For

• A friendly, positive attitude — this is the single most important thing. You'll be the face of the bakery, and the way you greet people sets the tone.
• Strong customer service skills with the ability to engage positively and genuinely with a diverse range of guests.
• Reliability — we're a small team, so showing up on time and being someone we can count on is essential.
• Previous experience in food service or café environments is preferred but not required; enthusiasm and willingness to learn matter most.
• Comfort operating POS systems confidently, with basic math skills for cash handling and retail transactions.
• Familiarity with beverage service techniques and barista experience is a plus — we're happy to train, but if you already know your way around an espresso machine, that's wonderful.
• Knowledge of food safety practices and proper food-handling procedures, or a willingness to learn them quickly.
• Excellent time management — the ability to handle busy periods efficiently without letting quality slip.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and perform physical tasks such as cleaning and stocking supplies.
• An appreciation for European or Balkan culture and food is a bonus (but absolutely not required). Curiosity and willingness to learn matter more than familiarity.

Details

• Location: 541 S. La Grange Road, La Grange, IL 60525
• Shifts: Weekdays 7:00 AM – 4 PM, Saturdays 7 AM – 3 PM, Sundays 7 AM – 2 PM
• Start: Immediate
• Type: Part-time / full-time

If this sounds like the kind of place you'd like to work, we'd love to hear from you. Apply here or stop by the bakery — we're happy to meet you.

Required qualifications:

• Legally authorized to work in the United States
• 21+ years or older

Preferred qualifications:

• Food Service license/certification: ServSafe Food Handler Certification
• Food Service license/certification: ServSafe Alcohol Certification
• Valid driver's license
• Restaurant front of house skills: serving in fast casual
• Restaurant front of house skills: point of sale (POS) operation
• Retail skills: customer service
• Comfortable handling customer complaints
• Able to stand for duration of shift
• Available to work: weekends
• Available to work: holidays
• Available to work: early morning
• Available to work: weekdays
• 2-3 years of total work experience