Lead Cook

53 By The Sea

Lead Cook

Who we are: 

With sweeping views of the Kaka’ako oceanfront and a commitment to culinary excellence, 53 By The Sea is one of the island’s premier fine dining venues. At 53 By The Sea, we pride ourselves in our passion for providing genuine and authentic care in all aspects of our service. Our team consists of some of Hawaii’s most talented and passionate leaders in the food and beverage industry, who strive to continually elevate our guest experience. We seek to equip our teams with the resources, freedom, and guidance needed to provide world class service. If you are looking to join a comfortable, growth oriented work atmosphere with a strong passion and commitment for excellence, 53 By The Sea is the place for you!  

Our Philosophy: 

Each and every member of our team plays a crucial role towards our shared mission to make people happy by providing authentic and genuine service (Omotenashi). We believe that in order to make our guests happy, we need to do the same for our team! We aim to accomplish this by driving a supportive and growth oriented workplace culture for our team members. From our conversational family meals and team training opportunities to competitive pay and generous benefits, we strive to provide a workplace where team members can enjoy their work and thrive! 

Position Overview: 

53 By The Sea utilizes some of Hawaii’s best produce, meat, and seafood to implement a world class menu for our guests. Our Lead Cook work closely with the Back of House (BOH) Management team to assist with the development, preparation and execution all dining items at 53 By The Sea. In addition to the standard Cook responsibilities, the Lead Cook supports managers with wide ranging operational functions for the BOH team, including but not limited to menu development, inventory and ordering. The Lead Cook will also service and assist with overseeing various cooking stations as needed throughout the kitchen. Our BOH team strives to create a collaborative environment where Cooks have the freedom and guidance to create dishes alongside a team of passionate and talented people. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Includes but are not limited to the following: 

• Prepares menu items for culinary operations, following recipes, portion controls, and presentation specifications as set by restaurant management.
• Ensures timely preparation of food to the standards of the restaurant for all culinary operations 
• Plates food based on standards of the restaurant management
• Maintains an understanding of all cooking stations
• Assists with Pre-Service lead duties as needed
• Assists in developing and implementing new menu items
• Works with management to review achievements and discuss needed changes in goals and operations
• Assists with inventory management as needed
• Leads BOH staff as needed in relevant duties and responsibilities
• Inspects working stations and culinary tools to ensure appropriate standards are upheld (cleaning, maintenance, etc.)
• Updates BOH management of relevant inventory needs based on operations 
• Inspects all food sent from the kitchen to ensure the plates meet restaurant standards
• Works with FOH team to ensure that orders are completed according to request and on time 
• Communicates necessary updates to FOH teams (i.e. order counts, operational updates, etc.)
• Stocks and maintains designated food stations
• Assists all stations as needed, including but not limited to ovens, stoves, fryers, grills
• Maintains full knowledge of all menu items
• Follows all health code standards and protocols in performance of job duties
• Sets up and breaks down workstations 
• Follows kitchen policies, procedures, and service standards 
• Prepares and stores ingredients for cooking 
• Assists with cleaning, preparation and stocking as needed 
• Assists in the maintenance and management of equipment as needed 
• Follows opening and closing procedures 
• Other duties as assigned 

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) required
• Culinary school certificate or degree preferred but not required
• 5+ years of relevant experience preferred  

Skills and Qualifications:

• Strong teamwork and communication skills
• Ability to work in a high-volume restaurant and banquet kitchen environment
• Knowledge and skill in current culinary trends and techniques 
• Skill in operating wide-ranging commercial kitchen equipment
• Knowledge in relevant food safety practices 
• High level of efficiency in performing duties and responsibilities 
• Ability to perform culinary techniques in an efficient manner with little to no supervision 
• Proper knife skills and techniques
• Servsafe certification preferred but not required 
• TB Clearance required to work in restaurant 

Company Benefits *Certain Eligibility Requirements Apply

• 100% Covered Individual Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision)
• Generous paid time off and sick leave
• Company Provided Parking or Bus Pass Reimbursement
• Personal Holidays 
• Bereavement Leave
• Employee Discounts
• Lifestyle Benefits
• Discounted Gym Membership
• Discounted Movie Tickets 
• Discounted Pet Insurance 
• Employee Assistance Program
• Much More! 

To help expedite the hiring process for restaurants and food handling positions, we request that all applicants have the following documents prepared and available for submission:

• State of Hawaii required Tuberculosis (TB) test with satisfactory results, more info here: https://health.hawaii.gov/tb/state-tb-req​uirements-2/

At Ocean Investments, we welcome and value the diversity of our team members and those we serve. Ocean Investments is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and prohibits discrimination of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact us at [email protected] if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by incumbents assigned to this job. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all the responsibilities, duties and skills required. The incumbent may be expected to perform other duties as assigned.