Pastry Cook

Job Position: Pastry Cook

Wage: $18-$22 per hour

Hours: Monday to Friday, 7am - 3:30pm. Saturdays as needed.

Location: Lincolnwood, IL

Job Summary

As one of our Food for Thought Pastry Cooks, you will prepare all products in accordance with FFT standards or as specified by the Pastry Chef, creating petite pastries and confections, by following a set recipe. You will be leading our Composed Station, preparing pastries such as mousses, vessel desserts, specialty cakes, petite sweets, cheesecake, lollipops, chocolate work, etc. (previous experience in this area is a must).

You will complete all opening and closing tasks, complete prep lists in allotted time frame, while working efficiently and maintaining a clean orderly station.

Responsibilities

• Preparing all pastry items in accordance with standard FFT recipes and as specified by the Pastry Chef for one of the pastry stations.

• Visually inspecting, quality taste testing, selecting, and using only food items of the highest quality in the preparation of all menu items.

• Maintaining an appropriate par stock for the designated station(s) of baked goods, finishing products, and production supplies to ensure efficiency and maximizing utilization of production work hours.

• Checking and controlling the proper storage of product and portion control, including labels and dates.

• Performing general cleaning tasks using approved cleaning products as assigned by the supervisor to adhere to health standards.

• Performing other duties as requested, such as cross-training, moving supplies and equipment, cleaning up spills, keeping inventory of certain items, leading in team projects, etc.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 1 years’ experience in pastry and prep kitchen positions.

• Has accelerated knowledge of the fundamentals of pastry, building specialty cakes, tempering chocolate techniques, service execution.

• Knife skills and working knowledge of the fundamentals of cooking, kitchen equipment operation, safety, and sanitation.

• Basic mathematical skills necessary to understand recipes, measurements, requisition amounts and portion sizes.

• Effective organizational skills to work in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to read, write and understand the English language to review menus and prep lists.

• Must provide valid Food Handler or Food Service Manager Certificate.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years of pastry experience or a Culinary and Pastry degree.

• Working knowledge of the fundamentals of cooking, kitchen equipment operation, safety, and sanitation.

• Basic mathematical skills are necessary to understand recipes, measurements, requisition amounts, and portion sizes.

• Must provide valid Food Handler Certification

Why We’re the Leaders

• Excellent training
• Employee Referral bonuses
• Flexible scheduling 
• Career advancement opportunities
• Competitive Pay
• Anniversary Milestone Incentives

Company Benefits & Perks

• Paid Time Off
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance – Includes Spouse and Domestic Partner Coverage

1. Health Provider - Blue Cross Blue Shield
2. Dental Provider: Guardian
3. Vision Provider: VSP

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Life Insurance
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D) & Critical Illness Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

1. Mental Health, Relationship Conflicts, Child and Eldercare, Substance Abuse, Grief and Loss

• Assistance for you and household members
• (3) In Person Sessions
• Unlimited phone access

• Parental Leave – Equal benefits to Mothers and Fathers
• 401K Retirement Plan
• FFT University - Over 70 courses designed to enhance your skills in life and on the job to help your career growth.
• Employee Meal Plan
• Employee Discounts (Pet Insurance, Entertainment, Travel, Company Discounts, and much more).

Company Values & Culture

• Collaboration & Open Communication

• Diverse, Inclusive, Safe, and Motivating

• Our Triple Bottom Line – People, Product and Planet

• A Net Positive Organization

Grow with us! - at Food For Thought, instruction, advice, and assistance are always readily available, which is why our average tenure is 6 years. The U.S. average is 4.2 years, while the Hospitality industry average is only 2.1 years!

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 reach at or below the shoulder; lift and carry items up to 50 pounds for a moderate distance. The employee is required to stand and move during the length of shift; be able to bend and kneel through the shift. The employee is required to use their hands to handle tools, grasp, and control objects. Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble items. The employee is continuously exposed to extreme temperatures. Working with knives, mincers, and other dangerous tools or equipment.

EEO Statement

Food For Thought provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all applicants and employees, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations.

E-Verify Participation

Food For Thought participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.

Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9. 

For more information on E-Verify, or if you believe that your employer has violated its E-Verify responsibilities, please contact DHS.