The Prep Cook is a foundational member of the Kitchen (Back of House) team, responsible for preparing ingredients and supporting daily kitchen operations so service runs smoothly, efficiently, and to standard. This role helps ensure chefs and line cooks have everything they need in place before and during service, making it essential to speed, consistency, and food quality in a restaurant, club, or lounge environment.
- Position in the organisation:
The Prep Cook sits within the Back of House kitchen team and typically reports to the Sous Chef, Kitchen Supervisor, or Head Chef, depending on the venue structure. The role works closely with line cooks, chefs, and sometimes receiving or stewarding teams to support production and maintain kitchen readiness.
- Key responsibilities:
- Wash, peel, cut, portion, and store ingredients according to recipe and production standards.
- Prepare basic components such as stocks, sauces, dressings, garnishes, batters, marinades, and mise en place.
- Label, date, rotate, and organize ingredients to maintain freshness and reduce waste.
- Follow food safety, sanitation, allergen, and temperature-control procedures at all times.
- Assist with receiving, unpacking, and properly storing deliveries when needed.
- Maintain cleanliness of workstations, tools, equipment, and storage areas.
- Support the kitchen team during service by replenishing stations and completing additional prep tasks as assigned.
- What success looks like:
A successful Prep Cook is organized, reliable, fast, and detail-oriented. They work well under pressure, follow instructions accurately, and maintain high standards of cleanliness and consistency. This person should have good knife skills, strong time management, and a willingness to learn. They are dependable team players who understand that disciplined preparation directly affects service quality, guest satisfaction, and kitchen efficiency.