# Line Cook.



## iconoclast (Aug 8, 2007)

before i waste this persons time, and mine... i am curious how likely it is that i could be hired for a line cook, with 0 prof. kitchen experience... although i do have many years experience in the kitchen. 

the duties entail:

Job Purpose:
Helps lead chef by providing foodstuffs, supplies, and food preparation assistance; maintaining cooking utensils, equipment, and kitchen sanitation.

Duties:
* Provides food preparation assistance by washing, peeling, cutting, and seeding vegetables and fruits; cleaning, cutting, and grinding meats, poultry, and seafood.

* Prepares soups and sauces by stirring and straining.

* Breads foods by by dipping food items in crumbs, flour, and batter.

* Controls recipes by weighing and measuring designated ingredients.

* Provides foodstuffs and utensils for chef by carrying pans, kettles, and trays of food to and from work stations, stove, and refrigerator.

* Maintains food quality by storing foods in designated areas; minimizing spoilage.

* Maintains safe, secure, and healthy work environment by cleaning work areas, equipment and utensils; segregating and removing garbage; steam-cleaning or hosing garbage containers; following sanitation standards and procedures; complying with legal regulations.

* Keeps supplies and foodstuffs ready by inventorying stock; requisitioning supplies and foodstuffs; verifying receipt; storing.

* Keeps equipment operating by following operating instructions; troubleshooting breakdowns; maintaining supplies; performing preventive maintenance; calling for repairs.

* Enhances kitchen and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

Skills/Qualifications:
Food Sanitation, Teamwork, Quality Focus, Safety Management, Energy Level, Multi-tasking, Dependability, Supply Management, Equipment Maintenance, Self-Development, Verbal Communication


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## thetincook (Jun 14, 2002)

Job discription aside, its not very likely to be hired as a line cook with zero experience. However, it doesn't mean you shouldn't apply. They may need prep guys, or they may hire you.

Can you fill us in on what kind of place put that ad up? It seems a little odd.


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## iconoclast (Aug 8, 2007)

ill put up the exact place, and ad after tomorrow. i am going to go in and apply. i am extremely committed to this. i left a well paying / stable career to pursue a career in culinary arts... i have no real bargaining chips, so i can only offer my dedication, enthusiasm, and ability to learn quickly. hopefully i can convey this consicely and well enough to sway the employer. if so, i would be thrilled to take this position if not, i guess go back to the search...


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## andyg (Aug 27, 2007)

I was a line cook before, and I know there is a big difference between one restaurant and another.

If you ask me, (from looking at the duties listed) this position will probably be more of a cleanup position than a cooking one. But of course I could be wrong. You might be able to find out in an interview. If the manager is vague and won't commit to anything, you are probably going to be scrubbing more than cooking.

From another perspective, I would have been happy to do a "mostly cleanup" job at a certain restaurant that I considered tops, primo, exquisite, because hopefully I could learn a lot there and move into a mostly cooking position, and if not at least might have learned a lot. When I was a line cook I didn't know about this restaurant.


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## iconoclast (Aug 8, 2007)

if you were to recommend a starting place... where would it be?


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## andyg (Aug 27, 2007)

I don't know if you mean starting position or starting restaurant. I would say work at a restaurant you consider tops, because if you work at a lesser restaurant you will learn how to be mediocre. Maybe start at an average restaurant to get some experience, but think of it as experience for your next, better job.

AND, keep in touch with this site, because there are a lot of people here more skilled than I am, who have fun chatting about higher level skills and like to share knowledge, insights, experience.


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## canadiangirl (Jul 16, 2007)

Good luck with that job! Sure hope you get it. Make sure you let us know when you start!
canadiangirl


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## iconoclast (Aug 8, 2007)

i meant a lil of both. its seems extremely difficult to find a position in this field with out starting out washing dishes... maybe im starting off on the wrong foot, and not being open-minded enough... i will keep searching.

thank you, i appreciate it. truly. i hope i can sway them enough to get a shot.


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## andyg (Aug 27, 2007)

You will get a chance to show what you can do. Best of luck to you! I started out bussing tables and washing dishes. Was just saying keep in mind what you want to eventually be doing.


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## inabox (Nov 27, 2006)

you can always offer to work at the top place in your town for free.


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## andyg (Aug 27, 2007)

InABox, don't know if you were serious or being facetious, but I think that's a great idea if you can afford to do that.


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## iconoclast (Aug 8, 2007)

this is my backup plan. i was hoping this would be a last resort, as i do have sufficient funds set aside bc of the career change however in an ideal world i would like to have a smoother transition than making x, then a month later making 0.00.

is this a popular practice?


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## dmt (Jul 28, 2006)

Having been one to BS my way into more than one job for which I was not completely qualified for, I will say that an upbeat attitude and an air of self confidence (not arrogance), will get you pretty far through the door (on the way in, not out).
Sincerety is key.
Do not overstate your qualifications, nor understate your capacity to learn, absorb, and deliver.
There's a bunch of "utility" type work described, and if you are good with direction, paying attention to detail, LISTENING!!!, and ambitious (without being annoying), you could have a shot.
I'd go for the interview, if only to be told what it was I needed instead to get the job.
If you do get on, pay attention, and stay ahead of your job duties, so you'll be in a position to ask, "Can I help you with that?"
Good luck.


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## iconoclast (Aug 8, 2007)

thanks for the advice...


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## allumirati (Aug 15, 2010)

Sounds like a grunt job to me. I'm not one to subscribe to "chefs" having god like status where they just sit and dictate everything.  Everywhere I've worked, the chef had to also cook.  But, I think it would be ideal for a chef to have a less load on actually running the line in order to keep the restaurant running organized, this in itself should require a hard worker. Unless you're at a place where they serve 1,000+ people a night at $50+ a plate, I don't think having a chef that doesn't get his hands dirty is a good work environment. Although in this line of work you really need to start from the bottom.  But if you learn more skills and become proficient in them, don't let other people hold you down.  On the other side of the same token; don't let others down, neither try to oppress others...just do your best.


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## cookinmt (Aug 3, 2010)

One way to get a job as a line cook, without having any experience, is to go through a Culinary Arts program.  That'll usually get you hired, even if you're freaking terrible.

The other way is to grin and bear it: take a job washing, bust your hump and help the line out in the lurch, and they'll notice.  Express interest in advancing while busting said hump.  If someone is in the middle of a prep duty and gets called onto the line, offer to finish up.  Eventually someone will call in sick or quit, and you'll be standing there smiling.


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## aric87 (Aug 6, 2010)

Your best bet is to find someplace looking for a prep cook or fry cook. Both are easy to learn. Keep in mind, many places aren't always looking for experience. I wouldn't mind training someone on everything if they show up clean, on time, and learn quickly. Those traits are always good. And like everyone else said, if you find a job doing bi**h work and get to learn the biz it's worth it. I actually just brought in a kid to my kitchen with no experience to work the 2nd busiest night of the year for us and he did amazingly well. He listened, worked hard, and the chef offered him the job before the night was over. Chin up man, and remember, there is always an angle you can play to market yourself. Especially if you could use your previous career skills to aid the business in exchange for learning and working inthe kitchen


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## sabbah (Jun 2, 2009)

Yeah, a lot of places will hire a some with no exp. if they feel like the rest of the attributes are there. 

I'd rather hire a blank slate, then someone who learned wrong and won't/can't/doesn't think they should change.


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## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

We all had to start out somewhere.  I know that when we opened last year a few people who had no restaruant experience were hired and at least two of them made it through the inital cuts and then just left on their own because it wasn't for them.  They were both good workers and when they were on their stations we had no headaches at all with plates etc, but this was just not what they wanted to do with their lives.


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## cwjalex (Sep 18, 2010)

took me about 30 tries with no experience to land a line cooking job.  The chef that finally hired me was the only one that i met in person.  He had just hired someone but was impressed with my enthusiasm so he hired me anyways.  i think the key is to meet the chef and show him or her that you know exactly what it's going to be like in the kitchen and that you can handle it and learn quickly.


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