Free Cook (Line Cook) Job Description Template
A line cook job description written for the kitchen — the line, ticket times and food safety.
Part of our free job description templates.
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1.Job Brief (About the Role)
{{Company Name}} is hiring a {{Line Cook / Cook}} to prepare great food consistently in our {{kitchen}}. This role reports to the {{Sous Chef / Kitchen Manager}} and works a station on the line during the {{lunch / dinner}} service.
Three or four sentences: the team, who the role reports to, and why this position exists. Skip generic openers like “We are looking for…”.
2.Responsibilities
- Set up and stock your station with prepped ingredients before service
- Cook menu items to recipe, spec, and plating standards
- Fire and time dishes to hit ticket times during the rush
- Hold and check food temperatures and follow HACCP/food-safety rules
- Prep ingredients (cutting, portioning, marinating) for current and next service
- Keep the station, equipment, and walk-in clean and organized (FIFO)
- Label and date all food and rotate stock to reduce waste
- Communicate with the expo and the rest of the line to keep tickets moving
Eight to twelve bullets, each starting with a verb. Keep them specific to the day-to-day work, not aspirational filler.
3.Requirements & Skills
- {{X}}+ months of line-cook or kitchen experience (or culinary training)
- Knife skills and knowledge of basic cooking methods
- Food-handler card ({{ServSafe / local equivalent}}) where required
- Able to work fast and clean under pressure
- Able to stand for long shifts and lift up to {{50}} lbs
List the must-haves: experience, licenses or certifications, the systems and tools used, and any physical or shift realities.
4.Nice-to-Have
- Experience with {{a specific cuisine, grill, sauté, or fry station}}
- Culinary certificate or apprenticeship
Two to four genuinely optional items. Keep them strictly separate from Requirements so they don’t deter good applicants.
5.Compensation & Benefits
| Pay range | {{Salary Range}} |
|---|
Enter a pay range from local market data — do not leave it blank. Pay transparency improves applicant quality and is now required in many states.
6.Schedule & Work Environment
- {{Full-time / part-time}}; nights, weekends, and holidays as scheduled
- Hot, fast-paced kitchen; on your feet the whole shift
- Standing, lifting, and working around heat and sharp tools
Be honest about shifts, weekends, overtime, and the physical environment. Realistic expectations reduce early turnover.
7.How to Apply
To apply, {{application instructions — e.g., send a resume and short cover note to careers@company.com}}.
Filled in for a line cook at a busy casual-dining restaurant.
1.Job Brief (About the Role)
The Copper Kettle is hiring a Line Cook for our scratch kitchen. This role reports to the Kitchen Manager and runs the sauté and grill stations during dinner service, plating 150+ covers a night.
2.Responsibilities
- Set up the sauté and grill stations and complete the prep list before service
- Cook every dish to recipe and plating spec at a consistent quality
- Hit ticket times and stay in sync with the expo during the dinner rush
- Temp proteins and hold cold and hot food at safe temperatures (HACCP)
- Prep proteins, sauces, and mise en place for the next service
- Break down and sanitize the station and follow FIFO in the walk-in
- Label, date, and rotate all prepped items to cut waste
- Call out 86’d items and communicate clearly across the line
3.Requirements & Skills
- 1+ year on a restaurant line
- Solid knife skills and command of sauté and grill
- Current ServSafe food-handler card
- Calm, fast, and clean during a 150-cover rush
- Able to stand for a full shift and lift 50 lbs
4.Nice-to-Have
- Scratch-kitchen or specific-cuisine experience
- Culinary-school certificate
5.Compensation & Benefits
| Pay range | $17 – $21 per hour depending on experience |
|---|
- Shift meal
- Health benefits after 60 days
- Paid sick time per local law
6.Schedule & Work Environment
- Full-time; dinner shifts plus weekends and holidays
- Hot, high-volume kitchen, on your feet the full shift
- Lifting stock and working around heat, steam, and knives
7.How to Apply
To apply, stop by between 2–4pm for a trail/stage or email kitchen-jobs@copperkettle.example.
How it works
- Preview the line cook job description and a filled casual-dining example.
- Download Word/PDF, or copy the text to paste into Google Docs.
- Set the station, cuisine, and certification requirements, add a pay rate, and post it.
Frequently asked questions
What does a line cook do?
A line cook sets up and stocks a station, cooks menu items to recipe and plating spec, fires and times dishes to hit ticket times, holds food at safe temperatures, preps ingredients, and keeps the station clean and rotated. The template lists these as editable responsibilities.
What is the difference between a cook and a chef?
A cook (or line cook) prepares food on a station to established recipes and standards. A chef leads the kitchen — designing the menu, managing cost and staff, and setting standards. Many kitchens have a hierarchy (line cook, sous chef, chef); use the template for the cook role and adjust the title.
What qualifications does a cook need?
Many roles need a food-handler card (such as ServSafe) and some line experience or culinary training, plus knife skills and knowledge of basic cooking methods. Specific station or cuisine experience is a plus — name what your kitchen requires.
Should a cook job description mention the shift and pace?
Yes. Kitchens run nights, weekends, and holidays at high heat and pace, so be honest about the shift, the volume, and the physical demands (standing, lifting, working around heat and knives). Clear expectations reduce early turnover.