Chef de Cuisine at MaMou

Chef de Cuisine: The Chef de Cuisine of Mamou (“the Restaurant”) is responsible for setting the tone of the kitchen. You must be enthusiastic, upbeat, and professional. You are compelled to take ownership of the kitchen, in a professional and respectful way as directed by the Executive Chef.

Duties of the Chef De Cuisine: CDC’s night shift begins at 12 noon and ends at the completion of closing duties. Ideally, somewhere close to midnight. This schedule is for Wednesday- Sunday. (The first opening weeks and months may call for more time, but quality of life is important to the company, and we hope to not have anything much greater than a 60–65-hour work week. Certain holidays can be an exception.) Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, Chef de Cuisine shall have decision-making authority in the day-to-day operation, management, and supervision of the kitchen, subject to the final approval of the Executive Chef, Owner, General Manager. CDC’s authority and obligations shall include:

• Hiring, training, compensation, supervision, and termination of kitchen personnel, and determining the number of staff required with consultation from the Executive Chef.
• Stocktaking ingredients and equipment, and placing orders as needed.
• Enforce best practices for safety and sanitation in the kitchen.
• Be able to estimate the daily production needs and checking the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are met
• Ensure effective communication between staff by maintaining a secure and friendly working environment
• Guides and trains the kitchen staff daily to ensure high motivation and economical working environment.
• Consults daily with Executive chef on the daily requirements, functions, and about any last-minute events.
• Sourcing produce from local farms.
• Should be able to set an example to others for personal hygiene and cleanliness on and off duty.
• Helping write the weekly schedule. The schedule should be posted for two weeks at a time. I want to work towards having the CDP work 4 10-hour days with a third day off that rotates through the week.
• Works stations for CDP days off, morning prep, and floating between stations on busy nights.
• Ensures the kitchen is broken down in a professional finished manner. This includes properly cleaned stations, containers changed, items consolidated, proper labeling, well written legible station prep lists, proper protein counts, station orders for next day’s prep, execution of daily-weekly-monthly cleaning schedules, organization of the walk-in, icing seafood and all sous-vide items, etc. etc.
• Working with the CDPs to create specials and vegetable sides within the vision of MaMou: Elevated Modern European and Creole/Cajun faire through the lens of Nouvelle Cuisine.
• Working with the Executive Chef to create new menu items.
• Ensures that Family Meal is organized and served at 4pm daily. Everyone stops for 15 minutes and eats together. Exceptions for heavy prep days. Ideally, family meal is made from what we have on hand, but ordering food specifically for Family Meal is acceptable (i.e., red beans, ramen, etc. etc.) Generally, Family Meal should always consist of a modest protein, vegetable, and a simple vegetarian leaning salad.

• Opening Duties:

  • Be presentable and in full uniform at the start of the shift. (Non-slip shoes, “whites and checks”, White Under shirt, black socks, note pad, pen, marker)
  • Shift begins with a quick meeting to go over the days tasks and divvy up prep responsibilities.
  • You should be ready to speak to the kitchen staff at 1:45 at the daily meeting. This should include any notes for service, special prep projects, coordinating FM, comments from the night before etc.
  • The kitchen should break from prep at 4:30 to clean. This includes a scrubbed station and swept and mopped floors. While this is going on, you should be checking to see if anyone is behind on their station and if so, coordinating to the kitchen to help. At this time, you should do a station walk-through. Inspect and taste all items.
  • Ensure that all stations are gearing down from prep by 4:50 and stations and 2nd pass are organized and ready for service at 5pm

  Service:

  • Ensure the kitchen maintains a professional and clean working environment throughout service. This includes maintaining reasonable volumes, as it is an open kitchen. Talking down to, belittling anyone, or excessive cursing will not be tolerated by any members of staff. Inappropriate conversation should be kept to a minimum.
  • Help coordinate with the CDP items on fire, on deck, and items ordered in.
  • Maintain warm plates.
  • Exhibit a sense of urgency.
  • Help CDP plate items.
  • Ensure that that as the night winds down, everyone is working towards breaking down.

  Closing:

  • The CDC should encourage all stations to break down as quickly and efficiently as possible. Ideally, it shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes for stations to be finished breaking down.
  • Make sure CDP are cross-referencing their prep lists with what is on hand in the walk-in. For instance, if they must make cauliflower puree for the weekend; they should make sure there is enough of all recipe items involved to make enough for the weekend or write what will be needed on the dry erase board on the walk-in.
  • Organize the walk-in and begin the order
  • Assist the Executive Chef in whatever else needs to be done.
  • Check all stations prior to letting employees clock out.
  • Go over prep lists with all stations. If their list is light for the next day, they may be able to come in an hour later or spend an hour doing other prep projects.