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Prep Cook at Parkhurst Dining

Parkhurst Dining Latrobe, PA $16 - $18/hour

Job Description

The pay rate for this position is $16 - $18 / hour, depending on experience. While we are accepting all applications, we are looking for candidates who can work 7:00AM to 3:00PM.


Parkhurst Dining is a family-owned and operated company that provides culinary, dining and catering services to over 80 organizations and universities. We believe that food is best when made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients, prepared with heart, & served with a smile. This culinary experience is uniquely and authentically Parkhurst. If you've been searching for a place where you can do what you love, love what you do and have room to grow, consider joining our team! Parkhurst Dining is part of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, a regional portfolio of foodservice concepts serving 50 million guests annually in its restaurants, on college and corporate campuses and in every state through our online store.


JOB SUMMARY

This person is responsible for properly preparing, cooking, and storing food items that are prepared in advance to establish consistent yields and food quality. He/she shall prepare all food items in accordance with Parkhurst Dining Culinary Gold Standards, recipes, standards, and procedures under strict sanitary conditions following ServSafe and HAACP guidelines.


ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Application of professional culinary techniques and procedures

Cut, weigh, and prepare food items following company procedures and recipes.

Rotate refrigerated products and dry good products in accordance with company-approved policies and procedures, always using the FIFO method.

Maintain the proper temperatures for all foods and coolers and freezers.

Wrap, label, date and store all food items properly to maintain freshness and quality under strict sanitary guidelines.

Complete product cooling charts.

Maintain a clean and neat appearance and practice proper personal hygiene at all times. Frequently and correctly wash hands whenever possible.

Complete daily production sheets.

Follow cleaning schedules as provided by management, using the "clean as you go" technique.

Follow the uniform dress code and maintain proper personal hygiene.

Follow all Parkhurst Gold Standards. Uses Smile Plus hospitality imperatives.

Assist fellow team members at every opportunity.

Perform any other duties as assigned by management.


QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function as listed above satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform said tasks.


PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform said tasks.

Standing and/or walking - 100% of time

Occasionally lifting up to 40 pounds

Frequently lifting up to and over 20 pounds


BENEFITS

  • FREE meal during your shift
  • 20% discount on any food purchase at Eat'n Park, Hello Bistro, The Porch, and Parkhurst Dining.
  • Paid time off
  • Management career advancement opportunities
  • Access to continuous development with Smile Universe
  • Eligibility for 401k, vision, dental and medical plans

Eat'n Park Hospitality Group provides equal employment opportunities to all team members and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.


This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

$33k - $37k is competitive for Cooks, Fast Food nationally

National salary averages
$33k - $37k
↑ 17% vs typical mid-level
Entry
Mid
Senior
This job
$22k Market range (10th-90th percentile) $39k

Pay increases slowly with experience in this field.

Raises may be modest; negotiate well upfront.

Hot hiring, constrained wages

Employers are hiring actively, but pay hasn't caught up with demand. Focus on competing offers and non-salary benefits.

Hiring leverage
Candidate-favored
Wage leverage âš  Disconnect
Constrained
Mobility
High mobility
Durability
High fragility

Why this market feels harder than it looks

This market is hiring aggressively, but compensation hasn't caught up and most openings are backfilling churn, not expansion. Employers are filling roles, but not bidding wages up.

Who this leverage applies to

Stronger for: Senior candidates with options
Weaker for: Entry-level candidates, Career switchers

Where to negotiate

Base salary
Sign-on bonus
Title / level
Remote flexibility
Scope & responsibility
Start date / PTO

Likely Possible Unlikely

Watch out for

Wage disconnect: Hiring is active but pay hasn't responded—negotiate on other terms.

Don't let hiring headlines mislead you—focus on concrete offers. Your leverage may be less durable than it appears—move decisively.

Does this path compound?

Job Growth →
High churn
Growth, flat pay
🚀 Compound
Growth + pay upside
⚠️ Plateau
Limited growth
Specialize
Experts earn more
Pay Upside →
Stable but flat

Steady work, but limited growth in both jobs and pay.

-14%
10yr growth
Most openings come from retirements and turnover, not new positions.
82,100 openings projected annually—mostly replacing retirees and turnover.
Typical: No formal educational credential

Consider building adjacent skills to stay marketable.

Labor data: BLS 2024