Welcome to Calypso, a brand new restaurant & bar concept located in The Waterfront Inn! Calypso is a vibrant, lively dining experience located on picturesque Lake Sumter in The Villages, Florida. The experience is a celebration of the rich culture of the Caribbean with a modern play on traditional flavors and vibes. The indoor-outdoor lakeside bar allows guests to enjoy the refreshing breezes from Lake Sumter while sipping on their favorite concoctions. The décor, inspired by Floridian colors, creates a breezy, tropical ambiance and mood. In addition, our newly renovated banquet and event spaces play host to a variety of social events as well as business meetings and seminars.
Competitive pay with great benefits - eligible for paid vacation to be used in 2025 upon first day of employment; eight (8) paid holidays; health insurance; dental & vision insurance; your children are eligible for free Villages Charter School tuition; 401K with company match; HSA with company match and more.

SUMMARY:

We are seeking looking for a professional Restaurant and Banquets Line Cook for our brand new CALYPSO restaurant and our Banquet facilities and meeting rooms. The successful candidate will employ his/her culinary skills to play a critical role in maintaining and enhancing our customers’ satisfaction.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS:

· Restaurant cooks use a variety of cooking methods, including poaching, braising, charbroiling, searing and frying.
· Cooks must also be well versed in displaying certain foods such as classical and contemporary presentations of meats and vegetables.
· Must have a strong sense of organization and unwavering standards for quality and cleanliness.
· Must have the ability to work responsibly unsupervised when necessary and when working shift alone.
· Restaurant cooks recognize and follow quality standards in regard to meats, vegetables, fruits, dairy products and grains, including proper storage of these items according to health standards.
· An understanding of seasonings for a range of culturally diverse foods is helpful, as is knowledge of common food allergens, intolerances and their substitutes.
· Attend departmental meetings and daily stand-up meetings. Brings suggestions for improvement.
· Follow AHC and The Villages handbook policies and standard operating procedures.
· Actively working, always looking for ways to assists guests and going above and beyond to provide guest service.
· Ensures the quality and level of service exceeds guest expectations and follows our company standards and policies.
· Complete all daily responsibilities/cleaning task list. Completes all department checklists
· Accepts or rejects ingredients based on quality or quantity
· Minimizes waste of product

QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous Culinary experience of at least one year in a similar volume restaurant or banquet kitchen with proven successful results.
• Must be able to read and follow a recipe unsupervised
• Be willing to follow directions and ask questions for clarification if needed
• A solid display of safe handling knife skills and basic kitchen equipment handling skills including ovens, fryers, mixers, slicers, range-tops, blenders, processors, char broilers, and other basic kitchen cooking implements
• Some experience in stock, soup, sauce or dressing making, basic meat and fish fabrication is preferred
• Ability to maintain a calm, professional demeanor even during periods of crisis or uncertainty.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred
• Related experience is preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, prep lists, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before guests or associates.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to perform addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. Ability to calculate costs, recipes, and amounts.

DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Restaurant cooks work under the Executive Chef, Sous Chefs and Kitchen Supervisors and must follow orders with minimal supervision, including recipes and presentation techniques in adherence to AHC and The Villages standards.
· Other duties include completing kitchen prep lists and following protocol for setting up and breaking down cooking stations, including cleaning and food storage procedures after service
· Make sure foods are properly labeled and dated, all checklists and logs completed, and all restaurant foods are properly stored in their respective area
· All cooks must consistently practice safe food handling techniques and maintain a sanitary service area, including cutting board stations, service areas, coolers, storage rooms, counter tops, and tables in their work area. Kitchen equipment properly utilized, cleaned, sanitized, and reassembled/stored as necessary
· Restaurant cooks often work in the public eye and must keep their uniform, apron and personal appearance clean and presentable. Adherence to all safety protocols is required, particularly in the handling and transportation of foods from the kitchen to the dining facility as well as a la minute cooking at action stations. Proper non-skid footwear should be worn.
· Assumes 100% responsibility for quality and presentation/garnishes of products served
· Follow our hotel green policies and ensures trash/recyclables are taken out
· All cooks must possess exceptional attendance with full compliance to AHC and The Villages attendance standards and guidelines.
· Communicates product needs or shortages, as well as any necessary equipment repairs promptly to Chefs or Supervisors
· Actively work with department staff, while following all departmental rules and maintaining a pleasant, team focused attitude
· Any other additional responsibilities that may be asked by the General Manager, Food & Beverage Manager, Chefs, Sous Chef and Manager On Duty.
· This job description is an overview of the scope of responsibilities for this job and is not intended to be an inclusive list of job tasks and expectations.

While performing the duties of this job, the associate:

• Is regularly required to stand, walk and run
• Is required to use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects
• Is required to frequently reach, push or lift with hands and arms
• Is regularly required to talk or hear; taste or smell
• Is occasionally required to sit and stoop; kneel, crouch, or crawl
• Frequent exposure to smoke, steam, high temperatures, humidity and extreme cold
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and peripheral visio