Company description

The Elmore Store is a 200 year-old historic general store and a part of Vermont's rich history. We are almost done with a complete renovation down to the studs and are bringing it up the highest possible standards of energy efficiency while preserving the history. As the only store in town it’s the official “third place” - a location outside of home and work, open to all, where people can gather and socialize, fostering a sense of community and belonging. It is more than a place to buy things and collect the mail, it is a place to belong. People are drawn to it because it represents the dream of healthy small communities - a place where they can gather, resupply necessities, and share the important things in life. These social bonds make a stronger, more resilient town.

Yet, we believe we need to go one step further. In an age where we are prone to be more isolated than ever – where we can digitally work from home, ship everything, and stream all of our entertainment - we believe it is critical to create physical hubs for connection and support, not just to socialize, but to be our healthiest selves.
We imagine a place where community members can:

• Eat well together
• Encourage physical movement
• Create, play and unwind
• Co-work, share purpose, and support neighbors
• Be better stewards of the planet

These are the 5 pillars of our vision for the renovated Elmore Store - Healthy Food, Body, Mind, Community and Stewardship.

Elmore is a really small town, but it is incredibly rich in natural beauty, creative and open minded people who believe in the power of community, wellness and farm-to-table food.

The full renovation of the historic building is almost complete, and it is time to start building the team of farmers, cooks, artists, musicians, and practitioners that will help bring the vision to life on a daily basis. You can learn more about the project on our website elmorestorevt.com.

Job description

THE ELMORE STORE

Job Title: Cafe Lead Cook

Full-Time year-round, 40 hrs/wk, (lunch and early dinner, 11am-7pm), compensation range $23-26 DOE plus benefits

Reports To: Store owners Tim & Rebecca Lindenmeyr

The Elmore Store Cafe is a new feature of the expanded space and will be a vibrant, community-focused, farm-to-table cafe, known for its high-quality casual entrees, to be enjoyed either as grab-n-go or in-person waterfront dining (16 seats). We will offer delicious baked goods and espresso, sandwiches, soups, salads, charcuterie boards, pizzas and delightful ice cream treats. We will serve beer and wine in the cafe for guests to enjoy with their meals, and will host monthly outdoor concerts with grilled food. The brand new kitchen is open format so providing exceptional customer service in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere is a priority.

Position Overview: We're looking for a skilled and enthusiastic Lead Cook with a passion for healthy farm-fresh food to join our team! You'll be responsible for overseeing the kitchen, supervising other kitchen staff, preparing delicious artisan pizzas (using Elmore Mountain Bread "grind yesterday, bake today" local sourdough crusts), fresh salads, soups, tasty sandwiches, casseroles and grab-n-go meals for our customers. Your focus will be on delivering high-quality food, made from seasonally fresh local ingredients, in a timely manner while maintaining a clean and organized work environment. You'll be a key player in ensuring our customers have a positive dining experience.

Responsibilities:

• Work with Store owners to prepare seasonal menus that utilize local ingredients (at least 30% local and much of it from neighboring farms through Farm Connex https://hardwickagriculture.org/, our local food hub)
• Work with Store owners to determine menu item pricing and calculate profitability of each recipe using ReciProfity software, connected with our ECRS POS and inventory software (https://www.ecrs.com/retail-pos/prepared-foods/)
• Work with the baker to develop baked goods menu and pricing and enter all items into Reciprofity.
• Coordinate with Baker to inventory all supplies and assemble supply orders weekly.
• Work with Store Buyer to transfer inventory from other departments as needed and then place supply orders that reduce food waste and ensure freshness.
• Prepare and cook a variety of pizzas according to our recipes and quality standards, ensuring proper crust preparation, topping application, and baking.
• Prep ingredients and assemble fresh and appealing soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees, following recipes and paying attention to detail, ensuring proper ingredient proportions and flavor combinations.
• Maintain a clean and organized workstation, adhering to all food safety and sanitation guidelines.
• Ensure all ingredients are fresh and properly stored.
• Operate kitchen equipment safely and efficiently, including ovens, slicers, and other tools.
• Follow all health and safety regulations for daily operations, and notify the Store operators / business owners if there are any kitchen facility issues that require attention in order to meet the VT Health Regulations for Food Service Establishments. Participate in facility health inspections.
• Manage 1-2 kitchen staff on the lunch / dinner service.
• Adhere to all store policies and procedures.
• Maintain a professional appearance and demeanor.

Teamwork and Communication:

• We ask all team members to be ‘Humble, Hungry, and People Smart’, meaning we value humility, self-motivation, self-awareness and empathy. Continually working to improve your performance in these virtues as they relate to your team is a requirement and part of our company culture.
• Work collaboratively with other team members to achieve store goals.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors and colleagues.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a cook, preferably in a cafe or similar fast-paced environment, with 2-3 years working as a line cook before being promoted to a lead cook.
• Culinary school experience preferred but apprenticeships, online degrees with hands-on internships, and restaurant experience with good references will be considered.
• Experience preparing farm-to-table foods including artisan pizzas, salads, soups and sandwiches is highly desirable.
• Ability to follow recipes and instructions accurately.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
• Ability to stand for extended periods.
• Flexibility to work various shifts, including weekends and holidays, as needed.

Certifications:

• If not already certified, the Lead Cook will go though food safety certification program
• Any employee who serves alcohol in the cafe must be 18 years or older, and attend an online server training program and obtain certification.
• All training and certifications listed above will be paid for by The Elmore Store.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline