Lead Cook - FT

Bring Exceptional Culinary Experiences to Life

The Fox Theatre is seeking an experienced and motivated Lead Cook to join our Culinary team.

This full-time, hands-on position plays an important role in producing memorable dining experiences for premium hospitality during shows, catered private events throughout the theatre, and concessions. From polished buffets and grazing displays to hand-passed hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and high-volume event service, you will help deliver consistently excellent food in one of Atlanta’s most iconic venues.

Reporting to the Sous Chef, the Lead Cook takes primary ownership of assigned culinary production areas, including hot food, cold food and garde manger, concessions, and desserts. This position is cross-trained to support multiple areas, leads the hot or cold side during event service, and provides shift direction and coaching to Prep Cooks.

What You Will Do

• Produce menu items for premium events, catering, and concessions using standardized recipes and production lists, often preparing items one to two days before service.
• Translate menus, guest counts, and production plans into quality products delivered accurately and on time.
• Lead the hot or cold side during event service, including reheating, frying, finishing, plating, and replenishing food and displays.
• Monitor and document holding temperatures and time-controlled food logs.
• Direct and coach Prep Cooks during assigned shifts.
• Lead station setup, breakdown, restocking, and deep cleaning.
• Assist with receiving, inventory, and first-in, first-out stock rotation.
• Record end-of-event product usage and guest counts.
• Follow all health, safety, sanitation, dietary, and allergen protocols when handling, storing, preparing, cooking, and serving food.
• Attend departmental meetings and pre-service team briefings, as directed.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the Culinary Department and the organization.

What You Bring

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Three to four years of production cooking experience in high-volume catering, banquets, hotels, or venue operations.
• Experience directing a small team of cooks during a shift.
• Current ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification at the time of hire.
• Strong production cooking skills across hot food, cold food, garde manger, and desserts.
• Intermediate to advanced knife and culinary skills.
• Working knowledge of food safety, labeling, cooling, temperature monitoring, and holding logs.
• Ability to turn guest counts and menus into production plans and complete them on time.
• Ability to lead a station during high-volume events and provide clear direction to Prep Cooks.
• Commitment to consistently following allergen and dietary procedures.
• Ability to work quickly and accurately while maintaining consistent quality.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with chefs, cooks, and front-of-house team members.
• Availability to work days, nights, weekends, and holidays based on the event schedule.

Preferred Qualifications

• Culinary degree or formal culinary training.
• Experience with buffets, grazing displays, attended stations, and hand-passed hors d’oeuvres for large groups.
• Garde manger, charcuterie, or cold-display experience.
• Pastry or dessert production experience.
• Experience producing, packaging, and labeling concessions or grab-and-go items.
• Experience in hotels, banquets, catering operations, theatres, arenas, convention centers, or other large venues.
• Experience training or coaching junior cooks.
• Experience with receiving, inventory counts, and first-in, first-out stock rotation.

What Success Looks Like

A successful Lead Cook approaches each event with a strong work ethic, professional integrity, and an active commitment to excellence. You can balance speed and accuracy in a high-volume kitchen, remain organized when priorities shift, and lead others calmly and respectfully during event service.

You understand that exceptional hospitality begins behind the scenes. Whether preparing food for a premium guest experience, a private catered event, or concessions service, you take pride in delivering quality products on time, every time.

You will also serve as a role model for internal and external service-focused behaviors that support the Fox Theatre’s mission, vision, and guest-experience culture.

Work Environment and Schedule

Work is performed in multiple kitchens and event spaces throughout a large, multilevel historic building. The role requires regularly moving food, supplies, and equipment between floors and venue spaces. Scheduling follows the event calendar and includes days, nights, weekends, and holidays.

The kitchen environment is fast-paced and may include exposure to heat, humidity, open flames, fryers, steam, moving equipment, sharp tools, noise, fumes, and changing temperatures. This position requires sustained attention, coordination, and accuracy while managing multiple demands and production deadlines.

Physical Requirements

The Lead Cook must be able to:

• Stand and walk for the full length of a shift, often eight or more hours.
• Lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds, including loaded sheet pans, hotel pans, and carts.
• Bend, stoop, reach, and climb stairs frequently.
• Move food, equipment, and supplies throughout a large, multilevel building.
• Use hands and wrists repetitively for knife work and food production.
• Work safely in hot, humid, and fast-paced kitchen conditions around open flames, fryers, steam, and sharp tools.
• See, hear, taste, and smell sufficiently to evaluate food quality, temperature, and safety.

Special Requirements

Candidates must be able to:

• Must be able to successfully pass a post-offer, pre-employment background check.
• Maintain a current ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification.
• Work an open and flexible schedule, seven days a week, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Work respectfully and efficiently in a high-volume, fast-paced, and quality-driven environment.
• Follow all Fox Theatre and applicable local and state culinary safety and sanitation policies and procedures.
• Follow dietary and allergen procedures and refer every guest allergy question to the chef in charge.
• Maintain high standards of personal hygiene at all times.