Galley Cook

Located on a compact but scenic waterfront campus in Vallejo, California, California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) is a unique and specialized campus of the 23-campus California State University system. Serving nearly 1,000 students, we are one of only seven degree-granting maritime academies in the United States — and the only one on the West Coast.

A key part of the campus experience is the annual training cruise aboard our 500-foot Training Ship Golden Bear. She serves as a floating classroom/laboratory where classroom concepts in marine transportation, engineering and technology are practiced and applied.

The positions being filled will require personnel to work aboard and sail on the TSGB for at least one of two training cruises. Merchant Mariner’s Credentials, TWIC and Passport are required and employer can provide required training for credentials with related expenses paid.

The Sr. Cook will accurately and efficiently prepare, portion, cook, and present a variety of hot and/or cold food items for various meal periods: to include Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Special/Catered Events. The general responsibilities of the position include those listed below, but Sodexo may identify other responsibilities of the position. These responsibilities may differ among accounts, depending on business necessities and client requirements.

General Responsibilities:

• May prepare food and serve customers at an a la carte station.
• Prepares foods by operating a variety of kitchen equipment to measure and mix ingredients, washing, peeling, cutting and shredding fruits and vegetables, and trimming and cutting meat, poultry or fish for culinary use.
• Provides the highest quality of service to customers at all times.
• Tastes products, reads menus, estimates food requirements, check production, and keep records in order to accurately plan production requirements and requisition supplies and equipment.
• May clean and sanitize work stations and equipment and must follow all Sodexo, client and regulatory rules and procedures.
• Attends all allergy and foodborne illness in-service training.
• Complies with all Sodexo HACCP policies and procedures.
• Reports all accidents and injuries in a timely manner.
• Complies with all company safety and risk management policies and procedures.
• Participates in regular safety meetings, safety training and hazard assessments.  
• Attends training programs (classroom and virtual) as designated.
• Produces small to large batch goods using advanced and full range of classical and contemporary cooking, plating and garnishing techniques.
• Follows complex recipes and/or product directions for preparing, seasoning, cooking, tasting, carving and serving soups, meats, vegetables, desserts and other foodstuffs for consumption in eating establishments.
• May assist with the supervision of kitchen personnel.
• Selects recipes per menu cycle, prepares bakery items, receives inventory, moves and lifts foodstuffs and supplies and prepares meals for customers requiring special diets.
• Serves as a lead cook guiding and assisting in the training of less experienced cooks.
• Under minimal supervision, independently performs advanced cooking duties in preparing food items to be served to customers.
• Advanced knife skills required.
• May have oversight over the production staff and assign tasks.
• May use production software to enter pre- and post-production data software.
• May take inventory, and/or enter inventory into the production.
• May perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Willingness to be open to learning and growing.
• Maturity of judgment and behavior.
• Maintains high standards for work areas and appearance.
• Maintains a positive attitude.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule helpful.
• Must comply with any dress code requirements.
• Must be able to work nights, weekends and some holidays.
• Attends work and shows up for scheduled shift on time with satisfactory regularity.

Experience/Knowledge:

• High School diploma, GED or equivalent.
• 4 or more years of related work experience.
• Knowledge of basic operation of equipment and cash-handling procedures preferred.

Skills/Aptitude:

• Presents self in a highly professional manner to others and understands that honesty and ethics are essential.
• Ability to maintain a positive attitude.
• Ability to communicate with co-workers and other departments with professionalism and respect.
• Maintains a professional relationship with all coworkers, vendor representatives, supervisors, managers, customers, and client representatives.
• Ability to use a computer.
• Requires complete knowledge of kitchen equipment.
• Must be able to read and follow a recipe unsupervised
• Involved with the more complex requirements of the position.
• Applies advanced cooking skills.
• Adapts procedures, processes, tools, equipment and techniques to meet the requirements of the position.
• Substantial working knowledge of food preparation.

Physical Requirements:

• Close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus, with or without corrective lenses.
• Significant walking or other means of mobility.
• Ability to work in a standing position for long periods of time (up to 8 hours).
• Ability to reach, bend, stoop, push and/or pull, and frequently lift up to 35 pounds and occasionally lift/move 40 pounds.

Working Conditions:

(may add additional conditions specific to defined work location)

• Generally in an indoor setting; however, may supervise outside activities and events.
• Varying schedule to include evenings, holidays, weekends and extended hours as business dictates.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is primarily in a controlled, temperate environment; however, may be exposed to heat/cold during support of outside activities.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.