Lead Cook

Lead Cook — Daytime Café Kitchen necessary & sufficient coffee® | Printers Row, Chicago Full-time | $22–$24/hour Typical schedule: Friday-Tuesday | NO LATE NIGHTS Ready for your first real kitchen leadership role? necessary & sufficient coffee® is an independently owned, woman-owned Chicago café built around seasonal food, sustainability and craft. We’re hiring a hands-on Lead Cook for our small breakfast-and-lunch kitchen in Printers Row. This is a terrific next step for a strong professional cook who is ready for more responsibility, creative input and leadership experience. You’ll cook every day, help guide prep and service, support a small kitchen team and gradually build the operational skills required to run a successful kitchen. You do not need to arrive as a finished chef-manager. You do need strong cooking fundamentals, dependable follow-through and a genuine desire to learn. What You’ll Own from Day OneCook and help lead daily prep, production and service Organize prep lists, recipes and stations Maintain consistent food quality, timing and presentation Follow and reinforce food-safety and cleanliness standards Train and support kitchen teammates Help execute catering and grab-and-go production What You’ll Learn and Grow IntoWorking with ownership and operations leadership, you’ll deepen your skills in: Inventory, ordering, pars and waste Recipe writing and food costing Seasonal menu development Kitchen documentation and systems Catering planning and execution Leading a small kitchen operation What You BringProfessional kitchen experience and strong prep, knife and cooking skills Dependable attendance and punctuality A calm, organized approach during busy service Clear, respectful communication An interest in food costing, ordering and kitchen leadership Availability for the posted schedule Illinois food-safety manager certification, or willingness to obtain it within (30/60) days