Line Cook
A line cook job description for restaurants and food service — station prep, ticket execution, and food-safety standards on every shift.
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Built for: Restaurant
Overview
This Line Cook template is a restaurant recruiting job post for hiring cooks who can run a station, read tickets, prep ingredients, and keep service consistent. It is built for roles where speed, cleanliness, and repeatable execution matter more than broad kitchen generalities.
Use it when you need a posting that tells applicants exactly what the job involves: station ownership, food prep, cooking to spec, communication with the expo or chef, and end-of-shift cleanup. The template is also useful when you need to distinguish a true line cook role from a prep cook, kitchen helper, or dishwasher posting.
Do not use it as-is for executive chef, sous chef, or culinary management roles, because those jobs need leadership, ordering, scheduling, and menu oversight language. It is also not the right fit if the position is mostly prep-only, banquet-only, or utility support. The strongest version of this template keeps the requirements tied to essential functions, uses clear required skill vs preferred skill language, and includes a realistic salary range with the correct employment type and role level. That makes the posting easier for candidates to understand and easier for hiring teams to review.
Standards & compliance context
- Keep the description and requirements focused on essential functions to support ADA-compliant job documentation.
- Avoid bias words such as rockstar, ninja, or culture fit, which can weaken EEOC-friendly hiring language.
- Use skills-based criteria instead of years of experience as the only screen, which aligns better with OFCCP and inclusive posting practices.
- Include salary range details where local pay transparency laws require them, and make sure the range is realistic for the role and market.
- If the role is exempt or non-exempt for wage-and-hour purposes, confirm the classification before publishing the posting.
General regulatory context for orientation only — verify current requirements with counsel or the relevant agency before relying on this template for compliance.
How to use this template
- 1. Fill in {company_name}, {department}, employment type, role level, experience level, and salary range so the posting matches the actual kitchen opening.
- 2. Edit the description_template to name the station, shift, and service style, and keep the focus on what the cook will do during prep and service.
- 3. Replace the requirements_template with essential functions that a candidate must perform, such as standing through service, reading tickets, and handling kitchen equipment safely.
- 4. List 5 to 8 required skills and 3 to 5 preferred skills, separating must-haves from nice-to-haves so applicants can self-select accurately.
- 5. Review the final posting with the chef or hiring manager, then publish it to your ATS, careers page, and job boards with the same title_template and pay details.
Best practices
- Name the station or service area in the title or first sentence so candidates know whether the role is grill, sauté, fry, prep, or banquet focused.
- Write the requirements as essential functions, not personality traits, so the posting stays aligned with ADA documentation and clear job expectations.
- Keep required skills to the few that truly matter, such as knife handling, ticket reading, food safety, and consistent plating.
- Use preferred skills for experience with specific cuisines, equipment, or high-volume service instead of inflating the must-have list.
- Include the shift pattern, weekend expectations, and employment type so applicants do not misread the schedule.
- State the salary range clearly where pay transparency rules apply, and make sure the range matches the actual station and location.
- Mention cleanliness, stocking, and communication with the team as part of the role so the posting reflects real service conditions.
What this template typically catches
Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:
Common use cases
Related templates
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