At a Glance Hands-on commercial meal-production and packout position Friday preparation, Saturday cooking, and Sunday packout Gram-based portioning, batch records, labeling, QC, and sanitation Paid 3-4-hour working trial Small, chef-led production team Not initially a menu-development or management position About Gus & Grace Meals Gus & Grace Meals is a chef-driven prepared-meal company creating globally inspired meals for local delivery and nationwide shipping. We are building a disciplined production kitchen where food safety, consistency, accurate portions, organized systems, and premium presentation matter equally. We are seeking an experienced and dependable production cook who enjoys structured work, repeatable standards, and producing the same approved meal correctly every time. Position Summary The Production Cook / Meal Prep & Packout Technician helps execute the complete weekly meal-production cycle using standardized recipes, production sheets, build cards, gram-based portions, packaging specifications, and checklists. This is a hands-on execution position. It is not initially a head-chef, kitchen-management, or menu-development role. Suggestions are welcomed through the proper review process, but production specifications remain locked unless an authorized change is issued. Weekly Production Schedule Friday — Preparation Ingredient receiving and organization Mise en place, cutting, measuring, marinades, and production setup Verification of ingredients, labels, containers, and production quantities Saturday — Cooking Batch cooking of proteins, grains, vegetables, sauces, and other components Recording batch yields, cooking temperatures, cooling information, and production variances Proper chilling, labeling, storage, and preparation for Sunday packout Sunday — Packout Gram-based portioning and meal assembly Sauce-cup placement, sealing, labeling, and final quality control Staging orders for local delivery and Monday nationwide shipping Production cleanup and station reset Typical weekly hours are approximately 12-20 hours across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Hours vary with production volume and are not guaranteed. Limited Monday shipping-support hours may occasionally be offered with advance notice. Primary Responsibilities Follow written recipes, production sheets, build cards, portion standards, and checklists Prepare and batch-cook components using approved ingredients, methods, times, and temperatures Weigh ingredients and finished portions accurately in grams Record batch yields, temperatures, cooling information, shortages, and discrepancies in real time Assemble meals according to the correct collection, protein, portion tier, and approved presentation Verify every container, portion, component, sauce, seal, date, and label before release Follow FIFO, allergen controls, raw and ready-to-eat separation, cooling, storage, and sanitation procedures Maintain a clean, organized, inspection-ready workstation Safely operate commercial production equipment, including ovens, griddles, rice cookers, immersion circulators, chilling equipment, meal sealers, scales, and probe thermometers Communicate shortages, unclear instructions, equipment problems, and food-safety concerns before they affect production Stage finished meals accurately for local delivery and nationwide shipping Production Standards Team members are expected to: Verify any unclear recipe, weight, label, or instruction before proceeding Follow approved recipes and portion specifications without unauthorized changes Report shortages rather than stretching portions or substituting ingredients Complete production records and checklists during the work—not afterward Protect food safety, product quality, and customer-order accuracy at every step Maintain professional confidentiality regarding nonpublic recipes, production systems, suppliers, pricing, and customer operations Obtain written approval before photographing, recording, or sharing nonpublic production materials Required Qualifications At least two years of professional commercial-kitchen experience Experience in meal prep, production cooking, catering, banquets, commissary production, institutional food service, or comparable high-volume work Experience following standardized recipes and completing repetitive production accurately Working knowledge of sanitation, FIFO, cross-contamination prevention, temperature control, and proper cooling Comfortable using scales, portion standards, labels, and written production records Reliable transportation to McDonough Consistent availability Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Ability to work on your feet for extended shifts and lift up to 40 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation Food-safety certification preferred; willingness to complete required training is expected Slip-resistant shoes and proper hair restraint are required; company apron and approved production tools are provided The Right Fit The strongest candidate: Arrives on time, prepared, and ready to work Values consistency, teamwork, and documented standards over personal improvisation Maintains accuracy while working at a productive pace Uses scales and checklists without resistance Keeps a clean and organized station Identifies and communicates problems early Responds professionally to coaching and correction Can work independently after training without bypassing established controls

Pay:

$19.00 - $24.00 per hour Expected hours: 12.0 - 20.0 per week Application Question(s): Can you work consistently on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday? Do you have reliable transportation to McDonough? Describe your professional kitchen and batch-production experience. What experience do you have with standardized recipes, gram scales, batch yields, temperature logs, or food labels? What would you do if the finished batch yield did not match the production sheet? Are you willing to complete a paid 3-4-hour working trial?

Work Location:

In person