THE MILL RESTAURANT INC.
Cook – Job Description
Location: The Mill Restaurant Inc., Tillsonburg, Ontario
Position: Cook
Reports To: Kitchen Manager / Management Team
Hours: Approximately 35 hours per week, primarily evenings with other shifts as required
Compensation: Based on experience
About The Mill
The Mill Restaurant Inc. is a locally rooted, full-service restaurant focused on good food, great service, and fair prices. We take pride in serving fresh, quality food in a welcoming environment and supporting our local community whenever possible.
Our kitchen is built around teamwork, consistency, cleanliness, and pride in every plate that leaves the line. At The Mill, the kitchen and front-of-house are one team. Respect, communication, reliability, and helping each other are essential parts of the job.
Position Summary
The Cook is responsible for preparing and cooking menu items to The Mill’s recipes, standards, and presentation expectations while maintaining a clean, safe, organized, and efficient kitchen.
This is a hands-on position in a busy full-service restaurant. The successful candidate must be comfortable working under pressure, managing multiple orders, communicating with other kitchen and service staff, and maintaining quality and consistency throughout every service.
Our cooks are expected to take ownership of their stations and contribute wherever help is needed. No job is beneath any member of The Mill team.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare and cook menu items according to The Mill’s recipes, specifications, portion standards, and presentation requirements.
- Maintain consistent food quality, freshness, temperature, portion size, and appearance.
- Properly set up and maintain assigned stations before, during, and after service.
- Work efficiently during busy breakfast, lunch, dinner, weekend, and special-event services as scheduled.
- Complete required food preparation accurately and on time.
- Communicate clearly with fellow cooks, kitchen management, servers, hosts, bartenders, and other members of the team.
- Work cooperatively with the front-of-house to ensure orders are prepared correctly and delivered to guests in a timely manner.
- Assist other stations when required, particularly during peak periods.
- Follow proper food handling, sanitation, temperature-control, and food-safety procedures at all times.
- Properly label, date, rotate, and store food using FIFO principles.
- Minimize food waste through proper preparation, portioning, storage, and communication with management.
- Notify management of low inventory, product-quality concerns, equipment problems, shortages, or other kitchen issues.
- Receive, store, and organize products properly when required.
- Maintain a clean and organized workstation throughout the entire shift — not only at closing.
- Participate in opening, shift-change, cleaning, and closing duties.
- Properly clean and maintain kitchen equipment, work surfaces, coolers, storage areas, floors, and other assigned areas.
- Assist with dishes, garbage, cleaning, prep, receiving, or other kitchen responsibilities when necessary.
- Follow all health and safety requirements and The Mill Restaurant Inc. policies and procedures.
- Complete any other reasonable duties assigned by management.
Food Quality & Consistency
Every plate represents The Mill.
Cooks are expected to follow established recipes and specifications rather than changing ingredients, portions, cooking methods, or presentation without approval.
Food should be prepared with care and pride whether the restaurant is serving one table or a full dining room. Speed is important, but quality, cleanliness, food safety, and consistency cannot be sacrificed for speed.
Teamwork & Workplace Conduct
The relationship between the kitchen and service team is extremely important to the success of The Mill.
All cooks are expected to:
- Treat coworkers and guests with respect.
- Communicate professionally, even during stressful or busy periods.
- Help teammates when they are falling behind.
- Accept direction and constructive feedback professionally.
- Bring concerns to management rather than allowing conflicts to interfere with service.
- Maintain a positive and harassment-free workplace.
- Avoid yelling, abusive language, bullying, intimidation, or disrespectful behaviour.
- Take responsibility for mistakes and work with the team to correct them.
- Maintain a professional attitude and appearance while at work.
We expect our staff to work with each other, not against each other.
Attendance & Reliability
The kitchen depends on every scheduled employee being present and ready to work.
Cooks are expected to arrive on time, in proper work attire, and prepared to begin their shift as scheduled. Employees must follow company procedures regarding lateness, illness, missed shifts, and shift changes.
Reliability and communication are essential responsibilities of this position.
Cleanliness & Food Safety
A clean kitchen is everyone’s responsibility.
Cooks must maintain high standards of personal hygiene, handwashing, food storage, cross-contamination prevention, temperature control, equipment safety, and general sanitation.
Cleaning is part of the cook’s position and is expected throughout the shift.
Qualifications & Skills
The ideal candidate will have:
- Previous restaurant or commercial kitchen experience preferred.
- Experience with grill, sauté, fryer, oven, prep, or other line-cooking stations.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Ability to work quickly without sacrificing quality.
- Good communication skills.
- Understanding of basic food safety and sanitation.
- Ability to follow recipes and instructions consistently.
- Ability to remain calm and productive during busy service periods.
- Dependability and punctuality.
- Willingness to learn and accept coaching.
- A strong team attitude.
- Pride in preparing quality food for our guests.
Physical Requirements
The position requires the ability to stand and work for extended periods, bend, reach, lift and carry kitchen supplies and equipment, and work safely around hot equipment, sharp utensils, steam, water, and other normal commercial-kitchen conditions.
The employee should be capable of lifting up to approximately 50 lbs when required.
What We Expect From Every Mill Cook
We are looking for people who understand that working in a restaurant is a team effort.
Come to work ready to work.
Take pride in your station.
Keep your area clean.
Respect the food.
Respect your coworkers.
Help when help is needed.
Take care of our guests.
At The Mill, we want to provide our community with good food, great service, and fair prices while creating a workplace where people can be proud of the work they do.
Pay: $17.60-$25.00 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
