Falmouth, MA

COOK
JOB DESCRIPTION

The role of the cook in any large group is, of course, a crucial one.  The work is demanding and the rewards are seldom great.  Nevertheless it is the cook who can make or break the morale, health, and general well-being of a group of people such as those who are at CLOC each summer.

The cook for CLOC is responsible for the feeding of 86 company members each day.  Breakfast is cold (juice, cereals, milk), lunches are of the soup and sandwich variety, and the evening meal is the big meal of the day.  The cook is also responsible for preparing the after-show snack for the company and arranging for having it put out.  It should be stressed that the company is a "meat and potatoes" one and the chef must cook accordingly.  This is a company of hard working college students who burn up many thousands of calories each and every day.

All food purchasing and menu planning is done by the cook with the approval of the Business Manager and within the budget of $20,000.  While most food is purchased from and delivered by wholesalers, it is usually necessary  to make trips several times a week to Falmouth for certain items.  Possession of a car is desirable, a license mandatory.

The modern and spacious kitchen at Bridgefields Hall, the main house of the company, is completely equipped with hotel style gas ovens and stoves.  There is abundant refrigeration and freezer space as well as abundant work space and sink areas.

The cook has two helpers who come in one half hour before lunch and dinner to help in preparation of salads, desserts, etc.  There is a Director of the Cooperative Work Program who supervises the dining room setup.  Food is served family style except at breakfast which is cafeteria.  The cook is not responsible for after-meal clean up except for his/her own work area.  In a typical day, the cook would set out breakfast at 8:15 a.m., prepare  shopping lists, future menus, deal with wholesalers and possibly make a buying trip to Falmouth.  Lunch preparation begins about 11:00.  After lunch (which is at 12:30 p.m.) the afternoon is free until time to prepare the evening meal (which is at 5:30 p.m.).  Evenings are free.  The cook is off one full 24-hour period each week and fills in for the Work Director on his/her day off.

We are looking for a person for this position with experience in co-op dorms and/or college food service work or other types of mass feeding.  Enthusiasm and a flare for low budget gourmet cooking are essential.  Common sense and a practical approach to problem solving and minor crisis along with a sense of humor are all valuable.  This is a very unique job experience in a very unique company of people.

The position pays room and board and a stipend.  Please call the number below or e-mail Bob.Haslun@Oberlin.edu for the amount of the stipend.  Employment dates for 2003 are June 3 (starting with dinner) through dinner August 23.