What are the responsibilities and job description for the Summer 2026: Kitchen Lead position at Copper Mountain?
Job Title: Kitchen Lead
Job Status: Seasonal
Compensation and Benefits:
- Compensation: Proposed hiring rate of $27.08 , actual pay will be adjusted based on experience.
- Benefits: This is a seasonal position eligible for season pass for employees/dependents and privileges at several other resorts. Several discount programs (i.e. food & beverage, retail/rental, tickets, etc.) also available.
Job Summary:
Kitchen Leads will be responsible for preparing, seasoning, and cooking soups, meats, vegetables, desserts, and other food items according to Head Chef’s specifications, managing a specific department or station within the kitchen or dining outlet, managing food production at their assigned station while coordinating with kitchen staff on other stations, supervising the preparation and presentation of all dishes, supervising and training lower-level kitchen staff in food-handling practices, including proper rotation, sanitation of storage areas, and labeling/dating to ensure compliance with health and safety standards, assisting in the direction, training, and supervision of kitchen staff, assigning tasks to kitchen staff, scheduling kitchen staff according to business volume, and assisting with food ordering to maintain inventory levels and ensure availability of ingredients. May have to lift and carry up to seventy-five (75) pounds. May supervise up to six (6) employees, including Dishwashers, Cooks: Beginner, Cooks: Intermediate, and Cooks: Advanced.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Adheres to Copper Culinary Guidelines.
- Owns proper culinary tools
- Understands the importance of personal hygiene, safe food handling practices, and advanced culinary skills.
- Understands the importance of Standards, Speed, and Quality.
- Should have the ability to be responsible for a single department of an operation.
- This employee supports company philosophy, goals, and objectives.
- Preps and works assigned station quickly and cleanly.
- Follows prep sheets accurately and with a sense of urgency.
- Prepare food to the specifications of the Chef.
- Reads, understands, and follows recipes and standards.
- Takes responsibility for the product used in their outlet and manages it to assure a quality product.
- Responsible for and supervises lower level cooks in regards to food handling including: rotation, sanitation of all storage areas, labeling and dating, and insures all storage areas are maintained.
- Responsible for production on own station and co-ordinates with lower rated cooks on their stations (have a high level of kitchen awareness)
- Advises higher rated cooks and/or management of anticipated problems.
- Assists in the menu development process.
- Assist in the direction and supervision of staff.
- Assists in the creation, usage, and follow through of prep lists, cleaning lists and closing lists
- Assists in food ordering
- Demonstrate teamwork and co-operation with service staff.
- Completes any reasonable task assigned by supervisor.
- Takes direction from: Chefs, Sous Chefs, and outlet managers.
- Assists with overall restroom cleanliness and duties when needed
Other Duties as Assigned:
- This job description is an overview of the scope of responsibilities for this job and is not intended to be an inclusive list of job tasks and expectations. With the evolution of POWDR-Copper, the responsibilities of this position may change. The job must be prepared to accept new responsibilities and transfer others.
- Functions as an ambassador of Copper Mountain, modeling and sharing the Copper “culture” with our guests and employees. Upholds the most professional image. Continually strives to exceed our guest’s expectations and create memories for our guests and staff.
- This position is a seasonal position and may have fluctuations in hours worked based upon overall business volumes.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- Manage daily kitchen production, staffing levels and all staff communications during sous chef or chef’s absence.
- Manage daily labor model to business volumes
- May supervise up to six (6) employees, including Dishwashers, Cooks: Beginner, Cooks: Intermediate, and Cooks: Advanced.
Personal Attributes:
- Is honest and has the highest integrity
- Is able to handle and manage confidential information
- Professional appearance. Adheres to all grooming guidelines
- Follows established policies and procedures
- Is supportive of Core Values
- Sets the example for others and is above reproach
- Is comfortable to challenge established policies and procedures, but once established, is supportive of those rules.
- Is organized in tasks. Sees projects through to the finish. Has good follow-through and makes it a habit of getting back to people on issues.
- Can handle fast paced, potentially high-pressure environment
- Is flexible with hours and days of work
- Is able to work any hours of the day, any days of the week
- Prioritizes and re-prioritizes personal time and work, to have good balance in life
Basic Requirements:
- May have to lift and carry up to seventy-five (75) pounds.
- Standing or walking for up to six hours
- The senses of taste and smell are used frequently
- The use of hands and arms for periods of up to six hours
- Peripheral, color, and depth vision are essential.
- Must own non-slip shoes
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Possesses at least one (1) year of experience in a high-volume environment at a restaurant, resort, or private club.
Preferred Experience and Special Skills:
- Has strong abilities in all applicable cooking techniques and practices.
- Ability to read, writes, and speaks fluently in English.
- Ability to work all stations in an outlet, work off prep list and complete station set up in time allotted, fabricates items to standard during service and completes prep list for next service period.
- Has mastered knife skills.
- Must be able to expedite production line during service period.
- Have the ability to manage the outlet during the Chef's absence, supervise all stations and operate to standards.
- Understand, and practice all aspects of cost control.
- Should have the culinary ability to work shifts in any station in any outlet.
Salary : $27