Title: Line Cook

State Role Title: Food Services Technician I

Hiring Range: $17.00 per hour

Pay Band: 1

Agency: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Agency Website:

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Department: Food Services

About Virginia Museum of Fine Arts:

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond is one of the largest comprehensive art museums in the United States. VMFA’s growing encyclopedic collection houses more than 50,000 works of art spanning 6,000 years of world history.

Our holdings include the largest public collection of Fabergé outside of Russia, the finest collection of Art Nouveau outside of Paris and one of the nation’s finest collections of American art. VMFA is also home to important collections of Chinese art, English silver, French Impressionism, Postimpressionism, British sporting art, and modern and contemporary art, as well as renowned South Asian, Himalayan, and African art.

Recently named the 11th-best art museum in the United States by The Washington Post, VMFA is the only US art museum open 365 days a year with free general admission.

VMFA is a state-supported, privately endowed educational institution created for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret art, to encourage the study of the arts, and thus to enrich the lives of all.

About Food Services Department:

At the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), we create unique dining experiences.

Best Café, located off the Cochrane Atrium, is a spacious, light-filled café offering casual fare with local flavors. The menu includes seasonal, exhibition-inspired rotating selections including sandwiches, soups, salads, pizza and more.

Our Special Events department hosts a variety of events, including wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate receptions, holiday parties, and non-profit events. We can accommodate up to 2500 guests throughout the entire museum.

The Best Café & Special Events Culinary Team is relentlessly passionate about their work. Our dedicated culinary professionals bear witness and make possible some of the best days ever for our guests.

“…people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Why Join the VMFA Culinary Team?

Flexible Scheduling

The team works to provide reasonable and advanced-scheduling notice to staff within the agreed upon availability. We are open 365 days a year, therefore there are a variety of shifts to work.

Team-centric

Work with people whose talents shine not only at work but also beyond work hours. Many of our staff are creatives who find an ease in serving others, have an eye for the details, and enjoy the flexibility this position offers.

Mission-Driven

Revenue from Best Café, Special Events and other Enterprise operations directly supports museum operations. VMFA is the only art museum in the United States open 365 days a year with free general admission. Our purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret art and to encourage the study of the arts.

Professional Environment

Professionalism is a key tenet in our workplace. We treat each other no less than how we treat our guests. Come create career-supportive relationships with some of the best service professionals in the industry. Learn and grow with us.

General Information:

We are currently seeking applications for skilled service professionals who are team-centric and positively energetic individuals to join our Food Services Department as a Line Cook.

Here is how the Line Cook accomplishes this as part of a team:

• Prepare food to the executive chef’s specifications as well as assisting kitchen staff with daily tasks

• Working independently to help support the Best Café and Special Events kitchen teams with prep and line cook duties, as instructed by the chefs

• Cooking menu items in cooperation with the rest of the kitchen staff as well as making sure menu items are served in a timely manner

• Supporting chefs and kitchen staff with projects, inventories, deliveries, kitchen maintenance and cleanings

• Working to maintain a clean, sanitary and safe working environment

• Reporting accidents, issues or policy violations to kitchen leadership

• Supporting the museum’s commitment to provide quality customer service and quality products to our visitors and guests

• Flexibility to move from working on Best Café and Special Events menu preparations to helping prepare other foods or undertaking other kitchen tasks, as needed

• Helping prepare foods for Amuse and Floris when directed

Minimum Qualifications:

• Food service experience in BOH/kitchen

• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions and comprehend complex recipes

• Strong communication skills (written/reading/verbal); ability to take feedback well

• Ability to use weights, measures and comprehend recipes

• Knowledge of basic knife skills, chopping, and sautéing, grilling and food prep.

• Understanding of various cooking methods, ingredients, equipment and procedures.

• Ability to handle fast paced, high volume situations in a kitchen

• Good knife skills and knowledge about kitchen equipment

• Ability to independently solve routine problems

• Flexible availability that includes weekends, evenings and holidays

• Ability to work as part of a team; flexible when given different assignments and directions

• Ability to lift or move up to 50 lbs; stand or walk up to 10 hours

• Ability to bend, point, stand, twist, climb, and have dexterity of fingers

• Motivated with strong work ethic; self-starter

Additional Considerations:

• Has familiarity with a wide range of global cuisine and embraces creating multicultural offerings

• Experience with seasonal menus and farm to table ethos

• Experience working with professional kitchen equipment

• Prior line or prep cook experience in a fast-paced, commercial kitchen or events setting

• ServSafe Food Handler Certification or equivalent

• Knowledge and experience with menu preparation and implementation

• Culinary degree

• Pastry experience

Special Instructions:

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

All applicants must submit an online application. This position will close at 11:55 pm on the designated closing date listed at the top of this posting on Jobs.Virginia.gov.

VMFA is a Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Certified Employer. Diverse and inclusive hiring practices are at the heart of what we do at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Contact Information

Name: HR Services

Phone: For the most up-to-date status of your application, please refer to your Jobs.Virginia.Gov account. We do not provide application status updates via phone.

Email: recruitment@vmfa.museum for recruitment related questions.

Emailed applications, resumes, or cover letters will not be accepted. For the most up-to-date status of your application, please refer to your Jobs.Virginia.Gov account.

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.