Catering Cook - Lead

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Full Time Manual Labor Location, Mesa, AZ, US

4 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $22.00 To $22.00 Hourly

Arizona Athletic Grounds
- Mesa, AZ

Full-Time | Hourly, Non-Exempt

Arizona Athletic Grounds (AAG) in Mesa, AZ is one of the nation’s largest youth sports and event facilities, featuring multiple fields, courts, stadiums, and performance facilities. As part of the Food & Beverage team, you’ll help plan, prepare, and deliver high-quality catered food for team and athlete meals, VIP and hospitality suites, corporate functions, banquets, tournaments, and private events tied to professional soccer, top-tier basketball & volleyball, professional boxing, MMA, baseball, softball, national pickleball competitions, cheer and gymnastics showcases, special events, markets and more.

The Catering Cook
- Lead is a full-time, hands-on culinary role responsible for the planning, preparation, and execution of catered food for events of all sizes across AAG’s 275+ acre complex. Reporting to the Kitchen Manager, this individual will produce large-batch menu items, maintain consistent food quality and presentation, and ensure all food is prepared, held, transported, and served safely. The role also supports menu planning, ingredient ordering, inventory management, waste control, and food-cost management.

The ideal candidate is an experienced catering or banquet cook who thrives in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment and takes pride in food safety, organization, and presentation. All AAG employees make our guests & athletes feel welcome, and support teammates to ensure all areas of AAG Food & Beverage, grounds, and equipment are cared for to help ensure a safe and exceptional experience.

• Prepare, cook, and portion large-batch menu items for catered events ranging from small meetings to events serving several hundred guests.
• Plan and execute menus for events of varying sizes and service styles, including buffet, boxed meals, & grab-and-go, while maintaining consistent food quality, portioning, and presentation.
• Review banquet event orders (BEOs), catering orders, and production sheets to determine quantities, prep timelines, equipment, and staffing needs.
• Follow and help develop standardized recipes, portion guides, and presentation standards; accurately scale recipes to guest counts.
• Coordinate with the Kitchen Manager, Food & Beverage, and Events teams to confirm guest counts, menus, dietary requests, service times, and setup requirements.
• Set up, display, replenish, and break down buffet lines, chafing stations, hot/cold holding equipment, and food displays at event locations.
• Adapt quickly to last-minute changes in guest counts, menus, or timing while maintaining service standards.
• Ensure all food is cooked, cooled, held, and reheated to required temperatures in accordance with Maricopa County & FDA Food Code standards, and maintain inspection readiness at all times.
• Monitor and document temperature logs for receiving, cooking, cooling, hot/cold holding, and transport.
• Follow allergen-handling protocols, including ingredient separation, cross-contact prevention, labeling, and clear communication of allergen and dietary information for special-diet meals.
• Package, label, and safely transport food and equipment to event locations using insulated carriers, hot boxes, and carts or vehicles, maintaining temperature control and food integrity from kitchen to service.
• Label, date, store, and rotate products using first-in, first-out (FIFO) practices.
• Maintain a clean, sanitized, and organized kitchen, prep, storage, and…