Cook - Residence Dining

Hours per Week: 40

Hourly Rate: $20.22 (As of July 1, 2025)

Please note, this position is a full-time sessional opportunity working from September to April each year. There are multiple vacancies available.

Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference.

Hospitality Services consists of five distinct divisions - Campus Eateries, Residence Dining, Catering, Conference Services and Vending Services. We have over 600 employees working in the various divisions. We service over 23,000 customers per day in 20 campus operations providing our guests with a wide variety of options and choices including many of your favourite franchises.

The Cook - Residence Dining employee will prepare high quality food in a productive and profitable customer driven environment. The role prepares and produces breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items with great attention to colour, appeal, texture, quality and presentation; and prepares foods to order in the presence of customers (interactive cooking). The Cook - Residence Dining employee also follows production schedules, ensuring that sufficient quantities are prepared to meet customer demands. Other duties may include taking inventory, cleaning equipment, serving prepared foods to customers and resolving immediate customer concerns.

Education:

• Completion of Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent
• Completion of a culinary program or courses in culinary arts preferred

Experience:

• 1 year of cooking experience in a commercial or institutional environment
• Experience in a large volume operation preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Exceptional customer service skills with a positive, professional attitude and genuine customer service orientation
• Ability to perform duties in a professional and safe manner, adhering to WHMIS, HACCP and food safety practices
• Ability to work well under pressure and handle multiple conflicting priorities in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions
• Ability to perform physically demanding work and physically capable of prolonged standing, pushing, pulling, lifting and carrying up to 20kg and movement of equipment as required
• Strong oral and written communication skills with an ability to comprehend verbal and written instructions, including recipes
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and take initiative and follow through on work assignments
• Natural inclination to respond courteously to instruction, questions and comments
• Ability to establish and build healthy working relationships and partnerships with customers, peers and supervisors
• Demonstrated dependability and cooperative nature
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Basic mathematical skills with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
• Basic computer skills and the ability to learn new software
• Demonstrated ability to safely operate kitchen equipment and practice safe knife skills
• Strong time management skills to ensure an efficient and timely meal service
• Ability to ensure sufficient back-up food is prepared to meet the demands of the entire meal service
• Ability to complete food preparation for the following day's meal service
• Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate effectively and courteously with fellow members and customers
• Knowledge of culinary techniques including demonstrated safe and efficient knife skills
• Ability to handle repetitive tasks required in a large volume operation including chopping, cooking and serving at saute stations
• Ability to work all shifts, including early mornings, late nights, weekends and holidays
• Must be 18 years old to serve alcohol and be smart serve certified
• To perform driving functions, must hold a Valid Class 'G' drivers license

Western welcomes applications from all qualified individuals; however, it is the university's policy to give first consideration to qualified CUPE 2692 applicants.

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.