About this role
Cascade Fleet Wash is a truck and fleet washing operation on the edge of Acton Vale, and we run a small kitchen that feeds our wash crews, drivers and walk-in customers through the day. We are looking for a head chef to take charge of that kitchen: the menu, the ordering, the prep and the line.
The day starts early with prep before the first crews come through, then service runs across breakfast and lunch with a steady stream of plates and takeaway orders. You will cook on the line yourself, keep the walk-in and dry storage in order, and see that the kitchen is clean and shut down properly at the end of the shift.
What you'll be doing
- Menu planning. Set a short rotating menu of breakfast and lunch plates that suits the crews and can be executed quickly at volume.
- Line cooking. Work the grill and fryer through service, cooking to order and keeping ticket times short during the morning rush.
- Prep and ordering. Break down deliveries, portion and store food safely, and place orders so the kitchen does not run short.
- Kitchen upkeep. Keep stations, surfaces and equipment clean through the shift and complete the closing clean-down each day.
What they're asking for
- Food safety certification. Hold a current food handler certificate recognized in Quebec, or be able to obtain one before starting.
- Kitchen experience. Demonstrated cooking experience in a commercial kitchen; this is a lead role and you will be running the kitchen.
- Language. Working French or English for orders and records; the crews and suppliers are mixed.
- Physical fitness. Able to stand for a full shift and lift and carry stock and supplies up to 20 kg.
What the employer offers
- Meals. One meal per shift is provided at no cost.
- Uniform. Aprons and kitchen shirts are supplied and laundered on site.
- Vacation. Two weeks of paid vacation after the first year, plus statutory holidays under Quebec labour standards.
About cook work in Canada
What the work is
Cooks prepare food to order in restaurants, hotels, catering kitchens and care homes. A line cook runs one station during service; a prep cook handles volume ahead of it. Hours are typically split shifts, evenings and weekends, and the work is hot, fast and spent on your feet.
What employers usually ask for
Provincial food safety certification — often called Food Handler or FOODSAFE — plus demonstrable kitchen experience. Employers look for knife skills, the ability to hold a station under pressure during a rush, and enough English or French to read tickets and call orders across a kitchen.
If you are applying from outside Canada
Canadian kitchens weigh experience far more heavily than credentials, so a clear account of what you cooked and where matters more than a diploma. Red Seal certification exists for cooks and is portable between provinces, but it is not required to be hired. Food safety certificates are inexpensive and quick to obtain once you arrive.