Posted by u/kitchen_short_again
Cannot find good line cooks, what actually works?
Answered by Ask a Shop Owner ·
Third year of a labor crunch. Cannot keep a line. What are other operators doing?
u/askashopowner Owner-operator advisor
Top answer
Pay top of market plus a real schedule. Line cooks leave for schedule as much as pay. Guarantee 30+ hours, no last-minute cuts, and one back-to-back weekend day off per month. That guarantee alone gets you interviews the competition does not get.
Post the job where cooks actually look: Poached, Culinary Agents, and staff referrals with a $500 to $1,000 bonus at 90 days. Indeed is a graveyard for kitchen hiring in most markets.
Grow your own. Promote a dishwasher every 12 months. Line cooks who came up through your kitchen stay 3x longer than lateral hires.
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