How to hire a pantry chef

How to hire a pantry chef, step by step

Here's a step-by-step pantry chef hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a pantry chef job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new pantry chef
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a pantry chef job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your pantry chef job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a pantry chef for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A pantry chef's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, pantry chefs from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of pantry chef salaries for various roles:

   Type of Pantry Chef	Description	Hourly rate
   Pantry Chef	Chefs and head cooks oversee the daily food preparation at restaurants and other places where food is served. They direct kitchen staff and handle any food-related concerns.	$10-22
   Line Cook, Prep Cook	A line cook/prep cook is responsible for assisting with food preparations, ensuring that all ingredients are readily available and stored safely. Line cook/prep cook tasks also include reviewing and updating menus to keep the customers' patronization... Show more	$12-19
   Head Cook	A head cook is responsible for organizing the food preparation, organizing the kitchen operations, and ensuring the quality of the food presented. Head cooks' duties include monitoring the food inventory, creating new recipes, researching current market trends, responding to guests' inquiries and complaints, distributing kitchen tasks to the staff, and maintaining budget goals while maintaining the highest food quality... Show more	$15-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Salad Dressings
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Fine Dining
   • Food Preparation
   • Dishwashers
   • Dinner Service
   • Cold Sandwiches
   • Cuisine
   • Food Quality
   • Steamers
   • Safety Standards
   • Quality Standards
   • Cold Appetizers
   • Prep Station

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Integrate key culinary leaders into casino and food and beverage operations, achieving positive results and industry awards.
   • Table decorating, garnishing meals and platters.
   • Use FIFO method of product freshness and storage.
   • Prepare all types of foods, soups and salads for buffets.
   • Store all items properly, rotating to ensure adherents to FIFO rule.
   • Prepare for evening buffets as requested as well as setting up food displays.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your pantry chef job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A pantry chef salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, pantry chefs' average salary in idaho is 60% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level pantry chefs earn 55% less than senior-level pantry chefs.
   • Certifications. A pantry chef with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a pantry chef's salary.

   Average pantry chef salary

   $15.27hourly

   $31,766 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level pantry chef salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a pantry chef job description

   A pantry chef job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a pantry chef job description:

   Pantry chef job description example

   Understands and responds to internal guests needs. Communicates in a friendly, respectful and understandable manner. Politely gives consistent, timely and accurate information and finds answer when unsure. Uses outlined service behaviors when encountering guests. Meets expected service delivery times as defined by department's service standards or as required by receiver of service or goods. Is a team player, cooperates with employees within the department as well as other departments. Speaks positively about the company, co-workers and guests.
   
   Prepares fruits and vegetables for serving, by washing, peeling, cutting and placing all items in their respective refrigerators for future use. Prepares a variety of cold meats, such as cracking or removing the shell from seafood, slicing cold cuts for serving, and breading fish or frog legs. Prepares various cold menu items and garnishes accordingly. Responsible for the efficient and economical utilization of all products and by-products to facilitate alower food cost.
   EDUCATION/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:
   
   Open/Ability to operate small kitchen equipment such as mixers, slicers and cutters. Previous pantry training and experience necessary.
   
   DISCLAIMER:
   
   "This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, effort or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technical developments)."
   
   At Caesars Entertainment, Inc., our Team Members create the extraordinary. We are the largest casino-entertainment company in the U.S. and one of the world's most diversified casino-entertainment providers. Since beginning in Reno, Nevada, in 1937, Caesars Entertainment has grown through the development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions. Our resorts operate primarily under the Caesars , Harrah's , Horseshoe and Eldorado brand names. We focus on building loyalty and value with our guests through a combination of impeccable service, operational excellence and technological leadership. The company is committed to its Team Members, suppliers, communities and the environment through its PEOPLE PLANET PLAY framework.
   
   Our Caesars family is driven by our Mission, Vision and Values. We take great pride in living these values - Together We Win, All In On Service and Blaze the Trail - every day. Our mission, "Create the Extraordinary". Our vision, "Create spectacular worlds. That immerse, inspire and connect you. We don't perform magic; we create it with excellence. #WeAreCaesars". If you are ready to create some magic, we invite you to explore our dynamic, yet unique, career opportunities.
   
   full time

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right pantry chef for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your pantry chef job on Zippia to find and recruit pantry chef candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit pantry chefs, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new pantry chef

   Once you have selected a candidate for the pantry chef position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new pantry chef. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a pantry chef?