Experienced Line Cook – Join the Opening Team!

Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top | The Dale | Avondale Estates, Georgia

70 N Avondale Rd, Suite A100
Avondale Estates, GA 30002

Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top are coming to The Dale in Avondale Estates, and we're building a talented Back of House Opening Team to help bring our from-scratch kitchen and food program to life.

Ophelia Tavern will be a refined neighborhood gathering place serving Italian-inspired comfort food in a welcoming, no-fuss atmosphere. Our kitchen will focus on from-scratch cooking, with pizzas crisped in 600-degree ovens, fresh pastas tossed in scratch-made sauces, juicy house-ground burgers, thoughtfully prepared entrées and salads, and plenty of small plates made for sharing.

Located upstairs, Bar Top features a spacious covered rooftop patio overlooking the Town Green, a cozy indoor bar, fireplace, and private event space. Bar Top will offer classic cocktails, creative mocktails, local draft and bottled beers, curated wines, and a menu of light bites.

Together, Ophelia Tavern, Bar Top, and our private event space create a dynamic operation that requires a strong, organized, and dependable culinary team capable of supporting full-service dining, rooftop service, and special events.

We're looking for experienced Line Cooks with a strong foundation in from-scratch cooking who take pride in their craft, understand proper cooking techniques, and know how to execute consistently during a busy service. We're particularly interested in cooks who have experience working with fresh pasta, pasta cookery, sauces, high-temperature pizza ovens, sauté, grill, or other high-volume stations. Just as important is a willingness to learn, follow recipes and specifications, and become proficient across multiple stations.

Our strongest candidates will bring:

• Previous Line Cook experience in a high-volume, full-service restaurant
• Experience working in a from-scratch kitchen strongly preferred
• Pasta experience is a plus, including pasta cookery, sauces, and proper execution during service
• Pizza experience is a plus, particularly experience with high-temperature pizza ovens
• Experience working sauté, grill, pizza, fry, pantry, or multiple stations
• Strong understanding of basic cooking techniques rather than relying solely on pre-prepared products
• Experience preparing and working with fresh ingredients
• Ability to properly execute proteins, sauces, pastas, vegetables, and other components according to recipe specifications
• Strong knife skills and foundational culinary knowledge
• Ability to follow recipes, specifications, portioning, and plating standards
• Understanding of proper seasoning, cooking temperatures, timing, and presentation
• Ability to coordinate multiple items and tickets during high-volume service
• Ability to work quickly and accurately without sacrificing food quality
• Clean, organized, and efficient work habits
• Knowledge of proper food handling, sanitation, and temperature standards
• Ability and willingness to learn multiple stations
• Strong communication skills
• Dependable, punctual, and prepared for every shift
• Team-first mentality and willingness to support the entire kitchen
• Flexible availability, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and private events

As a Line Cook at Ophelia Tavern, you'll be responsible for consistently executing our menu while maintaining the quality, organization, and urgency required in a from-scratch kitchen.

Responsibilities include:

• Execute menu items using from-scratch cooking techniques according to Ophelia Tavern recipes and specifications
• Work assigned stations including pizza, pasta/sauté, grill, fry, pantry, or other areas as trained
• Properly prepare and execute fresh pasta dishes and scratch-made sauces
• Cook, sauce, finish, and plate pasta dishes according to recipe, portion, temperature, and presentation standards
• Prepare and execute pizzas in our 600-degree ovens, maintaining proper cook, texture, consistency, and presentation
• Properly execute proteins, vegetables, sauces, and other menu components using established culinary techniques
• Execute burgers, entrées, salads, appetizers, small plates, and other menu items according to company standards
• Taste and evaluate products for proper seasoning, consistency, temperature, and quality
• Follow established recipes, portion sizes, cooking techniques, and plating specifications
• Maintain proper ticket times while ensuring food quality and accuracy
• Coordinate with other stations so complete orders are prepared and ready together
• Complete all required station preparation before service
• Maintain appropriate prep and product levels throughout the shift
• Communicate low products, prep needs, shortages, or quality concerns to kitchen leadership
• Work closely with Prep Cooks and kitchen leadership regarding pasta, sauces, ingredients, and production needs
• Properly label, date, rotate, and store food
• Follow FIFO procedures
• Maintain proper food temperatures and follow all food safety procedures
• Minimize waste and properly handle restaurant products
• Maintain a clean, sanitized, and organized workstation throughout every shift
• Assist with receiving, stocking, and kitchen organization as needed
• Complete opening, running, and closing duties
• Assist other stations when necessary
• Support food production and execution for Bar Top, private events, and special functions as scheduled
• Follow all company policies, sanitation standards, and health department requirements

Scratch cooking requires more than following a ticket—it requires understanding the food you're preparing.

Our Line Cooks are expected to understand the importance of technique, timing, seasoning, temperature, consistency, and presentation. Whether you're working pasta, pizza, sauté, grill, fry, or pantry, every dish should be executed to the same standard regardless of who is working the station.

Our Line Cooks are expected to:

• Be completely prepared and station-ready before service
• Follow recipes and specifications every time
• Understand proper cooking techniques
• Taste and evaluate food for seasoning and quality
• Maintain consistency from the first plate of the shift to the last
• Understand the importance of timing when coordinating multiple stations
• Maintain a clean and organized workstation
• Communicate clearly with the rest of the line
• Work with urgency without sacrificing quality
• Respect ingredients and minimize waste
• Maintain proper food safety and sanitation standards
• Take ownership of their station
• Help teammates when needed
• Remain composed during high-volume service
• Take pride in every plate leaving the kitchen

While Ophelia Tavern will be our primary full-service dining operation, our kitchen will support the entire property. Located upstairs, Bar Top features a spacious covered rooftop patio overlooking the Town Green, a cozy indoor bar, fireplace, and private event space. Its food program will feature light bites designed to complement the rooftop bar experience. Our upstairs private event space will also allow us to host celebrations, corporate gatherings, social events, and other special occasions. BOH team members may assist with preparation and execution for Ophelia Tavern, Bar Top, private events, and special functions depending on business needs.

This creates an opportunity to gain experience beyond a traditional restaurant line while being part of one unified culinary team.

Our anticipated operating schedule is:

Monday – Friday: Approximately 4:00 PM until Close
Saturday & Sunday: Potentially 11:00 AM until Close
Tentative Closing Time: Approximately 10:00 PM

Kitchen shifts will begin before restaurant opening and continue after closing, depending on preparation and closing responsibilities.

Applicants should have flexibility for:

• Weekday shifts
• Evening shifts
• Weekend day and evening shifts
• Opening and closing responsibilities
• Holidays
• Private events and special functions
• Training before opening
• Additional hours or schedule adjustments as business needs develop

Operating hours are currently tentative and may change as we finalize opening plans and determine the needs of the restaurant.

• Compensation based on experience: $17-$20 an hour
• Opportunity to join the Opening Team of Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top
• Opportunity to work in a from-scratch kitchen
• Cross-training on multiple kitchen stations
• Private event and special-function experience
• Employee dining benefits
• Positive, supportive, and team-oriented kitchen environment
• Ongoing culinary training and development
• Opportunity to help establish the standards and culture of a brand-new kitchen
• Advancement opportunities within Ophelia Tavern, Bar Top, and our growing restaurant group

We're looking for cooks who care about what leaves the kitchen. Whether you're firing pizzas in a 600-degree oven, finishing fresh pasta in a scratch-made sauce, working the grill, executing appetizers, or preparing food for a private event upstairs, your work directly impacts the experience our guests receive.

This is an opportunity for cooks who want to do more than heat and plate prepared products. We want team members who enjoy working with fresh ingredients, learning proper techniques, understanding the food they're preparing, and taking pride in consistent execution. If you're an experienced Line Cook who enjoys from-scratch cooking, works clean, moves with urgency, respects the team, and takes pride in putting out great food, we'd love to meet you.

Apply today and become part of the Back of House Opening Team at Ophelia Tavern & Bar Top at The Dale in Avondale Estates!