Class Assistant

The Class Assistant is responsible for providing outstanding service to our guests in every facet of their Chopping Block experience.  He or she must come to understand our guests’ needs and expectations, and deliver an experience that exceeds them both.  Through the implementation of the TCB mission and the Guiding Principles, the CA will enhance kitchen and store energy, guest satisfaction, and always be of service to both guests and fellow team members.    

The CA is responsible for supporting class operations: class and event check in, being familiar with class curriculum in advance of shift, setting up work stations, facilitating culinary education, maintaining kitchen cleanliness, and providing a fun, welcoming and gracious atmosphere for our guests. 

Customer Service

• Create a fun, welcoming, and gracious atmosphere for our guests and team members
• Lead and teach team members how to anticipate, meet, and exceed our guests’ expectations; subsequently, morale, sales, and enrollment will flourish
• Solicit, monitor, record, and respond proactively to customer feedback; take responsibility to communicate any actions taken to your peers
• Identify ways to go the extra mile for our guests and team members
• Train, develop, and coach team members on ways to deliver the highest level of hospitality to our guests and each other; seek ways to enhance our guests’ experiences
• Report any challenging guest issues to Manager in a timely manner

TCB Team Support

• Bring energy, positivity, and a can-do attitude every day; hold fellow team members accountable for doing the same
• Advocate for TCB and our team members by exhibiting mutual respect, support, integrity, consistency, confidentiality, accountability, and cohesiveness
• Teamwork is essential to the success of TCB and our individual team members; the CA will work towards success through teamwork and collaboration
• Prioritize and ensure that individual, team, and company goals are met
• Be a knowledgeable resource for our team members and guests
• Foster communication throughout the company and among all team members

Class Assistant Responsibilities

• Review and familiarize yourself with upcoming class and event details prior to shift
• Participate in pre-shift meetings; review class/event details, flow, recipes, and identify the techniques or products that will be featured with Chef Instructors
• Support Chef Instructors’ goals for classes/events, taking TCB’s Guiding Principles into consideration
• Anticipate the needs of our guests and staff; set up each guest’s station to support the curriculum and ensure that they remain engaged throughout their entire experience
• Provide culinary education to TCB guests and team members
• Maintain a pristine environment for our guests:  break down, clean, sanitize, restock, and organize the space at the end of every shift; “Leave space in better condition than when you found it.”
• Report any equipment, customer, recipe, or general concerns to Manager
• Monitor the atmosphere of the location to include:  music, scent, lighting, temperature, and overall cleanliness; adjust as necessary to guest needs or preferences
• Maintain kitchen cleanliness throughout shift, assisting dishwashers and other classrooms as needed
• Foster a sense of collaborative comradery amongst the culinary staff; ensure a welcoming atmosphere for all our team members
• Work within the sanitation specifications of the State of Illinois and City of Chicago

Retail Responsibilities

• Support sales by being present on the retail floor before and after classes/events, engaging guests, answering questions, and locating products
• Perform standard retail floor operations including: welcoming customers into our space, ringing sales, registering guests in class, checking in classes/events, ensuring class/event alcohol consumption is paid for, and processing special orders and transfers
• Know TCB product lines; be a resource and educational ambassador for those products to our guests
• Teach people to cook by sharing a thorough understanding of how equipment and ingredients affect and enhance outcomes
• Share information about monthly promotions, special events, and future classes
• Issue refunds to guests in accordance with our return policy

Finance

• Monitor and report any supply, equipment, or food outages to a Manager or Kitchen Supervisor
• Promote “Good Finance” by monitoring work flow, kitchen/classroom waste, and staffing

Behavioral Responsibilities

• Enthusiasm, responsibility, and hospitality are paramount to great guest service and sales; these qualities are therefore critical to this role
• TCB expects all team members to participate in their own happiness, development, and success through thoughtful, open, and non-judgmental communication; we expect the Class Assistant to let us know what can be done to improve both our guests’ experiences and our team members’ experiences
• Take responsibility for your own personal development by actively working with your Direct Manager to achieve the goals that you have both agreed to

Work Schedule

• This is a part-time, hourly position; hours are based on the needs of the business
• Attend mandatory monthly 1-2-1s, quarterly employee meetings, and departmental meetings; come to each of these meetings with ideas and questions prepared that will help facilitate the growth of TCB and its staff

Physical Requirements:

• Standing for prolonged periods of time
• Continually bending, stooping, and walking short distances
• Reaching with hands and arms
• Lifting up to 25 pounds
• Ability to see, hear, and speak, or to use prosthetics that will enable these senses and allow the employee to function safely and competently in a kitchen environment
• Manual dexterity to operate kitchen equipment, which may include blenders, mixers, knives and other kitchen utensils and equipment