Cloud Kitchen Operations: Two-Man Team Roles & Responsibilities

Shift Schedule: 4:00 PM to 1:00 AM

This document defines the distinct duties for our two-person kitchen team operating during the evening shift. Because we operate as a lean team, the Kitchen Assistant holds a highly flexible, multitasking role that covers order management, packing, dishwashing, front cleaning, inventory tracking, and progressive kitchen line support.

🛑 STRICT COMPANY POLICY: Personal Cell Phone Ban

To maintain maximum hygiene, food safety, and absolute focus, personal cell phones are strictly prohibited in the operational areas.

• The Lockbox Rule: Upon arrival at 4:00 PM (or whenever your shift begins), all staff members must turn off their personal cell phones and place them inside their designated locker or cabinet in the changing area while swapping into their work uniform.
• No Phones on the Floor: Personal cell phones are completely banned from the kitchen line, the packing station, the dish pit, and the front counter.
• Retrieval Protocol: Employees may only retrieve their personal cell phones from the cabinet at 1:00 AM (or the end of the shift) when changing back into their street clothes to go off duty.
• Emergency Contact: For any urgent family emergencies, outside callers must contact the restaurant’s official business phone line, not an employee's personal device.

ROLE 1: Main Chef / Head Cook (Full-Time: 4:00 PM – 1:00 AM)

The Chef runs the kitchen for the full duration of the shift, managing the day-to-day food preparation, cooking quality, kitchen line safety, and general food production speed.

Core Cooking & Food Prep

• Recipe Execution: Prepare, cook, and plate all menu items (curries, rice, biryanis) according to restaurant quality standards.
• Line Management: Manage the cooking stations, stoves, and ingredients to ensure fast ticket times during order rushes.
• Ingredient Maintenance: Inform the Kitchen Assistant when portioned batches need to be pulled from the deep freeze or refrigerator.

Food Safety & Line Cleanliness

• Safe Cooking Temperatures: Ensure all meats and proteins are cooked to safe internal temperatures.
• Workstation Sanitation: Keep the immediate cooking line, cutting boards, and chef knives wiped down and clean between orders.
• End-of-Shift Storage: Securely store raw ingredients and cooked bases at the end of the day in compliance with health codes.

ROLE 2: Kitchen Assistant (Part-Time: 6-Hour Shift within 4:00 PM – 1:00 AM)

This is a high-utility, fast-paced multitasking role designed to support the Chef during the busiest peak hours of the evening. The Assistant manages incoming tablet orders, portion tracking, packing food, washing dishes, keeping both the front area and back kitchen clean, and actively training on the kitchen line.

1. Freezer Management, Storage Inspection & Portion Auditing

The Assistant is directly responsible for checking and maintaining the organization, quality, safety, and temperature of every single food portion stored in the facility.

• Portion Quality Check: Inspect every pre-portioned item or prepped batch before it is placed inside the deep freeze, refrigerator, or dry storage to ensure it is sealed air-tight and stored in the correct container.
• Label Verification: Cross-check that every container entering storage is legibly labeled with the item name, exact prep date, and expiry date.
• Storage Organization: Arrange all items neatly inside the freezer and refrigerator shelves. Never allow unlabelled or loosely wrapped portions to sit in storage.
• Daily Spoilage Audits: Routinely inspect the dates on all stored containers to guarantee no expired portions are left inside the units.

2. Indian Bread Making & Culinary Training (Skill Development)

As part of daily professional growth, the Assistant must be eager to learn, practice, and master the art of traditional Indian bread making. The restaurant will provide full training.

• Atta (Dough) Preparation: Learn and memorize the exact combination and ratios of ingredients (flour type, water volume, oil, yogurt, or yeast) required to make different dough bases from scratch.
• Kneading & Rest Times: Master the proper technique for kneading dough to the correct consistency, and understand the required resting times for each bread type.
• Roti & Chapati Mastery: Learn to portion, roll out, and evenly cook standard flatbreads on the tawa (griddle).
• Naan & Bhature Preparation: Master the unique handling methods for Naan (including texture and stretching) and the deep-frying techniques required to achieve perfectly puffed Bhature.
• Continuous Improvement: Actively accept feedback from the Main Chef to improve speed, shape consistency, and texture during low-traffic periods.

3. Digital Order Management & Tablets

• Monitor Delivery Platforms: Keep a strict eye on the three delivery tablets: Wolt, Bolt, and Glovo.
• Order Acceptance: Check incoming orders immediately. Accept the order on the respective platform and input the correct, realistic preparation time based on how busy the Chef is.
• Status Updates: Mark the order as "Ready" on the tablet the moment the food is packed so couriers know it is time for pickup.

4. Deep Freeze Retrieval & Expiry Tracking

• Inventory Retrieval: Quickly pull raw ingredients or pre-portioned food batches from the deep freeze or refrigerator whenever the Chef requests them.
• The "Two-Date" Labeling Rule: The moment any portion is pulled from the deep freeze, write on the container:
1. The Pull Date: Exact date and time it left the freezer.
2. The New Expiry Date: The calculated refrigerator use-by date.
• FIFO Rotation: Keep older pulled portions at the front of the fridge so they are used up first.

5. Food Packing & Courier Hand-Off

• Station Setup: Keep the packing table fully loaded with plastic curry boxes, aluminum foil containers for rice/biryanis, lids, and pre-cut foil sheets.
• Thermal Packing: Wrap rice and biryani dishes securely in aluminum foil sheets to lock in steam and heat before snapping the container lids shut.
• Leak & Quality Inspection: Double-check that all plastic curry box lids are tightly snapped and 100% leak-proof. Verify the container contents perfectly match the Wolt/Bolt/Glovo receipt.
• Courier Verification Check: Organize completed bags by platform (Wolt, Bolt, Glovo). When the courier arrives, physically verify the order ID on their phone screen before handing over the bag. Ensure they place it flat in their thermal bag.

6. Manual Dishwashing (2-Compartment Sink Method)

• 1. Scrape & Pre-Rinse: Waste food into the trash bin and spray debris off the dishes.
• 2. Wash (Sink 1): Scrub items in hot, soapy water (minimum 110°F / 43°C).
• 3. Spray-Rinse: Hold items over Sink 1 and use the spray hose to wash away all soap residue (do not let soap drip into Sink 2).
• 4. Sanitize (Sink 2): Submerge clean, soap-free dishes in the chemical sanitizing solution for 30–60 seconds.
• 5. Air-Dry: Place items on the sloped drainboard. Never use cloth towels to dry dishes.

7. Front-of-House & Amenity Cleaning

• Front Tables & Doors: Wipe down and sanitize guest tables immediately after any use. Keep glass front doors free of fingerprints and smudge marks.
• Restroom & External Wash Basin: Scrub the toilet bowl, seat, and handle daily. Deep clean the external wash basin near the toilet to remove water spots and soap scum.
• Amenity Restocking: Refill tissue paper holders on the guest tables and place fresh hand tissue paper/paper towels next to the wash basin hourly. Keep liquid soap and toilet rolls fully stocked.
• Floor Care: Daily sweep and mop the front area and restroom using a dedicated front mop (do not use the kitchen mop in the bathroom). Always use a "Wet Floor" sign.

3. Daily Storage & Freezer Maintenance Checklist

The Kitchen Assistant must execute this checklist twice per shift (once at the start of their shift and once right before clocking out) to guarantee food safety compliance.

4. Shift-Based Timeline Summary (4:00 PM – 1:00 AM)

4:00 PM – Opening & Setup Tasks

• Chef: Arrive at 4:00 PM. Check line ingredients, turn on cooking equipment, organize the cooking station, and prepare the line for the night.
• Assistant (Upon Clocking In): Turn off cell phone, lock it in the cabinet, and change into clean work clothes. Turn on delivery tablets (Wolt, Bolt, Glovo). Fill kitchen sinks with fresh water and chemicals. Conduct the Shift Start Freezer Checklist. Restock packing materials and front table/wash basin tissue paper.

4:30 PM – 12:30 AM – Active Shift Operations

• Chef: Focus entirely on cooking food quickly, safely, maintaining taste consistency, and teaching the Assistant how to mix and prepare bread dough.
• Assistant: Accept orders on Wolt/Bolt/Glovo with accurate cooking times. Practice dough preparation, kneading, and rolling flatbreads. Fetch portions from the freezer and label them immediately. Inspect and double-verify every single newly prepped portion container before it goes into the freezer. Pack orders securely, run quality checks, verify couriers, handle dishwashing, and clean floor spills.

12:30 AM – 1:00 AM – Closing & Lockdown Tasks

• Chef: Turn off all gas lines and cooking appliances. Wipe down the cooking line, grills, and prep tables. Store leftover food bases safely in the refrigerator.
• Assistant: Process final delivery orders and shut down tablets. Safely store any leftover bread dough according to the Chef's instructions. Conduct the Shift End Freezer Checklist to ensure all newly stored items are perfectly labeled. Drain and clean both sink basins. Restock packing tables and front tissue dispensers. Deep clean the restroom, empty all trash bins into the outdoor dumpster, and perform a final deep sweep and mop of all floors. At 1:00 AM, retrieve your phone from the cabinet and change clothes to exit.