Job Description - Final

 Chipotle Grill Crew Member

 

 

Nothing is certain except death and 'guac' being extra. But you have the chance to break free from the chains of the avocado. As a Chipotle Grill Crew Member, all the food, including guacamole, is free! I had this divine power for one summer a few years ago, but you too can achieve this enlightenment with the following position.

 

 

As a Crew Member, you have the responsibility of preparing, cooking, and maintaining all the hot food at the restaurant. You must collect ingredients, follow recipes, and use equipment to fill containers and stomachs of customers with delicious Mexican cuisine. At the same time, you will communicate with your coworkers about what type of food needs cooking and when. At the end of the day, you and your coworkers will clean up your respective stations.

 

 

Three familiar ideas show the tasks of a Crew Member:

• Not missing your exit
• Bookkeeping
• Real Life Texting

 

 

Not Missing Your Exit

  

Picture yourself on the road. You're listening to your navigation and hear that your exit is coming up soon. Instead of swerving across traffic, you decide to move over a lane every couple of miles to catch your exit. Time management while grilling at Chipotle is no different. When you miss your exit, or mismanage your cooking at Chipotle, the aftermath is:

• A waste of everyone's time
• Your mind shifts in different directions
• Passengers or customers (especially children) begin to get fussy 
  

 

 

On the job, I watch the clock tick. The afternoon drags and the line of customers shortens. But, with weeks of experience, I know the scene fools me. With no customers waiting, me and the rest of the crew members complete our tasks at a quicker pace. Then the clock strikes seven and the customers stampede through the door. As the line grows, so does my confidence as I had prepared for the large number of customers coming for dinner. I ensure there is enough chicken, rice, and beans to go around without having too much leftover. Preparing and cooking the right amount of food takes excellent time management. If accomplished, you can feed all the customers and take your exit without a scratch.

 

 

Bookkeeping

 

 

The number of books at a library can be intimidating but organizing them is not. Every book sits in a specific spot, on a specific shelf. If you follow the organizing criteria, a jumbled basket of books becomes a stacked collection. Chipotle's food will burst with flavors if a Crew Member puts the right ingredients in the right spots. Each item has:

• Its own step-by-step recipe
• Ingredients in specific parts of the kitchen
• Containers with their measuring tools included

 

 

I stare at the rice, skeptical that I'll never figure out the right combination of flavors to add to make a tasty starch. Then I gaze at the pantry and at a piece of paper on the wall. The managers at Chipotle already created the recipe and set up all the ingredients! I grab the bowl of rice, the salt, the cilantro, and the lime juice. I take each ingredient one after the other and put them together as the recipe says. Then voilà! The perfect rice for any burrito. I became the librarian of food by putting the ingredients in the right place.

 

 

Real Life Texting

 

As you're running late for a meeting, you have two options. You could either send a lengthy text about where you are, or you could send a text like "OMW" (on my way). In both scenarios, you get your message across, but one was more efficient than the other. At Chipotle, you get to text out loud as you communicate with your fellow Crew Members. Like texting, at Chipotle, you want your messages to be:

• Concise
• Minimal
• Clear and directive

 

 

A text at Chipotle can go as follows: I look over to the counter and see a customer waiting, prompting me to yell "line!" Now that my coworker knows to take their order, they scurry over. As the customer selects the items for their burrito, I hear the clanking of a spoon on a metal container. My coworker exclaims "chicken!" and in response, I say "heard!" to inform them that I am starting to cook more chicken. As the grill does its job, I announce "working!" to let my coworkers know the food is on its way and to efficiently text out loud with one another.

  

Managing your time, following instructions, and communicating with others make a great Crew Member. If you can excel at these tasks, being a Chipotle Grill Crew Member is right for you, and your free guacamole will taste extra special.