Writing or Revising a Cook's Contract

The cook in your house may be a person you have come to know well as a friend, or the cook may be much older than you are and has worked at the house for many years. In any case, supervising the cook may be a difficult matter--it may seem at times as if the cook is your supervisor. One important means of clarifying the relationship with the cook is to have a good contract. The following questions raise issues your contract should cover. There is a sample contract which should be used as the basis of any new contract which addresses these issues.

All new contracts need to be written by Nick Peters of Student Organized Services (SOS) according to your specifications and approved by the Assistant Director for Student Management.

The contract should clearly define the following:

• Salary, benefits, paydays, holidays, sick leave, personal time off
• Does the cook get a paid birthday leave?
• Will academic breaks be paid or not?
• Does the house want to offer a summer retainer or pay summer benefits?
• Will there be any possibility of a bonus? What will the criteria be?
• How will raises be determined and with what frequency?
• Are the dates the cook will be expected to work clearly spelled out (ends of quarters, for example)?
• Do you expect the cook to work a certain number of hours per day? Do you expect the cook to stay through meal hours?
• Will there be an upper limit on the number of eating associates or guests present at any one meal?
• Does the contract set any expectations or needs that either the house as a whole or certain members may have: for special dinners, for hors d'oeuvres for special guests, for special foods to support a house theme, for vegetarian alternatives or dietary restrictions?
• Does the contract define the relationship between the cook and the kitchen manager? Who will order food and be responsible for the food the budget? Who will plan menus? What part will the residents have in this process?
• How will the cook's performance be evaluated and by whom and how often? How will results be conveyed to the cook?
• How will the cook's requests (for a new piece of equipment, or a clean work area every morning after a night of open kitchen) be handled?
• Can the cook ever bring guests or feed family members?
• If the cook is new, will there be a probationary period?
• What are the provisions for how the contract can be terminated by either side?
• When must the cook be notified that his contract will or will not be renewed?
• What type of notice is expected if the cook wishes to resign?