Baja Taco Employment Information
April 1st - September 30th
Job Description
Baja Taco is a counter service restaurant. We serve Mexican food, but specialize in locally caught fish. We also have an espresso bar and on a sunny day you can expect to make lots of milkshakes and smoothies. Our kitchen is inside an old school bus and we have a small cabin for seating, as well as outdoor seating. This job is a 40 hours a week job. The shifts are 8 hours long. The opening shift starts at 6am and the closing shift ends at 10pm. The staff is made up of 5-10 people, usual between the ages of 16 and 35, and there's always 2-3 people working at a time. This is a small family owned restaurant which means you'll be working closely with the owner. There are 2 positions, the counter person and the cook. You'll be trained to do both. The counter person takes costumer's orders, handles money, makes espresso drinks, milkshakes and smoothies, hands out food orders, run beers, washes dishes, and cleans. During busy times, 2 people split the counter job. The cook position involves making all food to order. Past cooking experience is not required, but certainly helps. You'll be taught how to make everything. The menu consist of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, frying of fish, and making a few breakfast items. Everybody who works here is expected to work together as a team to get orders made and make customers happy. Everybody who is working here shares the tips, so, once again, its very important to work together to make the customers happy. Prep work is done in the morning and is shared between everyone working the shift. This job is a very busy, demanding job that requires multitasking, a positive attitude, teamwork, and excellent customer service skills. To do this job, you must be able to be on your feet for 8 hours, lift up to 50 pounds, and enjoy physical activity, as well as, enjoy staying busy and having fun. Heavy partying, drinking, and smoking is strongly discouraged for this job.
Cordova
Cordova is a small fishing community in Alaska. Its located between the Copper River and Prince William Sound and is ONLY accessible by airplane or boat. The area is picturesque, with mountains meeting the ocean, covered in rain forest. This job is ideal for an outdoorsy person who loves nature. Cordova is located in Alaska off the road system, therefore some services are limited. There is cell phone service, but it's limited and internet runs slower than in major cities. Cordova's population is about 2000 year round residents and at least doubles in the summer season. Commercial fishing is the major industry in Cordova. Please do no apply for this job if you are looking for a fishing job. This is a town job that supports the local fishing community. You will start work on the 1st of April and will get to see this sleepy fishing town wake up, work, and go back to sleep. The first 3 weeks you work on getting settled in and training. We stay pretty busy with locals, and also, a heli-ski business that operates here in the spring. At the end of April the heli-ski operation leaves town for the summer and the fishermen start arriving for their summer season. The month of May is when we get really busy. The sun will be up most of the day and Cordovans are working around the clock. Baja Taco is located right in the heart of all the hustle and bustle. Its our job to provide all these hard workers with food, coffee, and milkshakes. Most of the fishermen don't have time to stop and make themselves food, so you may see the same faces everyday or even twice a day. By June things settle down a little bit, most fishermen are on the water and not in town. Starting in July, we get a small group of Eco-tourist and also have a festival which brings many Alaskans to town. In August, most of the commercial fishermen finish up their season and leave town and the sport fishermen start up. The last 2 months are very relaxed, we stay busy with groups of sport fishermen till the end of September. Then the season is over. Please research Cordova on the internet. There's lots of information and pictures of the area. Its important to note that Cordova sits in a temperate rainforest. This is one of several reasons why Cordova is so beautiful and amazing. However, this can mean lots of rainy days. Some summers are filled with sunny, warm days and some are filled with days of chilly rain. To be happy in Cordova, you must be able to handle being inside and entertaining yourself on a rainy day. Heavy partying, drinking, and smoking is strongly discouraged for this job.
Clothing
There is no uniform for this job, however all employees are expected to look customer service appropriate. Don't wear anything to work that you don't want to wreak. This is a commercial kitchen which has grease and bleach among other things that can change the look of your favorite shirt. Bring shoes that will be comfortable for a 8 hour shift. The kitchen can be hot or cold depending on the weather so bring both warm and cool clothing.
Its not unusual to have snow on the ground until May and by the time you leave it'll be getting chilly again (40's). Most of the time the temperature will be in the 60's or 70's. Bring some clothes that are comfortable when they are wet (fleece or wool). You'll also need rain gear and rain boots. If you don't already have these item, I suggest buying them in Cordova.
Your Time Off
This job is a 5 day a week job, which means 2 days off a week. Its a perfect fit for a person who wants to experience Alaska, but also needs to make money. Cordova is a fun place to be in the summer. The town fills with young people looking for seasonal work. To enjoy the summer, you must really enjoy the great outdoors because that's what we have to offer. There's endless hiking opportunity, camping, biking, kayaking, photography, and sport fishing. Most past employees have made friends and enjoyed spending time with them on little adventures, hikes, and bonfires. Heavy partying, drinking, and smoking is strongly discouraged for this job.
Housing
Housing in Cordova is very expensive and limited. As part of your wages, we provide housing. You will share a small, hostel like, apartment. The small apartment is equipped with two bunk beds, linens/towels, a private bathroom, a small fully equipped kitchen, a commons area, and wifi. You will share this apartment with one to three other same-sex employees. This apartment is located right in town. You are perfectly located to walk almost anywhere. The restaurant is 6 blocks away. The grocery store is a 5-minute walk. And there is a trailhead 2 blocks away, that leads you up the beautiful Mt. Eyak. The rent is part of your wages, but it is considered to cost $40/week. If you choose to find your own housing, you'll be compensated an additional $40/week.
Wages
Our employees work 40 hours a week (8 hour shifts, 5 days a week). This job pays $17/ hour + Tips and is broken up as follows : $12/hr biweekly plus end of season bonus ($4/hr) plus Housing ($1/hr). This job is a counter service job, tipping is not expected, however, many appreciative customers tip. The tips run on average $100 a week. Housing is provided at no extra charge. All employees are allowed one shift meal. At the completion of the agreed season, you'll receive a bonus of $4/hr for all hours worked for the season.
Getting Here
You'll be expected to provide your own transportation to Cordova, likely through Anchorage, Alaska. There is one commercial airline that serves Cordova, Alaska Airlines www.alaskaair.com