Duties and Responsibilities:
Prepare, cook, season, and serve adequate, attractive, nutritious, and balanced meals, including meat, fish, fowl, vegetables, fruit, soups, salads, desserts, breads, and pastries, as specified and scheduled by the menus.
The person holding this position is delegated the responsibility for carrying out the assigned duties and responsibilities in accordance with current existing federal and state regulations and established company policies and procedures.
Qualifications:
Education: High school diploma preferred, but a minimum the ability to write and read English.
Experience: (Preferred)
Job Knowledge: Ability to prepare and cook a variety of foods in large quantities; aware of special diets, seasoning, cooking times, temperature controls, ability to estimate quantities of food required, limit waste, and utilize leftovers while serving attractive and appetizing meals.
Standards: State Health Department and Personal Care Food Service Codes
Functions:
1. Handle and prepare food that is palatable, appetizing, and attractive.
2. Comply with meal schedules.
3. Maintain and use equipment and supplies.
4. Work cooperatively with other staff and departments.
5. Use initiative and judgment in setting up meals and utilizing leftovers to avoid waste.
6. Follow standards recipes, but make independent decisions in line with current experience.
7. Cook a variety of foods in large quantities.
8. Understand importance of proper food handling techniques and hazards of improper food handling.
9. Be familiar with seasoning and cooking time required.
10. Be aware of cooking characteristics of various cuts of meat, fish, and fowl.
11. Estimate quantities of food required while monitoring portion control guidelines for individual residents.
12. Prepare food for cooking: peel, wash, trim, and cut vegetables and fruit; wash, clean, debone, and trim meat, fish, and fowl.
13. Taste, smell, and observe food to ensure conformity with recipes and appearance.
14. Serve food according to dietary guidelines, checking each tray for completeness and accuracy.
15. Responsible for supervision of other food service employees in absence of dietary service director.
16. Cook foods: bake, roast, stew, and steam-cook meats, fish, and fowl, basting as necessary to retain flavor, make gravies, stocks, dressings, sauces, and soups.
17. Prepare cold meats, sandwiches, griddlecakes, cooked cereals, and beverages.
Physical Demands: Stands and walks distances most of assigned shift. Stoops and reaches for, lifts and carries food and kitchen equipment. Tastes and smells food to determine quantity and palatability; Hand dexterity to prepare food.
Special Demands: Take an interest in work to provide adequate nutritional care for residents. Ability to work cooperatively with associates. Able to be involved in specified amounts, serving correct dietary needs, serving an attractive and appetizing meal, and utilizing leftovers. Wear clean uniforms, hairnets, closed toe shoes, and keep hands and fingernails clean at all times.
Work Area and Environment: Kitchen, pantry, dietary department, and dining room
Acceptance Statement:
I have carefully read, understand, and accept the job description, including the qualifications and requirements of the position of COOK, and I certify that I can and will perform the essential functions of the position.
I understand Universal Precautions Risk Classification Categories may apply to this position and I may be exposed to AIDS, HIV, and Hepatitis B and C viruses.
I further understand this facility is of an “at will” nature, which means that I may resign at any time and may be discharged at any time with or without cause.
