Food Service Specialist - Part Time

Food Service Specialist - Part Time

Agency: 650 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Supervisory Organization: Claremore Veterans Home

Basic Purpose

Positions in this job family are involved in handling, preparing, cooking and serving food for regular, modified and special diets at a state hospital, school, facility or institution. This includes maintaining clean and sanitary work, preparation and serving areas.

Typical Functions

• Prepares foods, salads, and desserts; cooks or bakes a variety of items.
• Supplies unit with meat, fish or fowl as ordered; cuts and prepares meat, poultry or fish.
• Cleans and prepares foods using tools such as knives, slicers and peelers and equipment such as ovens and steamers; follows written diet orders.
• Operates dishwasher; gathers, cleans, stacks and hand washes or scours pots, pans, dishes, silverware and other cooking and baking utensils.
• Removes refuse from kitchen area; sweeps mops and scrubs kitchen, dining and storage areas.
• Labels, loads and delivers food carts or trays; picks up trays after use.
• Defrosts and cleans refrigerators, walk-in coolers and related equipment.
• Operates state-owned cars, vans, and/or other motorized transportation.

Level Descriptor

Level I: This is the basic level of this job family where employees are assigned simple and routine duties of handling, preparing and serving food. In this role they will perform tasks such as preparing toast, tea, and coffee, and maintaining the cleanliness of the food service area.

Level II: This career level includes positions where employees are assigned responsibility for a variety of tasks involved in preparing and serving meals in a state hospital, school, facility or institution. This includes using items for cooking and baking, cutting and preparing meat, poultry or fish, frying, or roasting foods. Positions are also responsible for the direction of others performing simple and routine duties involving the handling and serving of food and maintaining a clean and sanitary work area. In this role they will make recommendations for future food needs, receive and store food, and assist with serving food.

Level III: This is the leadership level of the job family, where employees are assigned responsibility for performing highly skilled work involving the operation of an institutional food service unit and supervising other Food Service Specialists in the requisition, storage, cooking, baking, and serving of food, the preparation of meats, poultry and fish for cooking, and the inspection and maintenance of sanitary kitchen and work areas. Under the direction of a Nutrition Therapist, some positions at this level will do nutritional assessments, ongoing charting in dietary progress notes and communicate with nursing and nutrition departments on patient concerns.

Level IV: At this level employees are assigned responsibility for the administration of a food service unit and activities of assigned staff, which may include employees, inmates, patients, and/or others in the preparation and serving of food in a state facility or institution. In this role they will provide direction to staff members in completing assigned work and ensure completion of required activities. Responsibilities will also be assigned for interpreting menus and menu instructions, ensuring proper hygiene and sanitation methods are followed, inspecting kitchen and dining areas, requisitioning supplies and maintaining a storeroom.

Education and Experience

Level I: Education and Experience: None required.

Level II: Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of one year of experience in a commercial or institutional food service or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one year of vocational or technical school training in food preparation for the required experience.

Level III: Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of two years of experience in a commercial or institutional food service or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one year of vocational or technical school training in food preparation for the required experience.

Level IV: Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of three years of experience in a commercial or institutional food service or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one year of vocational or technical school training in food preparation for the required experience.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of basic food preparation techniques; of food service operations; of proper sanitation practices; and of basic mathematics. Ability is required to carry out routine tasks to completion; to follow oral and written instructions; and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Special Requirements

Some agencies may have determined positions in this job family to be safety sensitive as defined by 63 O.S. 427.8.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.