Part-Time Home-Style Cook - Assisted Living

Job Description

Job Description

Forest Cottage Senior Care | Willis, TX

Job Type: Part-Time
Location: Willis, Texas

Experience: Practical home cooking experience required. Professional chef training is NOT necessary.

Job Description

Forest Cottage Senior Care is looking for a dependable, organized, and skilled home-style cook who enjoys preparing delicious, fresh, comforting meals for seniors in a small residential assisted living community.

We are NOT looking for a professional chef! We are looking for someone who genuinely knows their way around a kitchen, can follow recipes, understands basic cooking techniques, and takes pride in preparing tasty, well-presented meals.

Our residents enjoy traditional American, Italian, and Southern home-style cooking. Meals are prepared using healthy cooking methods, with no frying, no added salt, and no unnecessary or heavily seasoned spices.

We provide the weekly menus, recipes, ingredients, and cooking instructions. Your responsibility is to follow them carefully and consistently while preparing meals our residents will enjoy.

Responsibilities

• Prepare fresh, home-style breakfast, lunch, and other assigned meals according to our provided menus.
• Follow recipes, measurements, portion sizes, and preparation instructions accurately.
• Prepare American, Italian, and Southern-inspired meals.
• Bake homemade desserts, cakes, biscuits, cornbread, and other traditional favorites.
• Use healthy cooking methods such as baking, roasting, steaming, and simmering. No frying.
• Follow our no-added-salt and mild-seasoning guidelines, along with individual resident dietary requirements.
• Know how to properly use kitchen equipment, pots, pans, ovens, measuring cups, and utensils.
• Maintain an organized kitchen, pantry, refrigerator, and food storage areas.
• Properly portion and present meals on residents' plates in a clean, attractive, and appetizing manner.
• Clean and sanitize cooking equipment, countertops, dishes, and kitchen areas after meal preparation.
• Follow food safety, sanitation, and proper food storage procedures.
• Minimize food waste and use ingredients efficiently.

Qualifications

• Must have practical cooking experience, whether from home cooking, a cafeteria, a small kitchen, or a similar environment.
• No culinary degree or professional chef experience required.
• Must be comfortable following written recipes and measuring ingredients.
• Must have basic baking skills, including preparing cakes, desserts, biscuits, and cornbread.
• Must understand kitchen organization and cleanliness.
• Must be able to prepare meals consistently without excessive salt, heavy seasoning, or frying.
• Must be reliable, punctual, organized, and able to work independently.
• Must be patient, respectful, and comfortable working around senior residents.
• Must be willing to follow established menus rather than create or substitute meals without approval.
• Experience preparing meals for seniors is a plus but not required.

Paid Working Interview – Cooking Demonstration

Weekend & Holiday Availability Required

• Must be available and willing to work weekends, including Saturdays and Sundays, as scheduled.
• Must be available to work holidays, as our assisted living community operates 365 days a year.
• Must have a flexible schedule and understand that residents require freshly prepared meals every day, including weekends and holidays.
• Reliability, punctuality, and consistent attendance are essential requirements of this position.

Please do not apply if you are unable to work weekends or holidays.

All qualified applicants will be invited to participate in a paid, hands-on cooking interview.

Rather than relying only on a traditional interview, we want to see your actual cooking abilities.

During the paid cooking assessment, you will be asked to prepare assigned dishes from our provided menu and recipes using our kitchen and ingredients.

We will evaluate:

• Taste, texture, and overall quality of the food.
• Ability to follow recipes and instructions.
• Knowledge of basic cooking and baking techniques.
• Kitchen organization, cleanliness, and food safety.
• Time management and efficiency.
• Food presentation and proper portioning.
• Ability to prepare healthy, enjoyable meals appropriate for seniors.

The final hiring decision will be based primarily on the results of your cooking demonstration, along with your reliability, professionalism, and ability to meet the position's requirements.

The cooking interview is paid regardless of whether a job offer is extended.

Who Would Be a Great Fit?

If you are the person everyone compliments for your homemade cooking, enjoy baking, can prepare a good Southern-style meal, and know how to keep a kitchen clean and organized, we would love to meet you!

You don't need to be a chef. You just need to know how to cook good, wholesome, home-style food and follow our recipes.

How to Apply

Please apply with a brief description of your cooking experience and the types of meals and baked goods you are comfortable preparing.

Forest Cottage Senior Care is a licensed, family-owned residential assisted living community in Willis, Texas, providing personalized care in a warm, comfortable, home-like environment. With a capacity of just 16 residents, we focus on quality care, nutritious home-cooked meals, dignity, and individual attention.

Our dedicated team works together to create a welcoming atmosphere where seniors feel safe, respected, and truly at home. We believe that compassionate care, good food, and meaningful relationships make a difference in our residents' everyday lives.

For the safety and well-being of our residents, all employment offers are contingent upon successfully completing required background checks and applicable pre-employment screenings.

Forest Cottage Senior Care
Willis, Texas

Good food, prepared with care, makes our residents feel at home.

Forest Cottage Senior Care is a licensed, family-owned residential assisted living community in Willis, Texas, providing personalized care in a warm, comfortable, home-like environment. With a capacity of just 16 residents, we focus on quality care, nutritious home-cooked meals, dignity, and individual attention. Our dedicated team works together to create a welcoming atmosphere where seniors feel safe, respected, and truly at home. We believe that compassionate care, good food, and meaningful relationships make a difference in our residents' everyday lives.

Company Description

Forest Cottage Senior Care is a licensed, family-owned residential assisted living community in Willis, Texas, providing personalized care in a warm, comfortable, home-like environment. With a capacity of just 16 residents, we focus on quality care, nutritious home-cooked meals, dignity, and individual attention. Our dedicated team works together to create a welcoming atmosphere where seniors feel safe, respected, and truly at home. We believe that compassionate care, good food, and meaningful relationships make a difference in our residents' everyday lives.