Cook

Job Title

Prepares food in accordance with current federal, state, and local licensing standards, to abide by the established policies and procedures of the community. At the direction of the Dietary Manager/Executive Director, ensures that a consistent quality food service program is provided to the community’s residents and guests. Maintains role as resident advocate with a focus on the community’s mission.

Duties and Responsibilities

Demonstrates competency in the following areas:

• Prepare meals in accordance with planned menus
• Adhere to the portion control standards for nutrition
• Follow the policies and procedures for safe food handling and storage
• Perform all tasks in accordance with the established standards for sanitation, safety, and infection control.
• Clean and assemble work area
• Maintain excellent personal hygiene in accordance with established policies and procedures
• Check and report food supply issues and concerns
• Promptly reports all hazardous conditions, equipment, accidents and incidents to the Dietary Manager and/or Executive Director.
• Dispose of food and waste in accordance with the established policies and procedures, wearing protective clothing and equipment when handling infectious waste and/or blood and body fluids.
• Ensure that menus are maintained and filed in accordance with established procedures; and, complete necessary forms and reports to submit to the Dietary Manager/Executive Director.
• Any other tasks, assignments, projects or requests as deemed by management.
• Attend and participate in orientation, training, and in-service educational activities.
• Develop and maintain a good working rapport with personnel to ensure that the food service staff works as a team.
• Assist in inventorying and storing incoming foods, supplies, and equipment and recommend to the Dietary Manager/Executive Director, the equipment and supply needs of the department.

Professional Requirements:

• Adheres to dress code, appearance is neat and clean.
• Completes annual education requirements.
• Maintains regulatory requirements.
• Maintains resident confidentiality at all times.
• Reports to work on time and as scheduled, completes work within designated time.
• Wears identification while on duty, uses computerized punch time system correctly.
• Completes inservices and returns in a timely fashion.
• Attends annual review and department inservices, as scheduled.
• Attends monthly staff meetings.
• Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner.
• Actively participates in performance improvement and continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities.
• Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.
• Communicates the mission, ethics and goals of the community.

Regulatory Requirements

• Must be 21 years of age or older
• Previous experience or completion of appropriate training program

Qualifications

• High School graduate or equivalent
• Patience, tact, enthusiasm and positive attitude toward the elderly
• Good physical and mental health, neat, clean, well- groomed and responsible
• Must have upper body strength adequate to bend, lift, shift, move, and/or assist in moving articles of more than twenty-five pounds.
• Must be able to squat, reach, and stretch without distress. Must be able to tolerate extended periods of walking and standing

Language Skills

• Able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Additional languages preferred.

Skills

• Basic computer knowledge

Physical Demands

For physical demands of position, including vision, hearing, repetitive motion and environment, see following description.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position without compromising resident care.