Cook, NA-08

Job Title

The duties of this position involve a comprehensive range of cooking and baking procedures. The individual will prepare a variety of meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables, sauces, gravies, and baked goods by following standardized recipes at different levels of difficulty. Daily assignments may include preparing multiple menu items for one meal. The role requires planning and coordinating various steps to ensure timely serving of all items. Special or difficult recipes involving many steps, ingredients, or long preparation time will be prepared, such as creole shrimp, sweet and sour pork, and spaghetti sauce. The individual will examine all food for quality and freshness before preparation, make substitutions and adjustments in food preparation procedures and seasonings to improve taste, and make modifications to recipes for ingredient quantities, number of servings, and size of equipment available. Technical guidance will be provided to lower graded personnel, and the preparation of menu items by lower grade cooks will be monitored. Utensils and equipment will be cleaned after use, and established safety procedures will be observed to maintain a clean and tidy work area.

Skill and knowledge in planning, coordinating, and timing the sequences of steps needed to have menu items ready for serving at mealtime without overcooking or waste are required. Knowledge of related procedures to work in large quantities is necessary. The incumbent will apply skills necessary to overcome practical production problems, evaluate final food products, and initiate corrective action when an item does not meet established quality standards. Ability to adjust recipes according to the number of servings needed and skill in the use of bakery tools and equipment, including powered machines, are essential. Knowledge of the characteristics of various raw and cooked foods to determine freshness and judge the final product by its color, consistency, temperature, odor, and taste is required. The ability to provide technical guidance to lower graded personnel and apply knowledge of special and modified diets is also necessary. Broad knowledge of sanitation regulations and proper food protection procedures is required.

The incumbent works under the direction of a supervisor who establishes written daily work assignments and provides general instructions orally or in writing. The employee analyzes and corrects production problems independently and coordinates the cooking process for food items assigned directly. The cooking of items prepared by other cooks at one or more work centers will be coordinated. Within the framework of accepted methods, recipes, and established procedures, the employee makes decisions regarding recipe adjustments for the number of servings and size of equipment to use. The incumbent decides when food items are done and on occasions, recommends changes or adjustments in recipes for improvement of flavor, texture, and appearance. The work may involve cooking small quantities alone or in baking items. Work is subject to spot checks by supervisor for compliance with instructions and emergency changes, established work methods, accepted cooking practices, for quality flavor, appearance of prepared foods, and sanitary requirements, and proper use of food service equipment.

The work involves frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. The individual is required to frequently lift or move objects weighing up to 40 pounds, such as utensils or containers of food. The work also involves continual standing and walking. Occasional lifting of over 50 pounds with assistance of lifting devices or other workers, such as pans of meat, is required. Kitchens are often uncomfortably warm and noisy. The incumbent is exposed to steam, fumes, and odors from cooking. There is danger of falling on floors that have been freshly mopped or where food has been spilled. There is some danger of burns from steam or hot foods and cuts from knives and electrical utensils and machines. The individual is exposed to extremes in temperatures when entering walk-in refrigerators from a warm kitchen. Established safety procedures and use of protective items will be observed to reduce dangers from cited conditions.

US Department of War