Cook

Job Description

Job Description

PRIMARY DUTY 

Prepare and cook food for residents, following established sanitation, safety, and dietary procedures. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Prepares food in quantities according to the menu, recipe and number of persons to be served. Makes any needed substitutions per dietary standards and documents as required.

• Carries pans, kettles and trays of food to various workstations as assigned.

• Prepares plates for residents from steam table.

• Distributes supplies, utensils and other portable equipment.

• Cleans work areas (including sweeping and mopping of floors), equipment and utensils according to the proper procedures.

• Washes cooking equipment, including pots, pans, dishes and utensils as necessary.

• Removes garbage as needed.

• Stores food in designated areas.

• Monitors and records temperatures in refrigerators and freezers.

• Reports any issues or problems that may arise to Supervisor.

• Complies with state and federal sanitation standards.

• Complies with state, federal, and all other applicable health care and safety standards.

• Attends in-services and other required meetings.

• Performs other duties and tasks as assigned.

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS of this position are generally as follows: 

• Occasional supervision of Dietary Aides/Dishwashers at the direction of the Dietary/Food Service Director.

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE an equivalent combination of education, training and experience will be considered. 

• High School diploma or equivalent.

• Minimum of 1 year of previous experience in food preparation preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Previous experience in a long-term care or hospital setting preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES  which may be representative but not all inclusive of those commonly associated with this position. 

• Reading Ability -Able to read and interpret written information.

• Written Communication -Able to write clearly and informatively.

• Verbal Communication -Able to talk to others to convey information effectively.

• Reasoning Ability -Able to apply common sense understanding to carry out simple written or oral instructions.

• English Language -Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language.

• Math Ability -Knowledge of arithmetic and its applications. Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.

• Safety -Observes safety procedures; reports potentially unsafe conditions; uses equipment and materials properly.

• Organizational Support -Follows company policies and procedures.

• Adaptability -Adapts to changes in the work environment; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events.

• Planning/Organizing -Prioritizes and plans work activities; advises for additional resources if needed.

• Attendance/Punctuality -Arrives to work/meetings on time.

• Dependability -Completes tasks accurately and on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

• Professionalism -Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions.

COMPUTER SKILLS/EQUIPMENT USED TO PERFORM THE JOB  which may be representative but not all inclusive of those commonly associated with this position. 

• Pots/pans, cutlery, including knives, forks and spoons, gas/electric stove and/or oven, broilers, steamer, microwave oven, fryer, toaster, blender and other kitchen equipment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. 

• While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly exposed to extreme heat or cold, working or moving mechanical parts, humidity, and danger of burns from stoves and/or hot liquids.

• The associate is occasionally required to wear protective clothing.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud (vent fans, motors from kitchen equipment, etc.).

PHYSICAL ABILITIES  commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• While performing the duties of this job, the associate is frequently required to talk, speak and hear. The associate is regularly required to walk, climb on a step-stool, stand in one place, stoop, kneel or crouch, use hands to handle or feel objects, reach with hands and arms, taste and smell. The associate is occasionally required to sit.

• The associate must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, color discrimination and the ability to adjust focus.