Cook

Cook

As a Cook, you'll play an essential role in enriching the lives of seniors, creating meaningful connections, and making a difference every single day through exceptional culinary experiences.

Your Role:

As the Cook, you bring quality and consistency to the kitchen. You prepare delicious, well-presented meals that follow our menu cycle and standardized recipes, while ensuring every resident feels cared for through the food you make. You'll maintain a safe, clean, and efficient culinary environment while supporting a warm, home-like dining experience.

Position Highlights:

• Status: FULL TIME or PART TIME
• Schedule: All shifts, including every other weekend
• Location: 8201 N. IL Route 91, Peoria, IL 61615
• Rate of Pay: Based on Years of Experience

What You'll Do:

• Prepare a variety of hot and cold menu items, including work on the grill, saut station, salad bar, and service line.
• Follow standardized recipes to ensure proper preparation, portioning, taste, and presentation of food.
• Taste and check food for quality, palatability, and adherence to culinary standards.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of all food preparation and service areas.
• Support a safe, sanitary, and efficient kitchen environment in accordance with food safety and handling guidelines, including maintaining temperature logs, overseeing food storage and date maintenance.
• Collaborate with the culinary team to create an exceptional dining experience for residents.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Experience in senior living or a similar environment preferred.
• Knowledge of production methods, portion control, and food safety/handling required.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced kitchen.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work well with a team.
• High attention to detail, especially in presentation and plating.
• Availability to work weekends as part of the regular schedule.
• Serve Safe preferred but not required.

Benefits You'll Enjoy:

• Competitive wages
• Early access to earned wages before payday!
• Flexible scheduling options with full-time and part-time hours
• Paid time off and Holidays (full-time)
• Comprehensive benefit package including health, dental, vision, life and disability insurances (full-time)
• 401(K) with employer match
• Paid training
• Opportunities for growth and advancement
• Company provided uniforms
• Employee Assistance Program

Why Join Us

Discovery Senior Living Earned Coveted Great Place to Work Certification for 2025-2026!

A large part of what makes Discovery different from other companies in this industry is our willingness to embrace change. At Discovery Senior Living, we are constantly challenging how we are doing things to ensure the lifestyle we are offering our residents is absolutely the greatest value proposition in the marketplace. It's just as important to us that the environment and culture for our team members are constantly refreshed. In addition, embracing and even encouraging change brings a never-ending supply of new energy to our business and our culture. That energy translates to other far-reaching positive impacts on our residents as well as our team members.

Find out what makes working at Discovery unique in the world of senior living. Discover Your Purpose!

Our Culture & Values

So often, what brings people together is deeply rooted in who we are and what we stand for. And at Discovery Senior Living, we're unified by certain, core values, which we call our "Pillars of Excellence." They make up the fabric of our company, and include TEAMWORK, INTEGRITY, PERFORMANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, COMPASSION, HARD WORK and CREATIVITY.

Individually, they are our virtues, and together, they make up a roadmap which helps us foster innovation and success.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members. EOE D/V

A Note to Applicants

This job description outlines the general nature and level of responsibilities for this role and is not an exhaustive list of all duties. Qualified individuals with disabilities, as defined by the ADA, must be able to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation, as determined on a case-by-case basis.

Agency Policy

We do not accept unsolicited resumes from staffing agencies. Please refrain from contacting hiring managers directly.

Employment Scam Warning

We only post jobs on our official careers site and accept applications through that platform. We do not conduct interviews via text or social media or ask for personal or banking information.

Regulatory Compliance & Background Screening

Discovery Senior Living complies with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulatory requirements governing hiring practices, background screening, and workforce eligibility. Employment may be contingent upon successful completion of state-mandated and/or federally required background screenings, which may include criminal history checks, fingerprint-based screening, Level 2 background screening, registry verification, and other screenings required for healthcare and senior living roles with direct or indirect resident access.

Certain positions may be subject to additional requirements under federal programs, including CMS, Medicare, and Medicaid regulations, as well as state-specific licensing or regulatory agencies. Screening requirements vary by role and jurisdiction, and candidates must meet all applicable standards as a condition of employment. These measures support regulatory compliance and help maintain a safe, secure environment for residents, families, and team members.

Employment in Florida is contingent upon completion of a Level 2 background screening in accordance with Florida AHCA requirements. Applicants will be required to complete fingerprinting and background screening through the AHCA Clearinghouse. For more information, please visit:

If having a direct impact on the lives of others is appealing to you, apply today and join our team!