Cook (PD)

Everyone Is a Caregiver

At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.

Performs a wide variety of tasks and operations to prepare cold foods and cooked foods for patients, employees, and others as directed, following standard practices and procedures and complying with regulatory requirements.

I. Major Responsibilities:

1. Prepares all items as prescribed by production sheets and/or assigned by supervisor for patient and non-patient areas. Checks production sheets and menus and plans work accordingly. Trims and cuts meat, fish and fowl. Bakes, roasts, stews, grills and steam cooks meats, fish and fowl according to recipes and to provide maximum quality. Prepares gravies, dressings and sauces. Prepares vegetables, cold meats, ground meats, cooked cereals, breakfast and special items as required. Tests food by taste and aroma to determine if properly cooked and seasoned. Prepares entrees and sauces in advance as appropriate.

2. Prepares correct portions for serving. Carves or slices desired weight or portion of meat, fish and fowl for individual servings and applies gravy, sauce or garnish. Portions items into appropriate steam table pans as indicated in the steam table layout sheets and in accordance with the daily cafeteria steam table sheet. Sets up entrees for patient tray line and assists in taste and temperature quality control. Sends appropriate items to cafeteria on schedule. Provides back-up services for lines. Checks for any usable leftovers and discusses usage with Production Manager.

3. Exhibits sound sanitation, personal hygiene and safety practices and follows prescribed uniform policy.

4. Utilizes equipment and supplies efficiently and with a high degree of concern for waste, utilization of leftovers, returns unused stock to proper storage area.

5. Participates in special activities such as food functions, etc.

6. Maintains work area in a clean and orderly condition following "clean-as-you-work" specifications. Exercises care in the handling of food to avoid spoilage and contamination. Follows all prescribed safety and sanitary procedures. Maintains a neat and sanitary condition of work benches including shelves and drawers, all appropriate refrigerators, all production machinery, i.e., the slicer buffalo chopper, blender, ovens including microwave oven, broiler, etc., and all carts used in production. Turns on and off ovens, ranges, fryolater, broilers, etc., used to cook food. Secures freezer and appropriate walk-ins at end of day. Disposes of all soiled linen appropriately.

7. Assists in care and maintenance of facilities, equipment, and supplies. Maintains work area in clean, orderly and safe condition. Maintains equipment in good working order. Reports any hazardous conditions or equipment breakdown immediately to supervisor. Initiates requisitions for supplies as needed.

8. Comply with hospital-established policies, quality assurance program, safety, and infection control policies and procedures.

Standard Staffing Level Responsibilities:

1. Complies with established departmental policies, procedures and objectives.

2. Attends variety of meetings, conferences, seminars as required or directed.

3. Demonstrates use of Quality Improvement in daily operations.

4. Complies with all health and safety regulations and requirements.

5. Respects diverse views and approaches, demonstrates Standards of Respect, and contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of professionalism, tolerance, civility and acceptance toward all employees, patients and visitors.

6. Maintains, regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.

7. Performs other similar and related duties as required or directed.

All responsibilities are essential job functions.

II. Position Qualifications:License/Certification/Education:

Preferred:1. High school education or equivalent.

Experience/Skills:

Required:1. One to three years' experience in food preparation.2. Must be able to follow verbal and written directions. 3. Requires simple use of formulas, charts and tables together with the use of adjustable measuring instruments and graduates.

Unless certification, licensure or registration is required, an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed in this description may be substituted for the above requirements.

Department-specific competencies and their measurements will be developed and maintained in the individual departments. The competencies will be maintained and attached to the departmental job description. Responsible managers will review competencies with position incumbents.

III. Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions:

Work is considered of medium physical demand. Position requires work indoors in a patient care environment. Ability to stoop and lift 30 pounds and push and pull 300 pounds. Ability to remain standing up for up to four consecutive hours. Ability to perform repetitive motions such as wrist turning, grasping, reaching, and bending.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

We're striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health for our patients, our community and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, every day.

As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.