Lead Cook

Job Title

Prepares, seasons, and cooks food for patients, employees, staff, and visitors in accordance with established recipes and menus.

Job Description

St. Luke's Home is located in Springfield's beautiful historic district. The grounds include lovely gardens that the residents help to maintain. Inside, all rooms are private, and residents may decorate them with personal items and furniture, or use furnishings we provide. A spacious activity area and large dining room provide areas for socializing with fellow residents, and a serene chapel offers a quiet space and time for devotion and reflection. With its urban location, Saint Luke's home is within walking distance of libraries, museums, churches, parks and shops enabling residents to take advantage of the many resources the city has to offer. Compensation: $22.25 - $25.57 per hour, depending on verification of experience and qualifications. This full-time schedule includes working every other weekend.

Job Summary

Prepares, seasons, and cooks food for patients, employees, staff, and visitors in accordance with established recipes and menus. In doing so, measures and mixes food ingredients, uses kitchen utensils and equipment, and tests food being cooked in order to determine if done.

Primary Job Responsibilities and Duties

Demonstrates, promotes and integrates Trinity Health Senior Communities Mission and core values by:

• Receives orders for items to be cooked and obtains necessary food items and equipment from storage areas.
• Measures, weighs and combines ingredients for quantity preparation of soups, entrees, casseroles, vegetables, meats, gravies and other food items in accordance with established recipes.
• Cooks regular and diet menu items according to established recipes.
• Inspects and tastes food for correct seasoning, quality and proper serving temperature, and adds ingredients or seasonings to improve flavor and/or texture.
• Ensures menu items are prepared in a timely manner and that items requiring advance preparation are prepared, cooked and ready for assigned meal time.
• Monitors consumption of assigned menu items and alters food production levels in order to avoid potential shortages or surpluses.
• Operates a variety of manual and/or automated kitchen equipment such as ovens, grills, toasters, fryers, mixers, blenders, and so forth.
• Maintains records of food supplies as well as ingredients used in preparation of menu items.
• Transports foodstuffs to and from storerooms and refrigerators to preparation/serving areas. Ensures foodstuffs requiring refrigeration are properly stored and maintains counters, utensils and assigned work areas in a clean and sanitary condition.
• Estimate food needs and, as necessary, requisitions food supplies from stores.
• In the absence of the Food Service Director assumes responsibility for the dietary department.
• Organizes the responsibilities and monitors the performance of the diet aides.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

1. Work requires a high school level of educational development and up to one year of basic technical training in cooking techniques and one to two years of previous work related experience plus three months or less of on-the-job training and orientation.

2. No certification, registration, or licensure required.

3. Work requires the analytical ability to gather and interpret data.

4. Work requires the ability to understand and respond to simple written or verbal instructions. Occasionally requires contact with patients and/or visitors, which involves ordinary courtesy.

5. Work requires lifting objects weighing up to 20 pounds on an hourly basis.

6. Work requires standing for up to two hours at a time on an hourly basis.

7. Work requires ability to reach and grasp objects.

8. Work requires pushing or pulling supply carts on a daily basis.

Working Conditions

1. Requires handling of hot liquids. Toxic or flammable chemicals, or contaminated materials, which requires caution and use of, established safety guidelines and equipment.

Reporting Relationships

1. Reports to the Director of Food Service

Our Commitment

Rooted in our Mission and Core Values, we honor the dignity of every person and recognize the unique perspectives, experiences, and talents each colleague brings. By finding common ground and embracing our differences, we grow stronger together and deliver more compassionate, person-centered care. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.