Cook/Baker I-Correctional Facility

Cook/Baker Position

The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) is seeking a motivated individual to fill one full-time Cook/Baker position. The selected candidate will be responsible for providing food services to approximately 1,400 jail residents and staff, preparing three meals daily. This role is a vital part of the Food Services Section, where you will perform daily tasks within a 24/7 institutional/corrections environment.

Cook/Bakers ensure that the food provided meets nutritional standards and health codes while maintaining the safety standards of their working environment. Incumbents of this position must be able to lift, carry and move supplies weighing up to 50 pounds and stand for prolonged periods of time. The Food Services team members are assigned to either of two adult facilities, the King County Correctional Facility (Downtown Seattle, WA) and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (Kent, WA). This team has direct contact and supervision of jail resident workers within a secure correctional facility. If you are the type of person that enjoys working both independently and as part of a group and providing exemplary customer service to a diverse group of people (both staff and jail residents), you are the type of person we're looking for.

DAJD is a professional and nationally recognized organization that supports safe, vibrant, and healthy communities in partnership with other criminal justice and human service agencies. DAJD operates the largest county jail in the State of Washington. DAJD's mission is to provide in-custody and community-based services that are data informed, advance safety, lead system change, and promote equitable outcomes for the people we serve.

Job Duties

The Cook/Baker will cook, bake, prepare and portion food/meals (three meals per day) for jail residents and staff. Direct contact and supervision of jail residents within a secure correctional facility is required. The primary responsibilities for this position are:

• Estimate meal orders, plan meals, assemble ingredients and supplies, prep, cook, and bake items for meals.
• Supervise and train work crews or jail resident workers.
• Must provide clear directions and work/training in a well-planned and organized manner.
• Train and help develop new hire cooks in all Cook/Baker I positions in the kitchen.
• Portion and serve food; supervise activities related to the serving of food.
• Prepare reports and identify the amount of food used for each meal and the amounts of leftovers. Decisions must be made in a timely manner to determine if substitute foods are necessary.
• Maintain inventory of food, supplies, and equipment.
• Maintain an organized and clean work site to ensure health and safety standards are met. Maintain health code standards and quality controls.
• Plan and prepare food for special diets, verify diet orders on computer, prepare tags, verify locations for meals, cook meal and serve.
• Address possible conflicts and potentially dangerous situations quickly to maintain and ensure a secure and safe environment.
• Perform operator level maintenance of commercial food service equipment.
• Requires prolonged standing, ability to properly lift, carry, move supplies, boxes, bags and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Prepare incident reports as required based on department policy.
• Provide excellent customer service to a diverse group of people (both staff and jail residents).
• Ability to drive DAJD kitchen vehicles for assigned activities/duties, and load/unload trucks.
• Responsible for performing other duties as assigned and needed to support the Food Services Section.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS:

• Food service equipment use and maintenance experience
• Knowledge of Washington State health and fire codes
• Knowledge of food service techniques, including but not limited to menu preparation, supply ordering, inventories, quality control and preservation
• Basic math and computer skills

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDE:

• Demonstrated full-time paid work experience in large quantity food preparation, cooking and baking (minimum of 500 persons per meal).
• Experience in large-scale commercial, military or institutional setting providing full meal service.
• Ability to understand, speak, read and write the English language for purposes of following and giving verbal and written instructions, reading/following menus, recipes, policies and procedures, writing reports and maintaining inventory.
• Physical ability to perform operator level maintenance of commercial food service equipment, prolonged standing, properly lift, carry and move supplies, boxes, bags and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Food service work experience in an institutional, military or corrections/criminal justice environment
• Knowledge of special dietary needs.
• Experience cooking medical, special, and religious diets.