Dietary Cook

PRIMARY DUTY

Prepare, cook and serve food for residents, by 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
• Serves meals to residents, including the set‐up and tear‐down of food‐service equipment
  
  • Carries pans, kettles and trays of food to resident dining areas and various workstations throughout kitchen
  • Prepares plates for residents from steam table
  • Distributes supplies, utensils and other portable equipment
• Cleans work areas, equipment and utensils according to the proper procedures
  
  • Washes cooking equipment, pots, pans, dishes and utensils
  • Removes garbage as needed
  • Stores food in designated areas
• Monitors and records temperatures in refrigerators and freezers
• Delegates tasks to the Prep Cooks/Dietary Aides as approved by the Dietary Manager
• Reports any issues or problems that may arise to the Dietary Manager
• 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

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 long-term care experience preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Previous experience in a long‐term care or hospital setting preferred

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS of this position are generally as follows:

• Oversees the activities of the Dietary Aides as necessary; carries out supervisory responsibilities, including, but not limited to, training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; and addressing complaints and resolving problems

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

• Language Ability - Reads and interprets documents. Ability to write complex reports and correspondence
  • Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; able to read and interpret written information
  • Verbal Communication - Talks to others to convey information effectively
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
• Math Ability: Knowledge of mathematics, statistics and their applications
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving complex variables
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times
• Safety and Security ‐ Observes safety and security procedures; reports potentially unsafe conditions; uses equipment and materials properly
• Quality Management - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness
• Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; completes tasks correctly and on time
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; advises for additional resources
• Attendance/Punctuality - Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; arrives at meetings and appointments on time
• Dependability - Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; completes tasks 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, microwave oven, fryer, griddle, toaster, slicer, 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 employee is regularly exposed to extreme heat or cold, humidity, and danger of burns from stoves and/or hot liquids
• The employee is occasionally required to wear protective clothing
• The employee may be exposed to blood, body fluids, infectious diseases, air contaminants, and hazardous chemicals
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate

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.

• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to talk or hear, taste, smell, stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel or crouch. The employee is frequently required to use hands and fingers, handle, and feel and occasionally climb or balance
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust and focus