Cook

Position Overview
Accept responsibility for preparation of therapeutic and routine Resident meals as approved by a Dietitian. Follows standardized recipes to achieve appetizing and nutritious food in large quantities.

• Some experience in institutional cooking.
• Knowledge of food preparation, sanitation and hygienic methods.
• Follow verbal and written instructions.
• Sincere desire to work with elders and others who have a limited capacity for self-care.
• Mental and physical capacity to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations.
• Work with and provides care to individuals of a wide range of personality types and maturity levels.
• Demonstrate creative initiative and mature judgment in making competent decisions.
• Consistently maintain courteous, empathetic, and professional attitude.
• Maintain a professional appearance at all times.
• Communicate and comprehend orally and in writing to effectively receive and share information as necessary to perform job duties.
• Transportation accessible to enable flexibility of work schedule.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Assure Resident safety at all times.
• Willing to address each Resident by his/her preferred name as well as learn and abide by Residents’ Rights, rules and regulations.
• Commitment to work well with other staff avoiding petty conflicts that disrupt a productive work environment. Does not participate in facility gossip and rumors.
• Follows standardized recipes and makes appropriate substitutions when necessary.
• Accept change in a positive and productive manner.
• Commute to and from work on a regular, dependable basis.
• Prepare each meal according to established serving times by closely supervising cooking schedules.
• Maintain equipment in a clean and well-functioning manner.
• Maintain confidentiality of all activities, persons, and records.
• Supervise other dietary employees.
• Prepare attractive, tasty foods and nutritious meals and snacks by ensuring food is palatable and appetizing.
• Prepare food carefully to avoid wastefulness and supervises portions served.
• Take care not to overcook or undercook food.
• Provide correctly labeled snacks between meals as needed.
• Ensure safe preparation of foods served by using good personal hygiene and utilizing correct sanitary techniques during food preparation, handling and serving.
• Adhere to established dietary policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with Residents Rights by giving consideration to individual Residents’ likes and dislikes and by calling Resident by his/her preferred name.
• Prepare special diets as ordered by physician.
• Alter food texture for edentulous Residents or Residents who have difficulty with chewing and/or swallowing.
• Season food, or not, in compliance with established regimens.
• Prepare adequate amounts of eternal feedings to last through the night. (when applicable)
• Exercise prudent independent judgment and follow through with preparation of meals without supervision.
• Make independent decisions regarding substitution of items in recipes.
• Take initiative in utilizing leftover food.
• Accurately estimate quantities of food required for each meal.
• Be familiar with optimal methods of preparing meats according to cuts.
• Store raw and cooked food in proper containers and in correct locations.
• Maintain efficient workflow by following standardized work methods.
• Demonstrate flexibility in adapting and to unexpected changes in routine.
• Closely follow timetable for schedule duties to ensure that food does not set too long before serving, and to ensure meals are ready to serve at established times.
• Store equipment in proper place ready for next use.
• Report malfunctioning equipment or lack of supplies to supervisor immediately.
• Resident preferences are followed when providing care and service.
• Maintain Resident privacy, values and right for decision making.
• Immediately notify supervisor and Executive Director for any injury, illness, or if develop a condition, that might impact the aptitude to perform job functions.

Ancillary Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform duties in compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Note changes in Resident’s condition and report immediately to charge nurse or Director of Nursing.
• Report on and off duty at assigned times.
• Establish and maintain positive rapport with administration, interdepartmental personnel, volunteers, Residents, visitors and outside agency representatives.
• Maintains an attitude of support for department activities.
• Remain alert to health safety standards by reporting expediently to his/her Director of Dietary suspected unsafe conditions.
• Adhere to employee health and safety program by consistently washing hands before handling food products and wearing gloves when indicated by activity.
• Obtain timely annual TB tests.
• Do not work during periods of illness that might transmit disease.
• Is careful to avoid contamination of food.
• Adhere to safety policies and procedures by demonstrating proper body mechanics when lifting, bending and stooping.
• Demonstrate proper precautions to avoid accidental fires and bodily injuries.
• Responds according to policies and procedures during fire/disaster drills and emergencies.
• Be receptive to constructive feedback from co-workers and supervisors.
• Establish annual objectives by achieving at least two (2) objectives related to job in a twelve-month period and setting personal goals for self-fulfillment.
• Attend in-services or seminars as often as possible and apply new knowledge in day–to-day job performance.
• Secure department during off-duty hours.
• Be creative in utilization of leftovers to avoid excess waste.
• Accepts additional assignments within scope of training, education or experience that may be assigned from time to time by the Director of Dietary.

Resident Rights

• Maintain the confidentiality of all Resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.
• Ensure that the Resident’s rights to fair and equitable treatment, self-determination, individuality, privacy, property and civil rights, including the right to wage complaints, are well established and maintained at all times.
• Review Resident complaints and grievances and make written reports of action taken. Discuss such actions with Resident and family as appropriate.
• Safety and Sanitation
• Ensure that you and all facility personnel, Residents, visitors, etc., follow established safety regulations, to include fire protection/prevention, smoking regulations, infection control, etc.
• Ensure that the building and grounds are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner as well as in good working order by reporting all concerns to management.
• Ensure that you and all facility personnel follow established regulations governing the use of labels and SDSs for hazardous chemicals.
• Ensure that facility procedure manuals identify safety precautions and equipment to use when performing tasks that could cause bodily injury or exposure to a hazardous chemical or infectious waste.
• Ensure that you and all facility personnel follow established ergonomics policies and procedures to prevent self-injury.
• Ensure that you and all facility personnel performing tasks that involve potential exposure to blood, body fluids, or hazardous chemicals are appropriately trained prior to performing such tasks.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: All statements addressed in the "Working Hours," "Environment" and "Physical/Sensory Demands" sections below are applicable to all jobs maintained by the employer.
Working Hours: The employee will

• Be employed on a full-time, part-time or PRN (as needed) basis. May be subject to change after employment.
• Work unusual hours as necessary and as required.
• Be expected and required to adhere to policies and procedures regarding attendance.