Cook

San Antonio Behavioral Health • San Antonio, TX

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Cook prepares, cooks, serves, and provisions quality meals and nutritional services to patients, staff, and guests. The individual is responsible for accurately and efficiently cooking meats, fish, vegetables, soups, and other hot food products, as well as preparing and portioning food products prior to cooking. Prepares items for broiling, grilling, frying, sautéing, or other cooking methods by portioning, battering, breading, seasoning, and/or marinating. Must be knowledgeable of and consistently compliant with standard portion sizes, cooking methods, quality standards, and kitchen rules, recipes, policies, and procedures.

Requirements

• High School degree (or equivalent) or two (2) years’ work experience required.
• Must possess or obtain a valid Food Handlers certificate within 30 days of accepting the position.
• A minimum of one (1) year experience as a Cook worker in a commercial environment, preferably in a healthcare environment setting preferred.
• Two (2) years’ experience in a kitchen role, preferably in a healthcare setting.
• Must be available for weekend, day, and night shifts as assigned.
• Must possess or obtain a valid CPR certification and SAMA training within 30 days of hire.
• Must be able to concentrate on work amidst distractions such as noise, conversations, and foot traffic; must be able to consistently meet deadlines; and finish all food preparation at specified serving time; must be flexible in work hours in order to meet patient and organization operating needs.
• Must maintain self-control in volatile or hostile customer services interactions.
• Must be able to adjust recipes to achieve desired results.
• Must be able to read and comprehend recipes or instructions on prepackaged products.
• Ability to read, convert and adjust mathematical measurements for recipe adjustments.
• Must be able to use kitchen equipment such as knives, slicers, mixers, and dishwashers; knowledge of the hygiene factors involved in food preparation; knowledge of cleaning products and the appropriate methods of cleaning a variety of surfaces.
• Must be able to work independently, in a result restricted physical environment for extended periods of time.
• Skill to independently interpret reference materials to comply with law, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, etc.
• Must have ability to perform several tasks concurrently.
• Ability to apply time management practices to prioritize, schedule and complete work effectively to comply with mandated policies and deadlines.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks or parts of tasks simultaneously to ensure timely completion of work activities.
• Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, grasp, and be able to perceive the attributes of objects such as size, shape, temperature, and/or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips.
• Ability to express and exchange ideas via spoken word during activities in which they must convey detail or important spoken instructions to others accurately, sometimes quickly and loudly.
• Hearing to perceive the nature of sound with no less than 40 db loss @ Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz with or without correction; ability to perceive detailed information orally and make fine discriminations in sound.
• Perform repetitive motions with wrists, hands, and fingers.
• Individual must be able to exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and to be able to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.
• Must be able to work and concentrate amidst distractions such as noise, conversation and foot traffic; ability to handle interruptions often and be able to move from one task to another

Nice To Haves

• Bi-lingual English/Spanish preferred but not required.
• Two (2) years’ experience in a kitchen role, preferably in a healthcare setting.
• A minimum of one (1) year experience as a Cook worker in a commercial environment, preferably in a healthcare environment setting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Practice appropriate hygienic practices
• Practice appropriate hand hygiene and glove use
• Employ hygienic practices
• Use hair restraints and beard guards properly
• Follow facility practice for dealing with employees who have symptoms of contagious illness (e.g., coughing, sneezing, fever, vomiting) or open wounds
• Cover open sores or cuts completely when handling food
• Know the causes of foodborne illnesses and infections, their characteristics, and the most commonly infected items
• Prevent eating surfaces of dishware from coming in contact with staff clothing
• Demonstrate understanding of infection control precautions
• Understand that menus are developed and prepared to meet patients choices including nutritional, religious, cultural, and ethnic needs while using established national guidelines and approved by a RDN
• Understand and follow prescribed diet orders, menu spreadsheets and corresponding recipes
• Appropriately interpret the portion sizes and serving utensils for all diets on the menu
• Provide required substitutions or modifications in meals for patients whose special needs restrict their diets
• Implement rules of safe practice for handling and discarding leftover food
• Ensure process for maintaining food at the proper temperature at all times during freezing, thawing, preparation, holding, and serving
• Ensure preparation of food combinations that add visual appeal and variety to a menu (garnishes)
• Work with supervisors to plan menus for or around special occasions and holidays
• Demonstrate ability to recognize food quality, palatability, and appearance
• Appropriately identify menu portion sizes and serving utensils
• Cook food adequately to required internal temperatures for potentially hazardous foods
• Use thermometers correctly to check food temperatures and sanitize appropriately after use
• Assure that hot foods are held at 135° F or higher, after they are heated to a minimum internal temperature
• Check to make sure cold foods are held below 41°
• Ensure that leftovers are reheated rapidly to 165° F in 2 hours
• Label, date, and store all food items correctly and in a timely manner
• Store raw and cooked foods separately
• Practice the first-in, first-out method of inventory rotation
• Keep the refrigerator/freezer clean
• Wrap, date, and label all foods properly
• Store food 6" off the floor and 18" from the ceiling
• Store chemicals away from food and other food-related supplies
• Keep food stored in proper containers
• Demonstrate personal responsibility for maintaining safe and sanitary conditions
• Understand basic principles of food service sanitation
• Use cutting boards according to type of food
• Store cleaning cloths in sanitizing solution

Benefits

• Vision Insurance
• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• 401K Retirement Plan
• Healthcare Spending Account
• Dependent Care Spending Account
• PTO Plan with Holiday Premium Pay
• Life Insurance (Supplemental Life, Term, and Universal plans are also available.)
• Short and Long-Term Disability (with additional buy-in opportunities)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED