Cook - Dietary Aide HCC

PruittHealth•Durham, NC

About The Position

The Cook prepares palatable, attractive, nutritionally adequate meals in institutional quantities, following departmental policies and procedures, state and federal regulations, recipes, and diet orders. The role ensures food is prepared and served at the proper temperature and time and meets residents’ daily nutritional and special-diet needs. In coordination with the Director of Food Service, the Cook helps use resources efficiently so residents receive food in the amount, type, consistency, and frequency needed to support acceptable body weight, nutritional values, and quality of life. The position also assists with meal preparation and service, including tray-line setup, nourishments, menu substitutions, and delivery of trays. It involves maintaining clean and sanitary work areas and equipment; monitoring and recording food-storage and dishwashing temperatures and other required checks; maintaining supplies; and following food-handling, infection-control, safety, and facility procedures. The Cook assists with supervising kitchen staff involved in preparation, tray assembly, cleaning, and supply and equipment storage, and communicates issues and resident menu acceptance to the Dietary Manager.

Requirements

Sufficient education to demonstrate functional literacy.
At least one year of institutional food-service experience as a cook.
Working knowledge of food handling, preparation, and storage techniques that comply with state and federal laws and regulations.
Ability to apply food-service regulations to the work of a cook and to supervision of staff assistants.
Ability to follow recipes and prepare palatable, attractive, nutritionally adequate meals in institutional quantities.
Knowledge of facility emergency and disaster procedures and ability to respond to written or oral emergency instructions.
Ability to follow facility policies and procedures for workplace safety, infection control, universal precautions, personal protective equipment, and hazardous-material handling.
Ability to arrive on time and report for scheduled duty on all shifts, weekends, and holidays.

Nice To Haves

Experience in long-term-care food production is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist with preparing meals, salads, desserts, snacks, and other dishes, and prepare between-meal nourishments.
Follow diet orders and NPO diet orders.
Serve nourishments and follow procedures for serving partner meals.
Store leftovers and opened food properly.
Offer menu substitutions and record them according to procedures.
Comply with infection-control policies and deliver trays to residents in halls and dining areas.
Assist with serving beverages and prepare coffee or tea as requested.
Clean dining tables after meals and clean work areas at the end of shifts and after meals, including sweeping and mopping; store cleaning equipment properly.
Clean kitchen equipment, including carts, tables, counters, ice machine, blender, mixer, meat slicer, freezer, refrigerator, stove, steamer, garbage disposal, dish machine, coffee and tea maker, and steam table.
Remove kitchen garbage and hose out garbage containers.
Scrape, wash, and properly store dishes, pots, and pans.
Record freezer and walk-in refrigerator temperatures according to procedures.
Maintain the dishwasher and dish sink; check and record water temperatures; test the dishwasher with sanitizer strips; and check and replenish chemical levels as needed.
Maintain supply stock and store items according to procedures.
Set up the tray line and perform tray-line service.
Operate the dish machine, garbage disposal, mixer, blender, meat slicer, steamer, and coffee and tea maker.
Use, clean, and maintain serving equipment according to procedures.
Apply food-handling, preparation, and storage practices that comply with state and federal laws and regulations.
Follow recipes and menu cycles prepared by the Dietitian; prepare meals in institutional quantities and serve them at the proper times.
Assist with supervising kitchen staff involved in food preparation, tray assembly, cleaning, and storage of supplies and equipment.
Continuously clean food-service work areas during preparation and service and use food supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
Prepare and maintain food substitutes to accommodate residents’ choices and cultural, ethnic, and religious preferences.
Inspect trays after meal service, monitor and record residents’ acceptance of menu items, and report findings to the Dietary Manager.
Use food-preparation equipment according to manufacturer instructions; follow cleaning techniques and preventative-maintenance schedules; and handle, store, and dispose of food in accordance with department procedures and regulations.
Participate in center or agency surveys, required reports, survey training, and preparation for state inspections; interact with state surveyors as instructed.
Attend continuing education programs and mandatory in-services, and maintain a current license or certification if required.
Respect residents’ rights, dignity, individuality, privacy, property, and civil rights; demonstrate honesty and integrity in the care and use of resident and facility property.
Follow corporate compliance, safety, fire-prevention, smoking, infection-control, universal-precautions, personal-protective-equipment, and hazardous-material procedures.
Report occupational hazards, injuries, unsafe or unsanitary conditions, and other problems promptly to the supervisor or Dietary Manager; communicate with the Dietary Manager as needed.
Know facility emergency and disaster procedures, locate the nearest exit, and understand and respond to emergency instructions.
Report for scheduled duty on time, including shifts, weekends, and holidays.
Perform other related duties as directed by the supervisor.