Cook FT Days

Kindred Healthcare•Rancho Cucamonga, CA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Cook prepares and serves food for patients, employees, and special functions using proper food-handling and safety techniques. Food must meet nutritional guidelines, department policies and procedures, and applicable safety standards. The Cook maintains a clean and safe work environment and prepares meals according to standardized recipes, planned menus, production sheets, patient diet orders, and established mealtimes. Food must be served at appropriate temperatures and labeled as required. The role also includes labeling, dating, and storing food; monitoring and recording refrigerator, freezer, and dish-machine temperatures; assisting with receiving and storing food and supplies; and helping maintain adequate stock while minimizing waste. The Cook performs cleaning and dishwashing duties, follows infection-control and safety practices, uses appropriate PPE, and operates and maintains equipment safely. For menu management, the Cook checks patient diet orders and room changes before meal service, assists patients with selective menus, and uses a computerized menu-management system to update patient information, enter selections, and print menus, reports, and tray tickets. The Cook works cooperatively with hospital staff, communicates concerns and improvement opportunities, may provide kitchen leadership when assigned, and participates in performance-improvement, survey, and corrective-action activities as directed.

Requirements

High school diploma.
Food Protection Manager’s Certification from an accredited ANSI-CFP program; completion is mandatory within 90 days of hire.
One year of experience in a quantity food-preparation setting, such as a restaurant, hospital, nursing center, or hotel.
Knowledge of therapeutic diets and texture or liquid modifications.
Knowledge of safe food handling.
Knowledge of federal, state, and city food codes and regulations.
Knowledge of Kindred Nutrition & Culinary Services policies and procedures.
Skill in quantity cooking.
Effective oral and written communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate with patients, family members, and people at all levels of the organization.
Ability to be accurate, concise, and detail-oriented.
Basic computer skills, working knowledge of Microsoft Office, and ability to learn the menu-management system.
Understanding of growth and development across the life span and ability to provide appropriate care for adult and geriatric patients as applicable.
Fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English.
Good and regular attendance.

Nice To Haves

ServSafe certification is strongly preferred.
Full understanding of therapeutic diets is preferred.

Responsibilities

Prepare food according to standardized recipes, planned menus, production sheets, and department policies and procedures.
Serve and portion food according to planned menus and standardized recipes, following patient diet orders.
Make only authorized changes to planned menus and record changes according to policy.
Prepare food to meet established mealtimes and serve it at temperatures required by the FDA Food Code.
Ensure food served to patients is labeled according to policy.
Label, date, cool, and store food, including leftovers, according to established procedures.
Take and record refrigerator and freezer temperatures twice daily and report out-of-range readings promptly.
Assist with receiving and storing incoming food and supplies and verifying invoices as directed.
Help ensure adequate supplies are available, report low stock in a timely manner, and use supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
Keep work areas clean and uncluttered; complete cleaning assignments using appropriate chemicals.
Follow infection-control, safety, sanitation, and PPE requirements.
Wash dishes, pots, and pans according to manual or automatic dishwashing procedures; store them to prevent contamination.
Check dish-machine temperature or sanitizer concentration before each use, record readings, and report problems.
Operate equipment according to manufacturer and supervisor directions, maintain it in clean and safe condition, and report equipment problems promptly.
Maintain department security.
Check medical records for new diet orders, discharges, and room changes before each meal tray line assembly.
Pass selective menus to patients and assist with completion when needed.
Use the computerized menu-management program to add admissions, update patient information, edit menus, enter selections, and print menus, reports, and tray tickets.
Work cooperatively with coworkers across hospital departments and routinely communicate issues, concerns, and improvement opportunities to the supervisor.
Assume kitchen leadership when assigned by the supervisor.
Participate in performance-improvement data collection, the survey process, and corrective-action plans as directed.
Perform other related duties as assigned.