Culinary Assistant | Dietary Aide - Senior Living

Heritage Senior Living•New Berlin, WI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Heritage Senior Living is seeking a dependable, friendly Culinary Assistant to support dining services at Heritage at Deer Creek Senior Living in New Berlin, Wisconsin. The role supports food preparation, meal service, kitchen operations, and a clean, welcoming dining environment. It involves serving residents, guests, visitors, and team members; taking food orders; delivering room-service trays; and helping make each meal an enjoyable experience. The Culinary Assistant also supports food and supply handling, kitchen organization, dishwashing, sanitation, infection control, and compliance documentation. The position reports to the Executive Chef and works closely with the culinary team. Previous food-service or healthcare experience is helpful but not required; a positive attitude and interest in serving older adults are emphasized. The work requires standing and walking for extended periods, performing various bending and reaching movements, and regularly lifting, carrying, and moving items weighing up to 50 pounds. Work is around heat, steam, hot surfaces, sharp utensils, cleaning products, wet surfaces, and temperature changes. The schedule is flexible according to community needs and may include weekends, holidays, and additional hours.

Requirements

Passion for serving older adults.
Strong communication and customer-service skills.
Ability to present and serve food in an appealing manner.
Understanding of or willingness to learn sanitation, food-safety, and infection-control practices.
Ability to work collaboratively with coworkers and community team members.
Ability to meet applicable pre-employment, training, and regulatory requirements.
Ability to communicate effectively with residents, guests, and team members.
Ability to read and follow menus, food labels, cleaning instructions, safety information, and required documentation.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and bend, reach, stoop, kneel, push, pull, and perform movements needed for food service and kitchen duties.
Ability to regularly lift, carry, and move items weighing up to 50 pounds.
Ability to safely handle food, dishes, cookware, kitchen equipment, cleaning supplies, and other materials.
Ability to work safely around heat, steam, hot surfaces, sharp utensils, cleaning products, wet surfaces, and temperature changes.
Dependability, a positive and friendly attitude, attention to cleanliness and organization, and willingness to help where needed.

Nice To Haves

Previous food preparation, restaurant, hospitality, senior living, or healthcare experience is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Provide friendly, attentive service to residents, guests, visitors, and team members.
Serve meals and beverages, take individual food orders as needed, and prepare and deliver room-service trays.
Help ensure meals are presented appealingly and respond to resident requests professionally and courteously.
Assist with food preparation and meal production as directed by the Executive Chef or Sous Chef.
Help prepare food and dining areas for special events, celebrations, and community programs.
Receive and properly store food and supply deliveries; assist with inventory and organization.
Label, date, rotate, and store food products according to established procedures; organize refrigerators and storage areas.
Wash and sanitize dishes, utensils, cookware, and kitchen equipment.
Keep kitchen, food-preparation, storage, and service areas clean and organized; follow cleaning schedules and infection-control procedures.
Assist with garbage removal and general kitchen cleanup.
Follow safe food-handling, sanitation, and infection-control practices.
Assist with food, equipment, cleaning, in-service, OSHA, and other compliance logs.
Monitor dishwasher temperatures and chemical levels and report equipment or maintenance concerns to the Executive Chef.
Follow Heritage Senior Living policies, procedures, and applicable food-service requirements.
Maintain regular and reliable attendance and perform other kitchen functions as needed.