Culinary Assistant | Dietary Aide | Kitchen Staff

Heritage Senior Living•Oshkosh, WI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Aspire Senior Living is seeking a dependable, friendly Culinary Assistant to join the dining services team at its Oshkosh, Wisconsin community. The role supports food preparation, meal service, kitchen operations, and a clean, welcoming dining environment. The Culinary Assistant serves residents, guests, visitors, and team members, helps make meals enjoyable, and works with the culinary team to keep kitchen functions running smoothly. Previous food-service or healthcare experience is helpful but not required; a positive attitude and interest in serving older adults are emphasized. The position reports to the Executive Chef and works closely with the culinary team. Duties include serving meals and beverages, taking food orders, preparing room-service trays, assisting with food production and special events, receiving and organizing supplies, and maintaining food storage and inventory. The role also includes dishwashing, cleaning, sanitation and infection-control practices, compliance logs, and monitoring dishwasher temperatures and chemical levels. The schedule is flexible based on resident and community needs and may include weekends, holidays, and additional hours. The position requires regular standing and walking, bending, reaching, stooping, kneeling, pushing, and pulling, as well as regularly lifting, carrying, and moving items up to 50 pounds. Work involves food, dishes, cookware, kitchen equipment, cleaning supplies, and exposure to heat, steam, hot surfaces, sharp utensils, cleaning products, wet surfaces, and temperature changes. Reasonable accommodations may be provided as required by law.

Requirements

Dependable, hardworking, friendly, and passionate about providing service to older adults.
Positive attitude and ability to provide excellent customer service.
Ability to work collaboratively with coworkers and community team members and help wherever needed.
Attention to cleanliness, organization, and food safety; ability to follow directions and established procedures.
Ability to present and serve food in an appealing manner.
Strong communication and customer-service skills.
Understanding of, or willingness to learn, sanitation, food-safety, and infection-control practices.
Ability to meet applicable pre-employment, training, and regulatory requirements.
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.
Regular and reliable attendance; availability for a flexible schedule that may include weekends, holidays, and additional hours as 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.
Present meals attractively and respond professionally and courteously to resident requests.
Help create a positive dining experience for residents and guests.
Assist with food preparation and meal production as directed by the Executive Chef or Sous Chef.
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.
Assist with other essential kitchen functions as needed.
Wash and sanitize dishes, utensils, cookware, and kitchen equipment.
Maintain clean and organized kitchen, food-preparation, storage, and service areas; 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 Aspire Senior Living policies, procedures, and applicable food-service requirements.
Communicate effectively; read and follow menus, food labels, cleaning instructions, safety information, and required documentation.
Maintain regular and reliable attendance and work safely while performing kitchen and food-service duties.