About The Position

The Food Service Associate is responsible for portioning and plating food, performing all tasks associated with Patient Tray Service to ensure patient satisfaction. This role involves food preparation (e.g., gelatin, custard, sandwiches, salads, desserts), maintaining sanitation standards for dishes and equipment, and stocking patient floor kitchens. The associate ensures timely, accurate, and courteous delivery and pick-up of patient trays and nourishments.

Requirements

  • Must possess knowledge of basic principles of nutrition, diets, recipes, food preparation and service.
  • Must be able to read, write and communicate fluently in English.
  • Ability to interact and communicate with patients, medical staff, dietary staff, and able to follow accurately diet orders.
  • Must demonstrate effective interpersonal and communication skills with a background in customer or patient service.
  • Must be able to follow the standards of federal, state and local regulatory agencies and JCAHO requirements for sanitation, food preparation and handling.
  • Must be able to lift up to 40lbs and transport the meal cart to unit floors for meal service without assistance.
  • Must have sufficient dexterity to handle food and equipment efficiently and safely.
  • Position requires incumbent to walk and stand 95% of the time while engaged in job routine activities.
  • Incumbents must satisfy the Fit Test Requirements for using the N95 Respirator Mask.

Nice To Haves

  • High school diploma or GED is preferred.
  • Minimum of two years’ experience in food service /customer service environment.
  • Patient feeding experience with all age groups and diet experience preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Portions and plates food before and during tray-line.
  • Performs all tray-line tasks associated with Patient Tray Service.
  • Performs food preparation such as gelatin, custard, sandwiches, salads, and desserts.
  • Maintains sanitation standards for all dishes and equipment.
  • Stocks and maintains sanitation standards for patient floor kitchens.
  • Provides superior customer service to internal and external clients, customers, and patients.
  • Maintains tray-line standards to ensure accurate, timely, and good quality patient trays.
  • Ensures the maintenance of proper food temperatures during tray-lines.
  • Sets up tray-line for quick and accurate serving of food.
  • Serves appropriate food, beverages, condiments, and garnish attractively on all trays.
  • Prepares late trays quickly and accurately.
  • Produces and portions products according to established par levels, utilizing recipes or directions.
  • Prepares sandwich of the day, special salad/fruit plates, and garnishes.
  • Reads and interprets patient menus to ensure correct food and accompaniments.
  • Places foods/beverages and condiments on patient trays, following principles of all diets.
  • Provides meal service to patients.
  • Meets food truck and begins delivering trays within 5 minutes of truck arrival.
  • Delivers trays to patients' bedside tables, excluding patients on respiratory isolation, HOLD, or NPO.
  • Notifies nursing of all hold and isolation trays and passes them if appropriate.
  • Checks trays against patient name on door to ensure proper delivery.
  • Delivers patient in-between meal feedings at 8:00 PM, ensuring accuracy and quality.
  • Assembles and delivers late trays to patients within 30 minutes of receiving menu.
  • Delivers early trays to patient rooms on a timely basis.
  • Maintains effective and efficient communication with all personnel and patients.
  • Maintains patient nourishment areas and kitchens stock.
  • Accurately inventories, cleans, rotates stock, discards outdated items, restocks, wipes out refrigerators, and records temperatures.
  • Completes all dish-room functions accurately and in a timely manner.
  • Follows established sanitation guidelines to ensure a clean and safe work environment.
  • Adheres to sanitation guidelines to prevent foodborne illness and spread of infection.
  • Maintains a "CLEAN AS YOU GO" policy.
  • Uses proper hand washing techniques.
  • Covers, labels, and dates food in appropriate containers.
  • Utilizes and stores cleaning agents properly.
  • Attends all employee meetings and in-services as scheduled.
  • Uses appropriate dishes, bowls, cups, and utensils for serving food.
  • Refills station with food or beverages as necessary.
  • Brews coffee and iced tea according to standards.
  • Brings questions regarding diets to tray-line management for resolution.
  • Collects patient food trays and places trays on the truck no later than 60 minutes after service.
  • Notifies supervisor of all requests made by nursing or patients.
  • Refers all patient questions to appropriate personnel.
  • Informs supervisors of problems that arise.
  • Washes and dries all food trucks after every meal.
  • Reports all unsafe conditions and improper articles on patient trays to supervisor immediately.
  • Ensures that all paper items, straws, and plastic are removed from dishes and trays prior to loading into the dish-machine.
  • Cleans and wipes down station after each meal.
  • Turns off, drains, wipes down, and sanitizes station after dinner meal.
  • Empties lowerators and pushes equipment into the dish-room.
  • Rinses off utensils and puts them in the pot-sink.
  • Maintains clean and sanitary equipment/utensils using prescribed cleaning methods.

Benefits

  • medical
  • dental
  • vision
  • pharmacy
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • 403(b) savings matches
  • earned time cash out
  • paid time off
  • career advancement opportunities
  • resources to support employee and family wellbeing
© 2026 Teal Labs, Inc
Privacy PolicyTerms of Service