Cook (Helper)

About the Role

Responsible for preparing food in accordance with current applicable federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations, as well as established policies and procedures. Under the supervision of the Lead Cook, this role focuses on hot food preparation, including accompaniments and garnishes.

Responsibilities

• Use recipes to cook and prepare various entrees, vegetables, sandwiches, salads, desserts, and other menu items.
• Communicate and coordinate daily with the Lead Cook on strategies to accomplish production and maintain quality standards.
• Assist the Lead Cook in maintaining accurate daily production records.
• Operate cash register/point of sale device during serving periods as needed.
• Collect, record, and report quantities used, amounts produced, amounts left over, and meal counts accurately.
• Offer and serve correct portions to comply with local and state regulations.
• Clean and restock work area throughout the day, following "clean as you go" standards and scheduled routine cleaning. Duties may include cleaning equipment, utensils, serving areas, dining areas, floors, walls, baseboards, and storage areas.
• Assist in proper labeling, dating, and rotation of products in dry storage, coolers, and freezers.
• Assist in maintaining organized storage of dry goods, refrigerated, and frozen products.
• Assist the Nutritional Services Director in accurate counting of food and supplies for inventories.
• Assist in the cooking, preparation, and service of food for special events when required.
• Attend training, development classes, and work site meetings as required by the Nutritional Services Director or Executive Chef.
• Assist in the cross-training of employees as required by the Nutritional Services Director.
• Follow safety and sanitation guidelines established by the district and government agencies.
• Maintain a professional appearance and a clean, safe work environment.
• Perform other essential duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Food Handler’s Permit required.
• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, recipes, production sheets, temperature logs, safety rules, and MSDS sheets.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute recipe conversions, purchases vs. served, and pan yields.
• Ability to make change from cash sales.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
• Working knowledge of food handling, preparation, production, standard kitchen equipment, food safety, and sanitation.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work within established policies, procedures, and practices.

Physical and Mental Requirements

• Must be able to sit and stand intermittently for 8 to 10 hours a day.
• Must be able to use standard office equipment, including a telephone and computer keyboard.
• Continuously works under pressure with near 100% accuracy while meeting inflexible deadlines.
• Continuously utilizes manual/bi-manual dexterity, near vision, speech, and hearing.
• Frequently stands, walks, sits, and utilizes eye/hand coordination and color definition.
• Occasionally reaches above shoulder and is regularly required to lift and/or carry up to 40 lbs.
• Occasionally walks on uneven surfaces.
• While performing duties, the employee is frequently required to talk or hear and occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and taste or smell.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.