Cook Part Time

About the Role

Prepares and serves food using proper food handling and safety techniques for patients, employees, and special functions, ensuring foods meet nutritional guidelines and safety standards. Maintains a clean and safe working environment in accordance with established standards and regulations at Kindred Hospital Baldwin Park, a 91-bed facility with an eight-bed ICU and three negative-pressure rooms.

Responsibilities

• Prepares food following department standardized recipes, planned menus, and policies and procedures.
• Serves and portions food per department standardized recipes, planned menus, and policies and procedures.
• Follows patient diet orders when serving food to patients.
• Uses production sheets to direct preparation and quantity of food to meet established mealtimes.
• Prepares and serves food at the proper temperature set forth by the FDA Food Code.
• Ensures food served to patients is properly labeled per policy.
• Labels, dates, and stores food (including leftovers) properly according to cool-down techniques and established policies.
• Takes refrigerator/freezer temperatures twice daily and reports any out-of-range temperatures immediately to supervisor; records temperatures on appropriate logs.
• Assists in receiving, storing, and verifying invoices for incoming food and supplies as directed by supervisor/manager.
• Ensures adequate supply of food, supplies, and equipment; reports inadequate stock levels to supervisor/manager in a timely manner.
• Uses food supplies and equipment efficiently to prevent waste.
• Keeps work area clean and uncluttered during food preparation and service.
• Performs cleaning assignments according to established policies, using proper cleaning chemicals.
• Performs duties using proper infection control techniques and protective equipment as needed.
• Washes dishes, pots, and pans according to established procedures for manual and/or automatic dishwashing.
• Takes dish machine temperature and/or sanitizer concentration prior to each use and records on log; reports issues immediately to supervisor.
• Stores dishes, pots, and pans properly to prevent contamination.
• Operates equipment according to manufacturer and supervisory direction; maintains equipment in clean and safe operating condition.
• Reports all equipment problems immediately to supervisor.
• Maintains the security of the department.
• Checks for new diet orders, discharges, and room changes prior to each meal tray line assembly in medical records.
• Assists patients with selective menu completion; uses menu management computerized program to update patient information, edit menus, and generate tray tickets.
• Works cooperatively as a team member with co-workers across all hospital departments.
• Communicates issues, concerns, and opportunities for improvement to immediate supervisor routinely.
• Assumes leadership in the kitchen when assigned by supervisor.
• Participates in the hospital’s Performance Improvement program by collecting quality data as assigned.
• Participates in the survey process and corrective action plans as directed by supervisor.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Food Protection Manager’s Certification from an accredited ANSI-CFP program; mandatory completion within 90 days of hire (ServSafe strongly preferred).
• One year’s experience in a quantity food preparation setting (e.g., restaurant, hospital, nursing center, hotel).
• Full understanding of therapeutic diets preferred.
• Knowledge of therapeutic diets, texture/liquid modifications, safe food handling, and federal/state/city food codes and regulations.
• Knowledge of Kindred Nutrition & Culinary Services policies and procedures.
• Skilled in quantity cooking.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate effectively with patients, family members, and all levels of the organization.
• Accuracy, conciseness, and attention to detail.
• Basic computer skills with working knowledge of Microsoft Office; ability to learn menu management system.
• Understanding of principles of growth and development across the lifespan to provide care appropriate for adult and geriatric patients.
• Must read, write, and speak fluent English.
• Good and regular attendance required.

Pay

$23.00 - $24.14 per hour.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) / Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Life Insurance.
• Paid Time Off.
• Wellness programs.