First Cook

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Executive Chef or a manager, the Floating First Cook provides support to different schedules, campuses, and assignments to fill in open cook's positions. This position is responsible for preparing, cooking, and presenting food in accordance with quality standards, productivity standards, cost controls, and forecast needs. The role demonstrates a strong commitment to the mission of Hebrew Senior Life and patient dignity and choice.

Core Competencies

• Possesses and displays all hard skills necessary for a successful cook
• Promotes effective interpersonal and interdisciplinary relationships, maintaining professional conduct at all times
• Able to engage and train colleagues
• Knowledge of knife skills and safety
• Able to read, speak, and understand English to execute food order slips well, while working under pressure in a fast-paced environment
• Knowledge of proper temperatures of beef, chicken, fish, and reheating of food
• Able to accurately measure
• Demonstrates good judgment and initiative in preparing food
• Motivated to learn
• Flexible to change
• Exemplifies professionalism and exhibits values which contribute to the achievement of the mission of the Culinary and Nutrition Department and the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center

Position Responsibilities

• Kitchen Production: Responsible for preparation, cooking, and overall production of the meals during their assigned shift
• Ensures minimal food waste
• Ensures proper amounts of entrees, vegetables, desserts, and salads are produced according to the menus and manages daily production sheets in accordance with standardized recipes and preparation methods, portion control, time schedules, and special diet needs
• Ensures all food in the walk-in refrigerators and freezers is covered, labeled, and dated to ensure all food is being properly rotated
• Properly uses, cleans, maintains, and stores equipment, identifying and taking appropriate action with any maintenance issues that exist
• Assists in establishing cooking procedures and methods for the Culinary Staff including the development of recipes
• Tastes and smells food to determine quality and palatability
• Responsible for meals going out at a timely manner
• Works directly with Jr. Sous Chef and Exec Sous Chef to ensure proper execution of specials
• Sanitation: Ensures that all work areas, storage areas, utensils, and equipment are cleaned, sanitized, and maintained in an orderly fashion according to the latest regulations: local, state, federal, Kosher (if applicable)
• Oversees proper food handling, sanitation technique, food storage, and HACCP procedures
• Follows and adheres to the sanitation action plan to address company’s EOC and Sanitation rounding, local, state and federal sanitation compliance survey
• Logs temperatures of all food to be served and reports any temperatures that exceed industry standards to management
• Attends in-service training sessions to keep current with knowledge in the field of nutrition, sanitation and dietary as well as general in-services
• Professionalism: Promotes effective interpersonal and interdisciplinary relationships, maintaining professional conduct at all times
• Identifies and resolves interpersonal conflicts constructively
• Demonstrates a positive supportive attitude towards all
• Displays patience and tact when dealing with all customers and staff
• Presents department in a positive manner towards visitors, patients and staff
• Consistently maintains a courteous and pleasant attitude toward visitors, patients and staff
• Communicates effectively in both written and verbal forms
• Follows safety rules, uniform code, jewelry policy, personal hygiene policy as well as state and federal regulations
• Contributes to the efficient and productive operation of the department
• Completes assignments with minimal assistance and total follow up
• Exercises initiative, seeking additional tasks and projects from supervisor
• Accepts assignments readily
• Recognizes problems independently and works toward improving systems and procedures

Qualifications

• High School diploma preferred
• 5 years of cooking experience required
• ServSafe Certification required or obtained within 6 months of being in the role