Chef Assistant - FT Mid-Shift

Aurora Health Care; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee seeks an experienced kitchen professional to oversee daily food preparation for a high-volume department, ensuring recipes, portioning, and menu standards meet HACCP guidelines. You will train staff, assign tasks, manage inventory, and coordinate catered events while maintaining safety and quality.

Requires ServSafe certification within 1 year, high school diploma, and about five years in large-scale food service.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; ServSafe certification within 1 year.
• Typically 5 years in a large-volume food preparation and distribution operation.
• Strong problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Proficient in meat roasting and preparation of sauces, gravies, vegetables, and related dishes.

Responsibilities

• Monitor department operations, establish work schedules, assign daily tasks and respond to service requests.
• Provide day-to-day direction, training, and input on performance for staff.
• Ensure HACCP guidelines are followed, including infection control and safety procedures.
• Prepare general and special diet items per standardized recipes and substitutions.
• Ensure all cycle menu items are completed on time and in correct quantity and quality.
• Estimate food requirements, control portions, and review weekly usage and inventory.
• Assist in planning weekly menus, theme meals, induction cooking, and display cooking standards.
• Prepare catered events including luncheons, buffets, and dinners.
• Complete production forecasting sheets and daily Foodborne Illness Checklists; address deficiencies.
• Complete weekly sanitation checklist with action plans for the production area.
• Demonstrate age-appropriate care knowledge for patients and apply department policies.

Skills

Problem solving

Decision making

Meat roasting

Sauces & gravies

Food safety

Education

High School Diploma

Tools

Kitchen equipment

Job description

Major Responsibilities

• Monitors general department operations, establishes work reschedules, issues daily work assignments and responds to requests for service.
• Acts as a resource to employees, which includes training/orienting, providing day-to-day work direction, and giving input on performance. Assigns, monitors and reviews progress and accuracy of work, directs efforts and provides guidance on more complex issues.
• Assures employees understand food portioning, pre-serving/serving activities, recipe standardization, infection control, fire safety, and cleanup activities consistent with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Guidelines.
• Prepares general and special diet items in accordance with established standardized recipes. Decides on recipe ingredient substitutions or garnishes based on diet requirements.
• Assures all food on cycle menu master is completed by those responsible, on time, in correct quantity and of optimum quality (appearance, taste and temperature).
• Estimates food requirements and controls serving portions, eliminating waste and leftovers. Reviews weekly food usage and completes weekly inventory.
• Assists in planning weekly retail specials and menus, theme meals, induction cooking, and display cooking standards.
• Prepares catered and specialized events including luncheons, buffets, and dinners.
• Completes daily production forecasting sheet and verifies numbers with cooks. Completes daily Foodborne Illness Checklist, notes and trends deficiencies, and reviews and resolves problems.
• Completes weekly sanitation checklist with appropriate action plan for the production area.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age‑specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age‑specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards.

Licensure, Registration, And/or Certification Required

• ServSafe Food Handler certification issued by the National Restaurant Association needs to be obtained within 1 year.

Education Required

• High School Graduate.

Experience Required

• Typically requires 5 years of experience in a large volume food preparation and distribution operation.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Must have problem solving and decision‑making skills.
• Proficiency in meat roasting and preparation of sauces, gravies, vegetables, meats, cereal, hors d'oeuvres, eggs, soup, casseroles, frying, broiling, steaming, baking, and grilling

Physical Requirements And Working Conditions

• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the duties of the job.
• Stands, walks, and reaches above shoulders the majority of the workday as well as squats, bends, twists, kneels and climbs throughout.
• Continuously lifts up to 10 lbs., frequently lifts up to 20 lbs. and occasionally lifts up to 50 lbs.
• Working atmosphere may contain odors from food and dust from flour, spices, etc.
• May be exposed to mechanical, electrical and chemical hazards. Protective clothing must be worn as necessary.
• Will be exposed to sharp knives, other sharp cooking utensils, heat from ovens and other hazards in a cooking environment.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.