Cook

Veterans Health Administration; Boise (ID); On-site; USD 34,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration in Boise, Idaho, is seeking a qualified Food Service Worker for the Nutrition and Food Service in a Veteran Affairs Medical Center. The role supports meal preparation, tray assembly, and ensuring food safety and quality for veteran patients.

Applicants will be evaluated under OPM standards, with emphasis on ability to perform duties without excessive supervision and to work within a hospital food service environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in hospital food service or similar healthcare setting.
• Ability to work with diet textures and modified diets as needed.
• Ability to work with a team and follow instructions.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and portion meals according to menus.
• Assist in maintaining food temperatures and safety.
• Follow standard recipes and tray assembly procedures.

Job description

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service of a Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Nutrition and Food Services is responsible for providing meals and nutritional care to Veteran patients at the Medical Center.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. The screen out element for this announcement is: Ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision. Examples include providing food service in a hospital, long term care, clinical, or similar setting; experience interacting with customers and/or patients; experience and/or training in procedures used in preparing food for regular and modified diets; organizing and coordinating the work of lower level cooks in a hospital/healthcare environment, in order to accomplish a variety of quantity cooking operations. Developing and modifying standardized recipes. Advising lower grade food service workers and cooks on tray assembly issues, dishwashing procedures, and quality control issues, such as plating techniques, tray arrangements, and practices to maintain temperatures and safety of food. Independently prepares a variety of large quantities of food, including preparing and cooking regular and therapeutic diet (diabetic, low sodium, low protein, gluten free, etc.) entrees and dessert items, planning cooking processes to produce meals on time and at the proper temperature which may require coordination of cooking several items with different cooking times. Cooking a variety of menu items including regular and special diet entrees and dessert items; portioning and serving food into standard service sizes; roast, broil, bake, fry, boil, steam, and stew meats, fish, and poultry. Prepare soups, stocks, broths, gravies, sauces, and puddings without the use of packaged mixes. Adjust standardized recipes for the number of servings required in large quantity cooking. Maintain the proper temperature for all foods during holding, transport, reheating, and serving to assure quality control and food safety. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision Work Practices Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.