COOK

Sodalis Senior Living; Vero Beach (FL); On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Sodalis Senior Living is seeking a Cook to assist the Culinary Director in preparing meals according to approved menus and current guidelines. You will work to ensure safety, quality, and timely service for residents in a compassionate environment.

Key duties include following recipes, managing food temps, portion control, daily cleaning, and assisting with inventory. Experience in senior living or food service is preferred; a Safe Food Handler certificate is required within two weeks.

Qualifications

• Must have compassion for frail elderly residents.
• Ability to read and follow recipes and menus.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and hygiene.
• Ability to cook a variety of meals and manage portions.
• Must obtain Safe Food Handler certification within two weeks of employment.
• Able to work with household kitchen equipment.

Responsibilities

• Report on time and ready to perform duties.
• Prepare and serve meals at set times.
• Follow written menus and suggest improvements.
• Label, date, and store leftovers properly.
• Maintain safety by following state regulations.
• Maintain cleanliness of kitchen, dining room, and pantry.
• Assist with inventory checks and reporting.
• Be attentive to residents' needs and provide friendly service.
• Control portions and minimize waste.
• Work with various cleaning products safely.
• Perform additional tasks as directed by management.

Skills

Compassion for the elderly

Follow recipes

Food safety awareness

Teamwork

Read menus

Education

Food handlers certificate

Job description

The Cook assists the Culinary Director in preparing food in accordance with the approved menu, current standards, guidelines, and regulations.

Primary Responsibilities:

• 1. Report to work on time every day asscheduled and ready to carry out duties.
• 2. Must be able to react to changes in schedules in a productive manner.
• 3. Must be alert and able to identify a safety hazard, should one occur, in order to avoid it and to report it immediately to the appropriate person or, if directed, to take corrective measures to eliminate the hazard.
• 4. Prepare and serve meals at 8 am, Noon, and 5 PM. (times subject to change)
• 5. Be able to follow written menus and make menu suggestions, using all food groups.
• 6. Make sure all usable leftovers are covered, labeled, dated and stored in proper place.
• 7. Know state and local food service regulations i.e. including but not inclusive to:
  • Keep thermometers in place and follow state regulations regarding temps.
  • Any food product out of original wrapping is dated and labeled
  • Be aware and follow all state required rules regarding preparation, storage, service and planning of all foods.
  • Know proper cleaning procedures
• 8. Making mealtimes enjoyable by being attentive to the needs of the residents, treating them with kindness.
• 9. Eliminate food waste.
• 10. Participate in checking food and supply inventories weeklyandsubmitting list in a timely manner.
• 11. Know resident'sfood likes and dislikes so as not to serve meals not preferred.
• 12. Daily clean kitchen, dining room, and pantry.
• 13. Make a priority of portion control and cost; eliminate waste.
• 14. Must be able to work with various products such as cleansers, bleach and cleaning fluids.
• 15. Perform additional tasks as assigned by management or as the situation requires.

Qualifications:

• 1. Must have compassion and a desire to meet the nutritional needs of the frail elderly.
• 2. Must have a general knowledge of basic food groups.
• 3. Ability to read and follow a recipe.
• 4. Knowledge of food preparation, sanitation, and hygienic methods.
• 5. Be able to cook a variety of foods.
• 6. Be familiar with cooking times and seasonings.
• 7. Knowledge of low sodium, low cholesterol, and ADA diets.
• 8. Have a desire to serve food that is palatable and pleasing in appearance.
• 9. Ability to work cooperatively with staff, residents, and families.
• 10. Must be able to function in an independent work environment.
• 11. Must be able to handle complaints graciously and to take correction maturely.
• 12. Must be honest and trustworthy.
• 13. Must have food handlers' certificate or be able and willing to acquire within first two weeks of employment.

Physical /Sensory Requirements:

• 1. Stands and walks short distances most of the working day.
• 2. Stoops, reaches, and lifts kitchen equipment and supplies.
• 3. Handles and manipulates equipment in supervising, demonstrating and assisting food preparation and serving.
• 4. Tastes and smells food to determine its quality and palatability.
• 5. Must be in good general health and demonstrate emotional stability.
• 6. Must be able to relate to and work with ill disabled elderly, emotionally upset and, at times hostile people.
• 7. May be required to lift, push, pull, and move equipment,supplies, etc., in excess of 50 lbs.
• 8. Must be able to assist in the evacuation of residents.
• 9. Must function independently, have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with the residents, personnel and support agencies.

Equipment Used:

Including, but not limited to; Electric oven, flat ceramic cook top, convection oven, dishwashers, sanitizer and cooking utensils.

Mission Statement and Core Values:

Sodalis Senior Living is committed to “Making a difference in the lives of our residents, their loved ones and our colleagues every day.” Our core values describe who we are and define how we live.

1. Service

“It’s not about me” a. Answer the needs of another.

• Put the needs of another first. We must put others before ourselves.
• We serve our residents, we serve our families, and we serve one another.

2. Integrity

“We do what is right, not what is easy” a. Never compromise your integrity

• Hold everyone accountable and recognize each other’s contributions
• Explicitly communicate goals and standards of behavior
• Do the right thing even when no one is looking or will ever find out

3. Dignity

“We honor & value the worth of people” a. Treat people the way you want to be treated

• Attack the problem not the person
• Respect and value diversity of experience, culture, and opinions

4. Excellence

“We always give our best” a. Doing your best to serve our residents, their loved ones, and our colleagues.

5. Teamwork

“We succeed together” a. We are a team because we respect, trust and care for one another.

• Common purpose – we need to all row in the same direction
• Create an environment that facilitates freedom to innovate & achieve extraordinary results
• Challenge the status quo, take measured risks, and resist conventional thinking
• Learn to win and lose as a team

Line of Authority:

The Cook reports directly to the Community Executive Director.

Cooking

Advanced

Hospitality

Some Knowledge

Dedicated

Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Innovative

Innovative: Consistently introduces new ideas and demonstrates original thinking

Team Player

Team Player: Works well as a member of a group

1 year:

1 year: Cooking experience in settings such as Assisted Living, Memory Care, or Senior Living facilities is a plus.

Licenses & Certifications

Required

Safe Food Handler

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.