Dietary Cook

Harvard Gardens Rehabilitation & Care Center; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvard Gardens Rehabilitation & Care Center in Cleveland, OH is seeking a dietary worker to prepare and serve meals according to cycle menus and diet orders, while monitoring food handling, preparation, and sanitation. The role requires coordinating meal service, planning cooking schedules, and ensuring portions meet recipes and nutritional standards.

Full-time and part-time shifts available; prior healthcare foodservice experience preferred.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent preferred; training in quantity cooking and therapeutic diets.
• Minimum 1 year health care dietary food service experience preferred.
• Ability to read, understand and follow recipe directions and diet orders.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate food preparation and meal service.
• Plan and initiate cooking schedule to meet the meal timetable.
• Prepare, season, cook and serve meat, main dishes, soups, vegetables, salads and desserts per recipes.
• Prepare nutritional snacks for residents as directed by the Dietary Manager.
• Monitor temperatures to ensure safety and quality of food.
• Store leftovers and plan reuse per sanitation rules.
• Supervise dietary staff in the absence of the Dietary Manager.
• Assist with inventory and inspect deliveries.
• Determine amounts and types of food and supplies for daily menus.
• Notify Dietary Manager of needs for food, supplies or equipment.
• Clean equipment and work areas as assigned.
• Attend department staff meetings.
• Follow safety codes and infection control procedures.
• Understand fire and disaster plans and participate in drills.
• Perform other duties as directed by the Dietary Manager.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Food safety knowledge

Nutrition/diet knowledge

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Education in quantity cooking and therapeutic diets (preferred)

Job description

Harvard Gardens Rehabilitation & Care Center -

Primary Responsibility

Prepare and serve meals according to cycle menus; monitors methods of food handling, preparation, meal service and equipment cleaning.

Qualifications

• EDUCATION: High School graduate or equivalent education is preferred. Preference is given to persons with education in quantity cooking and therapeutic diets
• EXPERIENCE: Minimum one (1) year food service experience in a health care dietary setting is preferred. Have general knowledge of quantity food preparation, portioning and services
• APTITUDE: Verbal and writing abilities necessary to communicate and work effectively with various levels of staff, residents, family members and the public

Numerical ability necessary to make various computations in keeping work records, monitoring inventory control and supplies, and in recipe preparation

Motor coordination and manual dexterity are required to prepare food and operate dietary equipment.

Willingness to perform routine, repetitive tasks with frequent interruptions.

Ability to read, understand, and follow recipe directions, diet orders and work assignments.

Able and willing to work flexible hours, such as during an emergency situation

• PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Stands and walks intermittently throughout the working day. Reaches, stoops, bends, lifts, carries, and manipulates various foodstuffs, dietary supplies, and equipment. Visual acuity and color discrimination for examining cooked and stored foods. Taste and smell discrimination in determining nutritional quality and palatability of foods. Ability to work with chemicals and cleaning agents.

Exposure to temperature and humidity changes as in entering refrigerated storage areas, being near ovens, ranges, dishwashing machines, and steam tables.

Specific Responsibilities

• Coordinate food preparation and meal service
• Plan and initiate cooking schedule for food preparation to meet meal schedule.
• Prepare, season, cook, and serve, meat, main dish, soup, vegetable, salad and dessert for assigned meal; ensure appropriate portioned servings according to portion control standards and recipes.
• Prepare nutritional snacks for residents as directed by the Dietary Manager
• Taste and smell prepared food determine quality and palatability.
• Monitor temperature of hot and cold foods through food preparation and service to ensure that established temperature goals are met prior to steam table transfer and maintained throughout meal service
• Store leftovers plan for use of leftover foods in accordance with sanitation regulations and leftover policy

• Supervise dietary staff in the absence of Dietary Manager; initiate replacement calls for absentees as directed.

• Assist with department inventory program.
• Check and inspect food products and supplies as delivered, in the absence of the Dietary Manager. Supervise and assist in storage of supplies and food products.
• Determine amount and type of food and supplies required for daily menus; confer with Dietary Manager
• Notify Dietary Manager of food, supplies, or equipment needs.

• Clean equipment and work areas as assigned by the Dietary Manager.

• Assist with annual checklist inspection of department

• Be knowledgeable of federal, state and facility’s rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

• Attend scheduled department staff meetings.

• Follow defined safety codes and Infection Control procedures while performing all duties

• Understand facility’s fire and disaster plans; follow established procedures during drills and actual emergencies

• Perform other department duties or special assignments as directed by the Dietary Manager.

Work Environment:

• Settings: Skilled Nursing Facility

• Work Hours: Full-time, part-time

Job Classification:

• Hourly