Dietary Cook

Aerotek; Missouri; On-site; USD 16,531,000 - 24,797,000; Full time

Job summary

Aerotek is seeking a Dietary Cook to prepare and serve a variety of hot and cold items in a hospital setting. Shifts typically run 6:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. or 10:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., with every other weekend required, and a focus on safe, quality meals for patients and staff.

The role combines back-of-house cooking with customer-facing service, requiring reliability, teamwork, and adherence to dietary and safety standards in a climate-controlled hospital kitchen.

Qualifications

• 1 year of cook experience in a foodservice, kitchen prep, or line cook role.
• Ability to accurately follow recipes and product directions for consistent food preparation.
• Experience with food production, including tray line assembly and bulk cooking.
• Knowledge of basic food safety and sanitation practices in a commercial kitchen or healthcare environment.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and present hot and cold food items for patients, staff, and visitors.
• Read, interpret and follow recipes and product directions to ensure safety and consistency.
• Perform ingredient measuring, chopping, mixing, and assembling items for tray line and bulk production.
• Work on the tray line to assemble and portion meals according to standards and dietary requirements.
• Operate cooking equipment (grills, ovens, etc.) safely and efficiently.
• Provide friendly service at a la carte or grill stations as needed.
• Follow food safety and sanitation guidelines and keep areas clean and organized.

Skills

Cook experience

Follow recipes

Food safety

Customer-facing

Punctuality

Tools

Grill equipment

Job description

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Dietary Cook Job Description

The Dietary Cook prepares and serves a variety of hot and cold food items for patients, staff, and visitors in a hospital setting. This role includes both back-of-house cooking and customer-facing service, with shifts typically running from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., including every other weekend. The Dietary Cook follows established recipes and food safety standards to ensure high-quality, consistent meals for regular meal periods and special or catered events.

Responsibilities

• Accurately prepare, portion, cook, and present a variety of hot and cold food items for multiple meal periods, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and special or catered events.
• Read, interpret, and follow basic recipes and product directions to prepare food items consistently and safely.
• Perform food preparation tasks such as ingredient measuring, chopping, mixing, and assembling items for tray line and bulk food production.
• Work on the tray line to assemble and portion meals according to established standards and dietary requirements.
• Operate cooking equipment and stations, which may include grills, ovens, and other kitchen appliances, in a safe and efficient manner.
• Prepare food and serve customers at an a la carte station and/or grill station when assigned to customer-facing duties.
• Provide friendly, attentive service to customers in a retail cook setting, ensuring a positive dining experience.
• Follow all food safety and sanitation guidelines, including proper food handling, storage, labeling, and cleaning procedures.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe kitchen and service area, including regular cleaning of work surfaces, equipment, and utensils.
• Collaborate with kitchen and dietary team members to support smooth meal service and efficient food production.
• Arrive on time and attend all scheduled shifts with satisfactory regularity, including every other weekend as required.
• Adapt to changing business needs and client requirements, performing other related duties as assigned.

Essential Skills

• At least 1 year of cook experience in a foodservice, kitchen prep, or line cook role.
• Ability to accurately follow recipes and product directions for consistent food preparation.
• Experience with food production, including tray line assembly and bulk cooking.
• Knowledge of basic food safety and sanitation practices in a commercial kitchen or healthcare environment.
• Ability to work in both back-of-house cooking and customer-facing retail cook settings.
• Strong reliability and punctuality, with the ability to work every other weekend.
• Team-oriented mindset with the ability to collaborate effectively with coworkers.
• Adaptability to different tasks, stations, and changing operational needs.
• Commitment to maintaining a healthy and safe working environment for all.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• 1–2 years of previous related experience in foodservice, hospital dietary, or similar environments is beneficial.
• Experience operating a grill station or a la carte service is an advantage.
• Comfort working in a hospital setting and supporting patient, staff, and visitor meal service.
• Strong attention to detail in portion control, presentation, and food quality.
• Ability to communicate clearly and courteously with customers and team members.
• Demonstrated reliability and regular attendance in prior roles.

Why Work Here?

You join a stable, climate-controlled workplace where your growth is encouraged and supported. There are clear opportunities to move up and take on more responsibility over time, and once you transition to permanent status you can access a strong benefits package. The environment emphasizes teamwork, safety, and reliability, offering a consistent schedule and the chance to build a long-term career in foodservice within a healthcare setting.

Work Environment

This role is based in a hospital environment with a climate-controlled kitchen and service areas. You work in professional foodservice spaces that include back-of-house production areas and customer-facing retail stations. Shifts generally run from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for customer-facing duties and from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for back-of-house cooking, with every other weekend required. You use standard commercial kitchen equipment such as grills, ovens, and food preparation tools, and you follow hospital food safety and sanitation protocols. The setting is structured, clean, and safety-focused, supporting consistent, high-quality meal service throughout the day.