Dietary Cook: Patient Meals & Cafeteria Service

Cibola Hospital; Grants (NM); On-site; USD 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Cibola General Hospital is seeking a Dietary Cook to prepare, cook and serve nutritious meals following approved menus and dietary instructions. The role supports timely patient meal service and cafeteria operations in a fast-paced hospital kitchen.

Responsibilities include batch cooking, patient meal assembly, portion-control, and strict compliance with safety and sanitation standards. Weekend/holiday shifts may be required as per department scheduling.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED preferred.
• Equivalent education and relevant food-service experience may be considered.
• Previous cooking, institutional food service, restaurant, healthcare, or commercial kitchen experience preferred.
• Healthcare food-service experience preferred but not required.
• Basic knowledge of food preparation, sanitation, and safe food-handling practices.
• Ability to follow recipes, menus, production instructions, and portion-control requirements.
• Ability to understand and follow instructions related to therapeutic and special diets.
• Ability to safely operate standard commercial kitchen equipment.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment while meeting established meal-service schedules.
• Ability to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with patients, coworkers, hospital staff, and the public.
• Basic math skills sufficient for recipes, measurements, portions, and food production.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and demonstrate professional conduct.

Responsibilities

• Prepares and cooks meals according to approved menus, standardized recipes, production schedules, and portion-control standards.
• Prepares patient meals in accordance with ordered therapeutic and special diets and dietary instructions.
• Performs bulk cooking, short-order cooking, and other food-production duties as assigned.
• Ensures meals are prepared accurately, safely, attractively, and within meal-service times.
• Assists with patient tray-line preparation, assembly, and service.
• Prepares food for the hospital cafeteria and other food-service needs.
• Measures, portions, and serves food using established portion-control practices.
• Monitors food temperatures and follows established food-safety procedures.
• Properly stores, labels, dates, rotates, and handles food and supplies.
• Helps monitor food and supply inventory and communicates shortages to Dietary leadership.
• Operates kitchen equipment safely (ovens, stoves, grills, fryers, tilt skillets, slicers, steam tables, refrigerators, freezers, etc.).
• Cleans and sanitizes food-preparation areas, equipment, utensils, cookware, and work surfaces.
• Performs pot, pan, and manual dishwashing duties as necessary.
• Follows proper sanitation practices to prevent foodborne illness and cross-contamination.
• Maintains a clean and organized work area throughout the shift.
• Follows hospital infection-control, safety, confidentiality, compliance, and departmental policies.

Skills

Basic knowledge of food preparation

Follow recipes and menus

Therapeutic and special diets

Operate kitchen equipment

Fast-paced work environment

Effective communication

Basic math for recipes

Confidentiality and conduct

Education

High school diploma or GED preferred

Equivalent education & relevant food-service experience

Job description

Cibola General Hospital is seeking a Dietary Cook to prepare, cook and serve nutritious meals following approved menus and dietary instructions. The role supports timely patient meal service and cafeteria operations in a fast-paced hospital kitchen.

Responsibilities include batch cooking, patient meal assembly, portion-control, and strict compliance with safety and sanitation standards. Weekend/holiday shifts may be required as per department scheduling.