DINING SERVICES IV - Lead Cook - Fort Logan Mental Health Hospital.

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team at a state mental health facility where you will play a crucial role in providing quality nutrition services. This position involves preparing and cooking meals, ensuring compliance with safety and sanitation standards, and supervising staff in a dynamic kitchen environment. The role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of patients by meeting their nutritional needs while adhering to established guidelines. If you are passionate about food service and want to contribute to a supportive community, this position is perfect for you. Embrace the chance to grow professionally in a rewarding setting that values dignity, respect, and collaboration.

Qualifications

• 3 years of food service experience required, including cooking.
• Experience in banquet setting, catering, or production kitchen is acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safe and compliant food service production in the kitchen.
• Supervise daily shift tasks and maintain documentation.

Skills

Food Service Experience

Cooking and Food Preparation

Sanitation and Safety Compliance

Supervisory Skills

Education

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Tools

Commercial Food Service Equipment

Job description

This position is open to current Colorado residents only.

Please note: This posting will be used to fill multiple positions.

About Fort Logan:

The Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan (CMHIFL) is one of two state hospitals serving our community. The vision of CMHIFL is to provide the highest quality mental health services to persons with complex, serious, and persistent mental illness within the resources available. Our mission is to support those individuals in achieving their recovery goals and reaching their full potential. CMHIFL provides inpatient treatment to adult patients, generally between the ages of 18-59. The hospital currently has 138 adult inpatient beds and over six treatment milieus serving civil and forensic individuals. Medical services, occupational therapy, neuropsychological-rehabilitation services, and trauma-informed care services are available for all patients throughout the hospital.

Through our core values listed below, CMHIFL staff is committed to:

• Individual dignity and respect
• Person-centered, evidence-based care
• Trauma-informed recovery
• Multidisciplinary collaboration
• Diversity and inclusion
• Strong family and community partnerships

This position works 10 hour variable shift work to include early shift (5:00am-3:30pm) and late shift (8:00am-6:30pm) as well as holidays and weekends. This position is also eligible for shift differential on the weekends.

About this Work Unit:

The Nutrition Services Department provides quality meals and medical nutrition therapy to patients in a mental health facility. Meals meet the nutritional, medical, spiritual, cultural, and mental health needs of the patient population and are prepared in a manner that meets established standards.

About the Position:

This position ensures safe, compliant, and effective completion of food service production within the Nutrition Services Department kitchen, to include meal preparation, cooking, portioning, sanitation, documentation, and work lead duties. All work performed by this position adheres to federal, state, and local regulations, Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan (CMHHFL) policies and procedures and proper safety and sanitation guidelines. Duties in this position include:

Production Cooking:

• Prepares regular and modified meals using standardized recipes, written instructions, portion sizes, production sheets, food safety guidelines, and a variety of commercial food service equipment
• Assures food is attractive, appetizing, and at the proper temperature

Work Leader:

• Responsible for daily shift supervision including assigning tasks, monitoring progress and workflow, checking the product, scheduling work, and establishing work standards for Dining Services III staff

Sanitation and Document Compliance:

• Responsible for proper documentation of temperatures (food items, refrigerators, and freezers), production records, cleaning schedules, food safety and sanitation, and any other necessary documentation
• Assure that all written documentation and reports from each shift are completed daily
• Follows CMHHFL policies regarding utensils/plate/bowl counts, key monitoring, knife inventory, food auditing, operation, and minor servicing of equipment
• Ensures all food service equipment is kept in working order and the kitchen is kept clean and sanitized
• Determines corrective action to be taken if food is not at an appropriate temperature
• Determines adherence to proper labeling and dating of food and ensures F.I.F.O. practices are followed throughout the kitchen through efficient monitoring to ensure correct menu items are being used and recipes are being followed

Training:

• Maintains active computer access to complete Cornerstone training and check/review emails
• Completes mandatory hospital and departmental training

Other Duties as Assigned:

• In the absence of a supervisor, this work leader is tasked with work leading the entire shift crew. This includes assigning tasks, monitoring progress and workflow, checking the product, scheduling work, and establishing work standards.
• Other duties as assigned

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications listed below to continue in the selection process for this position. Work experience must be specifically documented in the work experience section of your application. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached" statements on your application.

Minimum Qualifications:

Three years (3) of food service experience including cooking and preparation of food and/or working in an occupationally related field. Acceptable forms of experience include: work in banquet setting, catering, or production kitchen.

Substitutions:

None

Preferred Qualifications:

• Healthcare/Senior Living Nutrition Services Experience
• ServSafe Certified/Food Handler License/Culinary License
• Line/Production Cook Experience
• Experience with HACCP

Conditions of Employment:

• Full Background - Name and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification, Drug Screen, Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS
• Annual influenza and other vaccinations as required by the State of Colorado
• Must pass a pre-placement physical/medical screening: TB Test
• Must be available for shift work
• Use, Handling, or Exposure to hazardous materials

APPEAL RIGHTS:

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email, postmarked in US Mail or hand-delivered, or faxed within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgment of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at [phone]; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

How to Apply

The Assessment Process

For additional recruiting questions, please contact [e-mail]

About Us:

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human