HEAD COOK

Stewart Memorial Community Hospital; Iowa; On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Stewart Memorial Community Hospital in Lake City, IA is seeking a Nutrition Services Head Cook for a full-time role (36-40 hours per week). The position leads food production and meal services for patients, staff, visitors, and catering, while maintaining a safe, sanitary kitchen and high-quality nutrition.

You will supervise daily production, use cycle menus and recipes, prepare meals to diet orders, oversee sanitation, train staff, and coordinate with Meals on Wheels and catering events.

Qualifications

• Previous food preparation experience required.
• High School Diploma or GED required.
• ServSafe Certification preferred.
• Ability to work rotating weekends and holidays.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee daily food production while maintaining food safety and sanitation standards.
• Prepare patient meals according to diet orders and room service requests.
• Utilize approved cycle menus and standardized recipes to prepare menu items.
• Ensure meal service flows efficiently for patients and customers.
• Assist with catering events by preparing food items and coordinating setup and service.
• Operate the department cash register and assist customers as needed.
• Lead daily department huddles and adjust staff assignments based on needs.
• Assist with Meals on Wheels meal preparation and delivery.

Skills

Food preparation

Leadership

Communication

Time management

Customer service

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Ovens

Microwaves

Steamers

Mixers

Job description

HEAD COOK# HEAD COOKStewart Memorial Community Hospital - Lake City - Lake City, IA 51449## Description# **Nutrition Services Head Cook****Full-time: 36-40 hours/week** **Rotating weekends and holidays** **Location: Lake City, IA**## **RESPONSIBILITIES:**As the Nutrition Services Head Cook, you will coordinate food production and meal services for patients, employees, visitors, and catering events while maintaining a safe, sanitary, and efficient kitchen environment. You will play a key leadership role in ensuring quality food service operations, supporting patient nutrition needs, and assisting with department workflow.**Other responsibilities include:*** Coordinate and oversee daily food production while maintaining food safety and sanitation standards.* Prepare patient meals according to diet orders, meal plans, and room service requests.* Utilize approved cycle menus and standardized recipes to prepare menu items for The Junction.* Ensure meal service flows efficiently to meet patient and customer needs.* Operate and oversee all aspects of the three-compartment sink and dish sanitation process.* Assist with Meals on Wheels meal preparation and delivery.* Complete assigned cleaning and sanitation duties throughout the department.* Assist with catering events by preparing food items and coordinating event setup and service.* Operate the department cash register and assist customers as needed.* In the absence of the Director, assist with coordinating department operations and directing team members to ensure daily tasks are completed.* Lead daily department huddles and help adjust staff assignments based on department needs.* Perform additional duties as assigned to support patient, customer, and department needs.## **POSITION REQUIREMENTS:*** Previous food preparation experience required.* High School Diploma or GED required.* ServSafe Certification preferred* Ability to work rotating weekends and holidays.* Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining quality and safety standards.## **HARD SKILL REQUIREMENTS:*** Experience using commercial kitchen equipment, including ovens, microwaves, steamers, mixers, and related food-service equipment.* Ability to train and guide staff on department procedures, equipment, and workflows.* Basic cash register operation skills.* Ability to follow standardized recipes and patient diet orders.* Knowledge of food preparation and sanitation practices.## **SOFT SKILL REQUIREMENTS:*** Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with teammates.* Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and department needs.* Strong time-management and organizational skills.* Leadership skills to assist, direct, and support coworkers when needed.* Commitment to teamwork and exceptional customer service.Stewart Memorial Hospital and Clinics and all affiliated organizations is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, associational preferences, or any other classification that deprives the person of consideration as an individual.