Lead Cook

Phoenix House Orange County, Inc.; Santa Ana, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Phoenix House Orange County, Inc. is seeking a Lead Cook to oversee all food preparation in a fast-paced, clinical setting. You will manage inventory, create menus, ensure proper food storage and temperatures, and lead a kitchen team while upholding strict health and safety standards.

Requirements include a high school diploma, 1–3 years in food prep, ServSafe certification, and TB clearance. The role demands dependability, autonomy, and strong organizational skills in Santa Ana, CA.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 1–3 years of food preparation and kitchen experience required.
• California Food Handler Certificate (ServSafe) required.
• TB test clearance and annual update required.

Responsibilities

• Maintain inventory of kitchen and food supplies, including planning, ordering, and stocking food and kitchen supplies.
• Create weekly menu and prepare up to three diverse and healthy meals per day and other items as required by contract.
• Maintain a food handlers’ certificate and all required certifications and logs.
• Assist with inspections and ensure equipment operates per manufacturers’ instructions.
• Set up food service areas and serve food.
• Operate kitchen equipment and regulate temperatures.
• Provide patient supervision and training in food services when patients are in the kitchen and dining room.
• Ensure quality content and proper rotation of food items; provide special diets as needed.
• Clean and sanitize pots, pans, and utensils; manage waste; deep clean facility and equipment.
• Maintain documentation to meet agency standards and funding requirements.
• Adhere to health department codes and Phoenix House policies; attend trainings and meetings.
• Promote Phoenix House Mission, Vision, and Values.

Skills

Food prep

Inventory control

Menu creation

Hygiene standards

Food safety

Time management

Communication

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

California Food Handler Certificate (ServSafe)

Manager’s Food Safety Certification

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Work Schedule: Sunday - Thursday; 6:00am-2:30pm.

Job Description

Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Lead Cook is responsible for all food preparation and ensuring that high standards of hygiene and cleanliness are maintained. The Lead Cook takes inventory, places food purchasing orders in accordance with the needs of the kitchen, is responsible for menu creation and implementation, ensures food items are stored at the correct temperatures and follows all health and safety practices applicable to the kitchen and the overall facility. A high level of dependability and autonomy is needed to run the kitchen and be able to work in a fast-paced environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain inventory of kitchen and food supplies, including planning, ordering, and stocking food and kitchen supplies.
• Creates weekly menu and appropriately prepares up to three diverse and healthy meals per day and other food items required by contract.
• Maintains a food handlers’ certificate and all required and requested certifications. Also keeps all related logs (i.e., temperature and all others).
• Assists with kitchen inspections, health department inspections, fire department inspections, and documentation of kitchen equipment checks and verification. Routinely inspects and ensures all equipment is running in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions.
• Sets up food service areas and serves food.
• Utilizes kitchenware such as knives, spatulas, whisks, tongs, spoons, and ladles. Operates kitchen equipment such as electric mixers, slicers, choppers, oven, broiler, grill and regulates appropriate temperatures.
• Provide patients/clients supervision and training in food services when patients/clients are in the kitchen and dining room.
• Ensuring all food items are of quality content and ensures proper rotation of food items. Provide specialized menus for events. Provide special needs diets as needed for patients/clients.
• Cleans and sanitizes pots, pans, and kitchen utensils. Assists in the monitoring, reduction, and management of food waste. Mops floors and disposes of waste according to the Phoenix House Operating Procedures, OSHA, the Federal, State, and County Health Department processes and procedures.
• Performs daily, weekly, and monthly deep cleaning of the facility, service areas, and all kitchen equipment such as counters, tables, ovens, refrigerators, freezers, mixers, transient hot carts, mobile carts, and rolling racks.
• Maintains and submits documentation in a complete and timely fashion to meet agency standards and funding requirements.
• Is compliant with all Federal, State, and County standards and reporting requirements attends training as requested and required.
• Follow policy and procedure when preparing, cooking, and serving meals according to Phoenix House policy and procedures, which reflect the minimum expectations according to health department codes.
• Attends all required staff training sessions in accordance with Phoenix House and state licensing requirements and completes all training on time.
• Attends and participates in program and all staff meetings.
• Adheres to and promotes the Phoenix House Mission, Vision, and Values while acting as a role model for others.
• Other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/CREDENTIALS

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• One (1) to (3) years of food preparation and kitchen experience required.
• Experience in commercial or institutional food service and preparation preferred.
• California Food Handler Certificate (i.e., ServSafe) required.
• Manager’s Food Safety Certification preferred.
• Must maintain a valid credential (if required for your position) during your employment.
• Must obtain TB test clearance and update on a yearly basis.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated commitment and adherence to Phoenix House Mission, Vision, and Values: I CARE For– Integrity, Collaboration Appreciation, Respect, Excellence, and Forward-Thinking.
• Proficiency in MS Office systems.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Communicate effectively with others both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced changing environment.
• Ability to establish and consistently enforce appropriate boundaries with patients.
• Ability to model positive behavior and demeanor.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated skill with quantity food preparation.
• Knowledge of Modern equipment related to automated meal assembly and packaging.
• Knowledge of Concepts of food receiving, handling, storage, inventorying, and ordering.
• Knowledge of Safety rules and practices pertaining to food processing establishments.
• Knowledge of Applicable health and sanitation standards.
• Knowledge of Basic nutritional concepts.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Ability to be flexible, problem solver, self-directed, customer service-oriented, and collaborative.
• Skills and ability to engage and develop a rapport with patients and families of various backgrounds.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.