Lead Line Cook

Covenant Living Communities and Services; Batavia (IL); On-site; USD 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision insurance

403(b) with 3% employer match

PTO & six paid holidays

Fitness center use at most facilities

Tuition assistance and scholarships

Employee assistance program

Legal services, home/auto insurance, &

Pet Insurance

Job summary

Covenant Living Communities and Services is seeking a Lead Line Cook to accurately prepare, portion, cook, and present a variety of hot and cold dishes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and catered events in a senior living/healthcare setting.

You will follow standardized recipes, maintain sanitation, and guide junior cooks while ensuring high-quality service. Requires strong kitchen knowledge and the ability to read recipes and work with limited supervision.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required.
• Current Food Handler’s Permit required.
• ServSafe training beneficial.
• State sanitation certificate required or beneficial where stated.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook foods for the full line, including main entrees.
• Follow complex recipes and product directions for seasoning and cooking.
• Prepare for special diets and manage inventory and supplies.
• May use production software for pre/post-production data.
• May train and guide junior cooks.

Skills

Kitchen knowledge

Communication (English)

Recipe production

Multi-station cooking

Computer basics

Reliability & detail orientation

Team training

Work under supervision

Education

High school diploma

Food Handler’s Permit

ServSafe training beneficial

State sanitation certificate

Tools

Production software

Job description

We Are Inspired to Serve. Join us! The Lead Line Cook will accurately and efficiently prepare, portion, cook, and present a variety of hot and/or cold food items for various meal periods: to include Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Special/Catered Events. Produces small to large batch goods using advanced and full range of classical cooking techniques.

We Are Inspired to Serve. Join us! The Lead Line Cook will accurately and efficiently prepare, portion, cook, and present a variety of hot and/or cold food items for various meal periods: to include Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Special/Catered Events. Produces small to large batch goods using advanced and full range of classical cooking techniques. Responsible for the preparation of food for residents in a Senior Living / Healthcare environment. Standardized recipes to achieve proper quantities and consistent high quality. Maintain a high sanitation standard within the department and ensure requirements are met according to organization standards and federal, state, and local regulations. May assist with work direction of other team members. Serves as a lead cook, guiding and assisting in the training of less experienced cooks. Performs advanced cooking duties, including following complex recipes and/or product directions for preparing, seasoning, cooking, tasting, carving, and serving soups, meats, vegetables, desserts, and other foodstuffs for main entrees.

Essential Responsibilities

• Prepares and cooks foods for the full line, to include main entrees.
• Performs advanced cooking duties, including following complex recipes and/or product directions for preparing, seasoning, cooking, tasting, carving, and serving soups, meats, vegetables, desserts, and other foodstuffs for main entrees.
• Selects recipes per menu cycle, prepares bakery items, receives inventory, moves, and lifts foodstuffs and supplies and prepares meals for customers requiring special diets.
• May use production software to enter pre- and post-production data software.
• May take inventory, and/or enter inventory into the production.
• May prepare food and serve customers at an a la carte and may operate a grill station.
• Prepares food in accordance with current applicable federal, state, and corporate standards, guidelines, and regulations to ensure high-quality food service is provided.
• Reads food order or receives verbal instructions on food required by patron, and prepares and cooks food according to instructions.
• Provides the highest quality of service to customers.
• Follows complex recipes and/or product directions for preparing, seasoning, cooking, tasting, carving, and serving soups, meats, vegetables, desserts, and other foodstuffs for consumption in eating establishments.
• Prepares foods by operating a variety of kitchen equipment to measure and mix ingredients, washing, peeling, cutting and shredding fruits and vegetables, and trimming and cutting meat, poultry, or fish for culinary use.
• Tastes products, reads menus, estimates food requirements, checks production, and keeps records to accurately plan production requirements and requisition supplies and equipment.
• Attends all allergy and foodborne illness in-service training and applies principles of food safety to food preparation and sanitation practices.
• Receive inventory, move, and lift foodstuffs and supplies and prepare meals for customers requiring special diets.
• May produce some batch goods using basic cooking technique.
• Take and record temperatures and correct temperature discrepancies.
• Prepare all necessary foods for meal according to production sheets.
• Complete all prep items according to prep sheet.
• Plate food as ordered with attention to appearance and garnish.
• Produces small to large batch goods using advanced and full range of classical cooking techniques.

Cleaning, Storage and Sanitation

• Clean and sanitize work stations and equipment and must follow all regulatory rules and procedures.
• Assist with set ups. Break down and clean up serving lines and other food areas.
• Properly record and label, with appropriate dates and store properly.

Safety and Risk Management

• Complies with all company safety and risk management policies and procedures.
• Participates in regular safety meetings, safety training and hazard assessments.
• Attends training programs (classroom and virtual) as designated.

Education And Work Experience

Required Degree: High school diploma

Certificate(s)

• Current Food Handler’s Permit is required.
• Training in Servsafe is beneficial.
• State sanitation certificate.

Knowledge, Skills, And Ability

• Extensive and complete working knowledge of a kitchen environment and advanced food preparation.
• Must be able to communicate effectively (verbal and written, English) with residents and staff.
• Must be able to read and understand written instructions and follow safety practices and ability to read and follow a recipe unsupervised.
• Proficient in recipe production. Proficiency in multiple stations (saute, grill, salad, fry).
• Ability to use basic functions of a computer.
• Must be cordial and congenial with residents.
• Must be dependable, detail oriented, organized, and have good follow through.
• Must be able to work within standard policy and procedures, and work with limited direct supervision.
• Must be able to handle various tasks and functions.
• Must be able to react calmly in emergency situations.
• Must show patience and compassion to senior adults.
• Must be considerate of resident's comfort, safety, security, and belongings.
• Demonstrate the ability to set and establish priorities.
• Manages time efficiently.
• Maintains work area in a neat and orderly manner.
• Maintains a well-groomed appearance that complies with organizational and State food code standards. Ability to adhere to dress code and kitchen uniform requirements.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and understanding of food safety, sanitation, preparation and serving principles.
• Ability to work with all persons and must have the ability to get along and socialize with them. This includes employees, residents, families, visitors, vendors, other health care professionals and the community at large.
• Ability to work on some holidays and flexible hours.

Physical Requirements

• May be required to lift or carry equipment or supplies weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Frequent stooping, bending, climbing, reaching, pulling / pushing, and extended periods walking and/or standing.
• May be required to stand, sit, twist, bend, squat, kneel or crouch when performing job duties
• Must possess adequate sight and hearing to meet the responsibilities of this position.
• Ability to work in a standing position for extended periods of time (up to 8 hours).
• While performing this job's duties, the employee is primarily in a controlled, temperate environment; however, may be exposed to heat/cold during support of outside activities.

Dining

Compensation Pay Range

$19.13 - $25.43 per hour

Reasonable Pay Estimate

A reasonable estimate of the pay range for this position is $19.13 - $25.43 per hour. There are numerous factors taken into consideration in determining the actual offered rate of pay, including but not limited to: job-related qualifications, experience, skills, education, geographic location, and consideration of internal and external equity.

For full time employees, we offer a generous benefits package that includes:

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Employer paid group term life and disability
• Paid Time Off (PTO) & six paid holidays
• 403(b) with a 3% employer match
• Fitness center use at most facilities.
• Life, AD&D
• Tuition assistance and scholarships
• Employee assistance program
• Legal services, home/auto insurance, discount purchasing program
• Pet Insurance

For more information about Covenant Living and CovenantCare at Home, please visit www.covliving.org or www.covenantcareathome.org.

Covenant Living and CovenantCare Home Health and Hospice are equal opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, marital status, pregnancy, protected veteran status, protected genetic information, or any other characteristics protected by local laws, regulations, or ordinances.