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SalaryJob Title:Food Preparer/Backup Driver
Division/Department: Main Kitchen/Preparation Area & Occasional Bulk Food Distribution Driving
Reports to: Executive Director, Kitchen Director, Supervisor
Salary: $18 - $22 per hour DOE; non-exempt
About Meals That Connect
Meals That Connect is a nonprofit 501c3 with a mission to enhance health, restore dignity, support independence, and reduce isolation for every San Luis Obispo County resident in need who is at least 60 years of age by providing meaningful connections and free, hot, noon-time meals delivered to community dining sites or at home.
Job Summary
Responsible for preparing food in bulk in our Central Kitchen for distribution to our 10 delivery locations where meals are served to senior citizens in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Preparation includes retrieving bulk frozen or canned ingredients, creating dressings/sauces, chopping, seasoning, mixing ingredients, and apportioning foods into serving pans. At shift completion you will clean your workstation, support dishwashing, and support kitchen cleaning. This position will periodically load delivery vans with bulk food and drive food to assigned dining site locations. Clean driving record required.
Primary Responsibilities
1. Show up ready for work, clean and in full uniform (long pants, shirt, practical closed shoes) at the time scheduled
2. Maintain your personal professional appearance
3. Follow safe and sanitary food handling procedures (must have food handlers card)
4. Prepare, portion and package raw foods necessary for service - always following restaurant recipes and procedures, and ensuring quality and freshness
5. Responsible for the yields and correct use of all ingredients– you will fulfill daily production sheet requirements
6. Respond to lead cook when asked for ingredients needed in the line for service
7. Work and communicate with other cooks and kitchen supervisors as a team
8. Maintain knowledge of inventory/amount of prepared foods throughout the day to be shipped out the following morning, taking into consideration the number of seniors needing meals in the sites and the difficulty for drivers to come back for more if in short supply
9. Have an understanding of supplies needed from storage areas and freezer and report to management when any products are running low (not when they are finished)
11. Make good use and maintain cleanliness of restaurant equipment and utensils
14. Responsible for correctly wrapping, labeling & putting away all product
15. Clean workstation and equipment at the end of the shift
16. Maintain cleanliness and organization in the kitchen, storage areas and coolers
17. Perform cleaning duties as assigned
Additional Responsibilities
➢ Must be able to assist line cooks when necessary
➢ Must maintain a focus on accuracy, health, cleanliness and timing while working
➢ Cool down and cook foods within required time limits to the temperatures specified by the Department of Health - test temperature of foods as necessary
➢ Maintain full knowledge of the menu
➢ Maintain a sanitary work area at all times
➢ Maintain a harmonious relationship with all employees
➢ Inform management when there is a need to purchase food ingredients, supplies or equipment
➢ Must report to management any problems or issues with products purchased and kitchen equipment
➢ Rotate product following FIFO policy (First In First Out)
➢ Keep sanitizer buckets in the kitchen at all times, changing the water when necessary
➢ Attend all scheduled meetings and provide suggestions for improvement
➢ Other duties as assigned by kitchen supervisor and management:
o BACKUP DRIVER: Drive an MTC cargo van to deliver bulk meals to our 10 dining site locations (you would be assigned 1 of 3 separate routes). This entails arriving at 5:00am, retrieving a route sheet with required meal quantities to be delivered, retrieving meals from refrigeration or freezer, and loading them into the van. Safely drive meals to assigned sites within the required timeframe.
Qualifications and skill requirements
✓ Must be at least 18 years of age
✓ At least 1 year of previous cooking experience is preferred
✓ Must have a current Food Handlers card issued by the State of California
ü Must have a clean driving record and currently valid CA drivers license
✓ Must have knowledge of kitchen equipment handling procedures
✓ Must have full knowledge of the food menu
✓ Must know the ingredients and methods of preparation of all items served at MTC
✓ Must be able to understand and carry out detailed written and/or verbal instructions
✓ Must have multi-tasking abilities
✓ Must be able to work under pressure
✓ Must be a team player
✓ Must have a positive attitude
✓ Bilingual a plus
Working conditions
o Walking and standing for extended periods of time
o Working under pressure
o Moderate noise level
o Sometimes working in extreme temperature environments
o Exerting up to 60 pounds of force; lifting up to 50 pounds; Bending; Stretching
Uniform
- T-shirt or chef coat
- Comfortable but clean pants that may get soiled during work
- Non-slip shoes
- Baseball cap or Hair net (provided by MTC)
- Apron - provided by MTC
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour
Expected hours: 20 – 40 per week
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Paid time off
- Paid training
Shift:
- Morning shift
Weekly day range:
- Monday to Friday
License/Certification:
- CA Driver's License (Required)
Work Location: In person
