Kitchen Assistant/Cook

GENERAL HOURS OF WORK: 7:00am-1:30pm. Monday-Friday-5 days a week. Hours could vary depending on staffing needs.Occassional weekend catering.

SUMMARY: Responsible for the preparation of food to be served, complying with all applicable sanitation, health and personal hygiene standards and following established food production guidelines and procedures. Responsible for appropriate use of kitchen supplies and equipment to minimize loss and waste. Delivery routes as needed.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE: High school diploma & or Culinary School certificate

CERTIFICATION, LICENSURE AND/OR REGISTRATION: must be SERVSAFE certified or be willing to become SERVSAFE certified

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND JOB DUTIES:

• Creates and submits food order in supervisor’s absence
• Inspects, accepts, checks in and puts away food and paper goods delivered
• Prepares food served using established production procedures and systems
• Correctly prepares all food served following standard recipes and special diet orders
• Ensures availability of food or approved substitutions in adequate time for service
• Sets food in steam table, serves or ensures proper serving of food for tray line packing and dining room service
• Complies with established sanitation standards, personal hygiene and health standards
• Observes proper food preparation and handling techniques
• Stores food properly and safely, marking the date on items
• Reports necessary equipment repair and maintenance to supervisor
• Times food production to ensure excellence, quality, temperature and appearance of food is maintained
• Apportions food for serving
• Maintains daily production and meal count records
• Always keeps workstation neat and clean, cleans and maintains equipment used in food preparation
• Completes and logs food temperature checks before food service
• Keeps temperature log for freezer and coolers in absence of Cook-1
• Follows SERVSAFE protocol for cooling of hot food and thawing of frozen food
• Assists with maintaining a South Dakota Department of Health inspection score of 90% or greater
• Other duties assigned by supervisor

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS: The individual must be able to work the hours specified above. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or abilities required to perform these essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions so long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer

REQUIRED PHYSICAL ABILITIES:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel arms and wrists to stir and whip in repetitive motion and talk or hear.
• The employee is required to move about and frequently reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch.
• The employee is required to stand for long periods of time and occasionally climb or balance on a ladder to reach supplies.
• The employee must be able to view computer screens for short periods of time.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move about up to 10 pounds to waist height and occasionally lift and/or move about up to 30 pounds to waist height, carry with outstretched arms to put hot foods in steam table and hot pans to shoulder height to put in deck ovens and occasionally up to 60 pounds to waist level with assistance.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

REQUIRED COMMUNICATION/MATHEMATICAL/REASONING SKILLS:

• Must possess the required level of skills and ability to read, write, speak and apply mathematical concepts and sound reasoning to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this job.
• This position requires problem solving skills, critical thinking skills and the ability to multi-task.
• Must be able to handle stress and stay calm in stressful situations.

RESPONSIBILITIES, EXPECTATIONS & STANDARDS:

• Commitment to the daily application of Active Generations’ mission, vision, core values and social principles to serve our members, customers and community.
• Promotion the standards of excellence with enthusiasm and sincerity.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating workflow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment.
• Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations and standards of Active Generations and the state laws.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and sometimes loud. Will be exposed to hot and cold temperatures. Will be exposed to warm, wet and humid conditions in dish room. May be exposed to communicable disease when working with the members, customers and community.