Cook - Kitchen

Whispering Pines Assisted Living
Luray, VA


Job Title:           Cook and Cook Aide                                                      Department:      Kitchen
Reports to:        Kitchen Manager

Position Summary:  prepare meal for resident, family member, guest, and staff, following designated menus, in a manner that optimized nutrition and enhances the dining experience.  Consistently uphold the principles, service standards, philosophy and mission

Position Responsibilities – Service

• Routinely interact with residents to determine and enhance their satisfaction with the meal program
• Ensure an attractive presentation of food on each plate
• Prepare meals according to the daily menu plan and/or as directed by Kitchen Manager
• Serve meal and beverages on times according to meal times.  Not early. Not late.
• Adjust or adapt recipes to accommodate specific dietary needs, when possible
• Monitor and adhere to portion control standards
• Prepare meals in accordance with sanitary regulation and facility policies and procedures
• Adhere to all proper handling, labeling, and storage protocols for all foods
• Properly document meal intakes and fluid intakes
• Identify and communicate resident dislike and likes with kitchen manage
• Assist in keeping noise levels down during meal times
• Wash, dry, and put away all dishes
• Restock items that are running low or out
• Accommodate sick meals to resident in the dining or bedrooms
• Clean dinging room floor and tables after each meal
• Clean kitchen before leaving shift
• Stock Resident refrigerator and storage bens daily
• Participate in and attend all required in-services training sessions
• Report to administrator refusal and zero percentages of meal intakes
• Communicate any staff or resident issues with the kitchen manage and administrator
• All other duties assigned

Team Effort:

• Assist in ensuring compliance with State and Local Regulations
• Assist Dietician and kitchen manager in developing new menu items and recipes and ordering
• Assist in appropriately interacting with residents, family members and other guest
• Assist all other departments with other duties as needed and/or assigned by Kitchen Manager or Administrator

Action:

• Respond to resident emergencies; provide first-aid assistance and arrange for appropriate medical attention and follow-up
• Practice safety in working around and with equipment, chemicals, tools, and utensils
• No horse playing or agitating resident
• Always call residents by their proper name Ex. Mr. or Mrs. (last name) Dawson or Mrs. Betty (first name, if requested.)   Do not reference residents as Nana, Granny, Papa, or other pet names.

Reputation:

• Maintain professional relationships with all employees  - no arguing
• Maintain good hygiene and a professional appearance

Success:

• Contribute to resident satisfaction by ensuring that customer’s expectations are met or exceeded
• Maintain efficient and appropriate communication with residents, family members and guest
• Contribute to marketing efforts through appropriate interaction with prospective resident and guest

Essential skills, experience and abilities:

• Ability to organize and manage multiple priorities
• Strong customer orientation to older adults
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Positive attitude, enthusiasm and energy
• Ability to read , write,  comprehend and follow direction in a recipe
• Prior dining service experience in high column setting
• Previous experience working in a senior living environment

Nonessential skills and experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent certificate

Reporting to the position: No direct reports

Dress Code, Tattoos, Piercing and Hygiene

• Dietary Department – White or Black Top, Black slacks or pants.
• Shoes: Athletic shoes and nursing shoes are acceptable.  All shoes need to be slip resistant.  No open toe, open back shoes or Croc type shoes.  Shoes must be closed toe with back and always worn during working hours.  Excludes, Community Relations, Administrator, Resident Care Coordinator, Director, LPN
• Name tag.  Required and always visible.
• Hair should be clean and presentable as well as up out of the way of care.  Long hair should be pulled back. Dietary must wear hair net.
• Heavy extremely colorful heavy eye makeup and excessively long eyelashes are not permitted.
• Fingernails should be of professional length to provide care safely to residents.  ¼ to ½ inch in length.  Jewels, beads, heavy glitter nail polish is not permitted.  Nails should be clean and filed in a round shape.   
• No earrings, or jewelry that dangle more than ½ inch.
• No lip or eyebrow rings.
• No nose or facial piercings, ear or nose rings or bars. Piercings that dangle or hang from the face, ears or nose are prohibited.  Facial piercings must be removed prior to shift.  Covering is not permitted.
• No visible tattoos on the neck, hands, or arms.  Tattoos that can be considered objective, vulgar, gang related, or sexually explicit in content must be covered with a garment (ex. sleeve or undershirt) while in the community.
• No hoodies, sweatshirts, coats, or jackets are to be worn over the uniform.  A long sleeve shirt, under armor shirt or turtleneck are all acceptable examples of what can be worn under the uniform.

Head coverings, hats, scarves, wraps, bandanas, etc. are not permitted to be worn while working in the community.  Exclusions:  Religious requirement.  Maintenance employees may wear hats.  Dietary employees will wear hair nets, chef hats, and apparel that is required for compliance.
Physical Demands and Work Environment:  The physical demands and work environment characteristics described her are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
            Physical Demands:  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is often required to stand, walk, sit, use fine and gross motor skills, reach with hands and arms, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, talk, hear, and or smell.  An individual must have the reading ability at the level to comprehend notes.  An individual in this position will be required to lift or carry weight in up to 75 pounds. . The employee occasionally works in high precarious places and is frequently expels to heat and risk of electrical shock Intermittent physical activity includes lifting and supporting residents.  .  The employee must be free of diseases that can be transmitted in the performance of job responsibilities during the stage of communicability.
The employee must use proper body mechanics.
            Work Environment:  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to minimal to moderate noise.  The employee will be exposed to blood and/or body fluids.  The employee may encounter traumatic situations, such as having to care for mentally ill resident and contact the deceased residents.  Employee will be scheduled based on operational needs (e.g., shift rotation, standby, on-call, ect) SLEEPING IS NOT PERMITTED DURING WORKING HOURS.

General Sign-Off:  This Job Description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position.  They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified. 

The employee must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle and prioritize multiple, completing tasks and demands and to seek supervisory assistance as appropriate.  The employee is expected to adhere to all company policies and procedures.