Lead Cook

Your experience matters 

At Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital, we are committed to empowering and supporting a diverse and determined workforce who can drive quality, scalability, and significant impact across our hospitals and communities. In your role, you’ll support those that are in our facilities who are interfacing and providing care to our patients and community members. We believe that our collective efforts will shape a healthier future for the communities we serve.

How you’ll contribute 

The Lead Cook will provide assistance to the Nutrition Services Manager in kitchen oversight for menu development, inventory control, sanitation and training of cooks and dietary aides. The Lead Cook will also function as a cook and will prepare, season and cook food for hospital patients, staff and visitors.

Essential Functions

• Be fluent in healthcare kitchen sanitation, following all guidelines, and share this knowledge with team. Act as a role model. Hold team accountable for sanitation.
• Always practice appropriate hand hygiene and glove usage. Have no bare hand contact with ready to eat food. Act as a role model. Hold team accountable for hand hygiene.
• Act as first resource for questions. Maintain steady flow of appropriate communication both upward and downward. 
• Participate in onboarding and training of new dietary staff and completion of required competencies.
• Provide training to cooks and dietary aides as needed. This includes planning ahead as well as the execution of day-to-day tasks. 
• Provide direction when menu substitutions or changes are required. Develop dietary team to be able to make decisions without needing assistance.
• Provide feedback to manager and/or director regarding staff issues or concerns.
• Assist in deciding how to rearrange kitchen staff schedule in order to best meet our patient needs for census and make decisions regarding staffing during call offs.
• Complete physical inventory. Place orders for food, equipment and supplies.
• Maintain storage area; clean, organize and ensure that all items are labeled and dated appropriately. Put away food orders.
• Monitor department to ensure that standards for cleanliness and sanitation are maintained.
• Have an understanding of how inventory effects budget. Know what budget is and where spending is in relation to budget and census.
• Assist in the development of department policies, procedures, job descriptions and work routines.
• Provide work direction to cooks and dietary aides.
• Plan catering events, assign work to aides and cooks and assist with completion.
• Stay abreast of food recalls by subscribing to Federal Food Recall sites.
• Notify Plant Operations when equipment repairs are necessary.
• Oversee snack delivery system to nursing. Work with dietitian when changes are necessary. 
• Reconcile cash register daily. 
• Ensure that staff complete daily as assigned on the Daily Checklist.
• Audit nourishment rooms.
• Perform Cook, Dietary Aide duties on weekends and holidays and as staffing requires.
• Assist in menu development and recipe standardization.
•  Other duties as assigned.

What we offer 

Fundamental to providing great care is supporting and rewarding our team. In addition to your base compensation, this position also offers:  

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, plus flexible-spending and health- savings accounts  
• Competitive paid time off 
• Income-protection programs, such as life, accident, critical-injury insurance, short- and long-term disability, and identity theft coverage 
• Tuition reimbursement, loan assistance, and 401(k) matching  
• Employee assistance program including mental, physical, and financial wellness 
• Professional development and growth opportunities

Qualifications and requirements 

• High School diploma or GED.
• Previous experience in food service and cooking is required.
• Prior healthcare experience preferred but not required.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing.

About Us 

Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital St. Louis is an 81- bed hospital located in Chesterfield, MO, and is part of Lifepoint Health, a diversified healthcare delivery network committed to making communities healthier® with acute care, rehabilitation, and behavioral health facilities from coast to coast. From your first day to your next career milestone—your experience matters

EEOC Statement

“Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital St. Louisis an Equal Opportunity Employer. Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital St. Louis is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity for all applicants and employees and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment in employment.”