Cook 1

Food Service Cook

Pool/PRN Varied Hours

Crystal Lake Campus

Performs daily kitchen duties to provide a safe, clean, and sanitized environment for our patients, residents, customers, and partners with quality service in mind. Prepares and plans foods according to menu, order, diet, and standardized recipe and portion control. Prepares food to be palatable appetizing and attractive. Utilizes leftovers avoiding waste. Properly labels and dates food products for storage. Maintains a clean and sanitized work area. May be required to work overtime and alternate shifts. Has the ability to work in a fast paced environment. Performs other duties as assigned.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Determines food items and prepares them for service
• Is able to prepare food from scratch that is appetizing and appealing
• Ability to execute culinary knife skills
• Reads and follows standardized recipes
• Cooks and/or prepares food in quantities according to menu, par level and number of persons to be served
• Cooks to order
• Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently.
• Dishes meals
• Orders supplies
• Maintains proper food temperature log sheets
• Maintain proper cooking/quick chill log sheets
• Portions and dishes food on plate according diet ticket. Weighs items when necessary
• Performs dishwashing as necessary
• Knowledge of various cooking procedures and methods (grilling, baking, boiling etc.)
• Maintains a clean and sanitized work area, tables, counter, cabinets, ovens, and other kitchen equipment utilizing proper sanitation techniques
• Adheres to department safety and sanitation regulations
• Use protective barriers (gloves, apron, proper hair covering)
• Excellent customer service skills needed
• Works well on a team and on their own

Education and Experience

High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
One year of experience as a cook or two years of experience in food service department preferred.
Graduate of vocational school, or culinary program preferred.

Certification and Licensure

State Food Safety Sanitation Certification per department requirements required within 90 days

Skills and Abilities
Excellent interpersonal / communication skills
Full knowledge of kitchen equipment
Able to perform mathematical calculations

LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
Ability to write correspondence.
Ability to effectively present information in one-to-one and small group situations to other employees of the organization
Ability to communicate with others in a positive manner

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to add, subtract divide and multiply all numbers
Ability to perform these operations using units of American money, weight measurements and volume

REASONING ABILITY
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions.
Ability to deal with problems.

COMPUTER SKILLS
Basic computer knowledge needed

Special Physical Demands

The Special Physical Demands are considered Essential Job Functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

This is considered medium work. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 15 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Good manual dexterity to operate kitchen equipment. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision and ability to adjust focus.

Mercyhealth offers a generous total rewards package to eligible employees including, but not limited to:

* Comprehensive Benefits Package: Mercyhealth offers a retirement plan with competitive matching contribution, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options, life and disability coverage, access to flexible spending plans, and a variety of other discounted voluntary benefit options.

* Competitive Compensation: Mercyhealth offers market competitive rates of pay and participates in various shift differential and special pay incentive programs.

* Paid Time Off: Mercyhealth offers a generous paid time off plan, which increases with milestone anniversaries, to allow employees the opportunity for a great work-life balance.

* Career Advancement: Mercyhealth offers a number of educational assistance programs and career ladders to support employees in their educational journey and advancement within Mercyhealth.

* Employee Wellbeing: Mercyhealth has a focus on wellbeing for employees across the organization and offers a number of tools and resources, such as an employer-sponsored health risk assessment and a Wellbeing mobile application, to assist employees on their wellbeing journey.

* Additional Benefits: Mercyhealth employees have access to our internal and external employee assistance programs, employee-only discount packages, paid parental and caregiver leaves, on-demand pay, special payment programs for patient services, and financial education to help with retirement planning.