Cook

POSITION SUMMARY

The Dietary Cook is responsible for preparing, cooking, portioning, and serving nutritious, high-quality meals for patients, employees, visitors, and other customers of Cibola General Hospital. The Cook follows established menus, recipes, portion-control standards, therapeutic diet requirements, food-safety practices, and department policies.

This position supports timely patient meal service and cafeteria operations while maintaining a clean, sanitary, and safe food-preparation environment. Because Dietary/Food Services operates seven days per week, the position may require weekends and holidays based on the department schedule.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Prepares and cooks meals according to approved menus, standardized recipes, production schedules, and established portion-control standards.
• Prepares patient meals in accordance with ordered therapeutic and special diets and established dietary instructions.
• Performs bulk cooking, short-order cooking, and other food-production duties as assigned.
• Ensures meals are prepared accurately, safely, attractively, and within established meal-service times.
• Assists with patient tray-line preparation, assembly, and service.
• Prepares food for the hospital cafeteria and other food-service needs.
• Measures, portions, and serves food using established portion-control practices.
• Monitors food temperatures and follows established food-safety procedures.
• Properly stores, labels, dates, rotates, and handles food and supplies.
• Helps monitor food and supply inventory and communicates shortages or needs to Dietary leadership.
• Operates kitchen equipment safely, including ovens, stoves, grills, fryers, tilt skillets, slicers, steam tables, refrigerators, freezers, and other equipment as assigned. CGH's Dietary orientation materials specifically address operation and cleaning of this equipment.
• Cleans and sanitizes food-preparation areas, equipment, utensils, cookware, and work surfaces.
• Performs pot, pan, and manual dishwashing duties as necessary.
• Follows proper sanitation practices designed to prevent foodborne illness and cross-contamination.
• Maintains a clean and organized work area throughout the shift.
• Follows hospital infection-control, safety, confidentiality, compliance, and departmental policies.
• Reports unsafe conditions, equipment problems, food-quality concerns, or other issues to Dietary leadership promptly.
• Assists coworkers and performs other Dietary/Food Services duties as assigned to maintain appropriate department coverage and meal service.