Detention Center - Cook

Under supervision, to prepare, cook, and serve food at a County detention facility; to supervise food service workers, inmates, and juveniles in routine food preparation and cleaning activities; and to do other work as required. Incumbents work without immediate supervision and are required to perform the full range of cooking assignments. Positions are responsible for the preparation of food for assigned shifts, while supervising inmates in semi-skilled kitchen tasks.

• Plans, assigns, and supervises food preparation activities including cooking and serving. Prepares, cooks, and season’s soups, meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, desserts, and other foods; substitutes meals when scheduled food supplies are not available. 
• Assists in receiving, checking, and storing foods and supplies. 
•  Supervises inmates assisting in food preparation, serving, and cleaning of kitchen facilities and equipment; maintains the security of the kitchen area and enforces disciplinary measures when needed; instructs and trains food service workers in the operation of equipment used in semi-skilled kitchen tasks. 
•  May perform meat cutting and baking duties. 
•  Prepares routine records and reports; will be required to work various shifts when other cooks are not available.

Knowledge of:

• HCSO JRL Detention Center policies and procedures.
• County policies and procedures
• Internal control policies and procedures pertaining to the kitchen
• Inventory procedures ability to supervise and plan duties of inmate workers assigned to the kitchen. 
• The practices, methods, and equipment used in preparing, cooking, and serving food in large quantities; behavior of persons in detention facilities; sanitation methods in cleaning and caring of equipment; storing and inventorying large quantities of food; common weights and measures; occupational hazards and safety precautions of kitchen areas and equipment.
• General computer skills are necessary to utilize county systems to the full potential. 
• General multi-line phone skills are needed to communicate throughout the facility.
   
   

Ability to:

• Prepare, cook, and coordinate cooking processes so that nutritional meals are prepared and served on time; guide and instruct inmates in semi-skilled food preparation, service, and cleaning tasks; read and understand recipes, labels, and instructions for food preparation; perform basic mathematical operations to determine the proportions of ingredients with a minimum of waste; cut, slice, and grind meat and poultry; follow oral and written directions; maintain personal cleanliness and neatness; maintain effective security of kitchen equipment and utensils; prepare routine records and reports.
• Work effective with all staff members; 
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with inmate workers; 
• Adhere to all food service policies and procedures; 
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing;   
• Plan, supervise and participate in a variety of detention center goals and activities. 
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees, the general public, and inmates.

Minimum: 

•  One year of large quantity cooking experience in an institutional, military, large commercial kitchen, or similar setting which has developed skills in measuring and mixing ingredients according to recipes and number of persons to be served. OR one year of experience in food service work within a detention facility. OR two years of experience in food service work in an institutional, military, or large commercial kitchen, or similar setting.

Salary : $33,423 - $50,135