Cook

Position: Cook

Department: Food Service

Location: Lake Elementary School

Reports to: Head Cook and Food Service Director

Shift: Part-time (3 hrs. per day)

Description: Must be able to use commercial kitchen equipment, have good people skills, serve students and staff and clean up at the end of each shift. Assist the Head Cook, cashiering, knowledge of proper food safety/sanitation is also a must.

Primary duties include, but not limited to cleaning, cashiering, frying and washing dishes.

Essential Functions:

• Adhere to prescribed standardized recipes
• Assist in the daily cleaning of all kitchen equipment
• Assist the Head Cook with meal preparation when time allows
• Assist with regular inventories of food, materials and equipment
• Attend meetings and in-services as required
• Ensure safety of students
• Fill out daily usage papers
• Follow rules, regulations, and policies of the school lunch program
• Follow the school district menu and see that all necessary foods and supplies are on hand in accordance with the menu
• Interact in a positive manner with staff, students, and parents
• Maintain orderly and clean work areas
• Maintain respect at all times for confidential information, e.g., free and reduced lunch students
• Make contacts with the public with tact and diplomacy
• Prepare and serve quality food as quickly and attractively and in a pleasant manner
• Prepare sandwiches, hot and cold, casseroles, soups, pizzas, desserts, nachos, and other a la carte foods
• Promote good public relations by personal appearance, attitude and conversation
• Report the inferior quality of food or faulty equipment to the appropriate supervisor
• Schedule and plan in advance foods that need to be defrosted
• Scrape trays during lunch periods when necessary
• Serve food to students when necessary
• Straighten and put away stock in storage areas
• Compile daily milk order
• Check milk and bread deliveries
• Take a milk count at the end of the meal and give to Head Cook
• Record all leftover food on the daily work sheet and food report

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Adhere to rigid sanitary standards in work and attire
• Complete and submit food orders according to menu and forward to Head Cook
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Head Cook
• Prepare main dishes or any other items requested by Head Cook or Director of Food Service
• Respond to routine questions and requests in an appropriate manner
• Serve as a role model for students in how to conduct themselves as citizens and as responsible, intelligent human beings
• Performs route housekeeping duties such as mopping up water and spills, clean up of serving counters, etc.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED)
• One to two years related experience
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as Superintendent or Board of Education may find appropriate

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to communicate ideas and directives clearly and effectively both orally and in writing
• Ability to estimate the amount of food needed for one day’s menu
• Ability to follow recipes
• Ability to read and understand verbal and written instructions, written warnings, and labels
• Ability to work effectively with others
• Ability to work quickly and efficiently during lunch periods
• Effective, active listening skills
• Experience cooking in large quantities
• Experience in preparing school lunches
• Knowledge of various cooking procedures
• Organizational and problem solving skills
• Must have formal food service training or equivalent in experience
• Ability to work independently
• Must have passed Food Service Promotional Test
• Ability to supervise others performing semiskilled and general cafeteria duties

Equipment Operated:

• Can opener
• Conventional oven/stove
• Dishwasher
• Food processor
• Grinder
• Knives
• Microwave
• Mixer
• Slicer
• Steamer

Additional Working Conditions:

• Frequent excessive standing during assigned work day
• Occasional exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and tissue
• Occasional interaction with unruly students
• Occasional requirement to lift, carry, push, and pull various items up to a maximum of 50 pounds, 300 pounds (on wheels)
• Frequent requirement to sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, see, read, speak, reach, stretch with hands and arms, crouch, kneel, climb, and stoop and balance
• Frequent repetitive hand motion, e.g., cutting and grinding
• Occasional requirement to travel, i.e., to pick up food and/or materials
• Occasional overtime work will be requested and expected of the employee.

All duties and behavior will be conducted morally and ethically. Acts that are deemed as lewd, sexual or inappropriate will be viewed as unacceptable and may be considered as grounds for administrative action, dismissal, or termination of contract.

This job description is subject to change and in no manner states or implies that these are the only duties and responsibilities to be performed by the incumbent. The incumbent will be required to follow the instructions and perform the duties required by the incumbent’s supervisor, appointing authority.