Lead Cook

For current Prairie House employees

What does the Lead Cook do? 

The Lead Cook prepares food in accordance with menus, diet specifications, resident preference, and sanitary practices. In addition, the Lead Cook supports Food and Nutrition Services Manager (FNSM)or Dining Services Manager (DSM) with the overall support of the dining experience and staffing and training of Cooks and Dietary Aides.

Why join the Prestige Care Family in the Cook role and what can we offer you? 

• There are many culinary jobs out there – not many of them will allow you to know and interact with the folks eating your culinary creations day in and day out. 
• Act as a leader at the community to provide the best in service to our amazing residents. 
• The ability to coach, guide, and train fellow culinary department staff – share your passion for food to help grow team members that you collaborate with daily. 
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In this job, every day you will…

1. Prepares, cooks, and serves food in accordance with the menu and food and nutrition standards, including presentation, taste, and texture. Samples food for quality assurance prior to service.
2. Ensures foods are cooked and held at the appropriate temperatures. Records food temperatures throughout the cooking and holding process.
3. Partners with supervisor to review menus and record necessary substitutions.
4. Ensures that food supplies are available and prepared as needed for upcoming meals. Notifies supervisor of needed supplies.
5. Maintains a clean and safe work area, cleaning spills and assisting in daily or scheduled cleaning.
6. Ensures proper storage, rotation, preparation, and labeling of food in accordance with Federal, State, and local guidelines and Prestige policy. Discards outdated food
7. Partners with dietary staff to ensure equipment is working properly and at the appropriate temperature. Records temperature of equipment throughout shift as needed. Reports faulty equipment immediately.
8. Follows facility fire safety, infection control, and hazardous chemical practices and promptly reports any unsafe conditions.
9. Partners with leadership team in planning and preparing for special meals, events, and parties as needed.
10. Assists in storing incoming food and supplies as assigned.
11. Partners with FNSM or DSM to order all necessary supplies for upcoming menus and events.0
12. Assists with the interviewing, scheduling, onboarding, and development of Cooks and Dietary Aides. 
13. Collaborates with FNSM or DSM to create and maintain schedules that accommodates requested days off, vacations and sick time while maintaining appropriate staffing levels to properly serve the needs of the residents.
14. Provides on-call support for team member questions and staffing coordination.
15. Attends and participates in training, in-services, and staff meetings.
16. Performs other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience you need to qualify:

• You will need minimum of one - two years experience cooking in a restaurant or the dietary department of a hospital or similar health care environment.
• You need to meet job-related health department or state regulations by holding required state certification or appropriate service license. Must be willing to obtain Serve Safe certification
• You must be proficient at reading written menus and direction, comprehend verbal instructions, and write at a level necessary to meet job expectations.
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Ways you can advance beyond the Cook role:

Once you master this role, you could consider the Dining Services Manager or other health care jobs with Prestige Care.

EOE/M/F/VETS/DISABLED – At Prestige, it is our promise to personally touch lives every day. It is a philosophy of caring based on our core values of integrity, trust, commitment, and respect, that are at the center of all that we do. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce that represents all of us, coming from different experiences, cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints. Inclusion is the way we treat one another and how we celebrate what makes us different.