Chef

DEPARTMENT: Culinary

REPORTS TO: Culinary Director

JOB SUMMARY:

Prepares and/or directs the preparation, seasoning and cooking of all salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts and all other foods. All meals will be of exemplary restaurant quality, nutritionally balanced and attractively served. Our goal is to provide the best food and service to our residents, therefore, satisfying their needs, anticipating their wants, and honoring their requests is our specialty.

The person holding this position is responsible for carrying out all assigned duties and responsibilities in accordance with current federal, state and local regulations, as well as company policies and procedures.

JOB PROFILE:

1. Food Preparation

➢ Handles and prepares food that is palatable, appetizing, and attractive.

➢ Cooks a variety of foods in large quantities.

➢ Prepares foodstuffs for cooking: peel, wash, trim, and cut vegetables and fruit; wash, cut, de-bone, and trim meat, fish, and fowl.

➢ Cook foods: Bake, roast, stew, braise, saute, and steam-cook meats, fish and fowl, basting as necessary to retain flavor; makes gravies, stocks, dressings, sauces, and soups.

➢ Prepares cold meats, sandwiches, griddlecakes, cooked cereals, and beverages.

➢ Familiar with seasoning and cooking time required for different dishes.

➢ Tastes, smells, and observes food to ensure conformity with recipes and appearance.

➢ Serves food according to culinary guidelines and to meet special culinary requirements.

➢ Determines how food should be presented, garnished, and/or displayed.

➢ Serves and garnishes all menu items prior to delivery to residents.

➢ Instructs and supervises other culinary staff in the preparation, cooking, baking, garnishing and presentation of food.

2. Meal Planning

➢ Complies with meal schedules.

➢ Estimates quantities of food required and apportion servings while monitoring portion control guidelines for individual residents.

➢ Helps with the planning and development of seasonal cycle menus.

➢ Uses initiative and judgment in setting up meals and utilizing leftovers to avoid waste.

➢ Supervises the storage and use of leftover cooked and/or uncooked foods.

➢ Assists with the maintenance of inventory of food on hand and assures that inventory is sufficient to permit preparation and service of meals in the event of emergency for a minimum of three (3) days.

3. Culinary Knowledge

➢ Demonstrates knowledge of sanitary code.

➢ Is aware of cooking characteristics of various cuts of meat, fish, and fowl.

➢ Is aware of critical temperature characteristics of perishable and non-perishable foods and assures that critical temperatures are met so as to minimize food contamination and/or spoilage.

➢ Understands importance of proper food handling techniques and hazards of improper food handling.

➢ Maintains and uses equipment and supplies, utilizing proper handling techniques.

➢ Works cooperatively with other staff and departments.

➢ Follows standard recipes, but makes independent decisions in-line with current experience.

➢ Analyzes new recipes and adjusts recipe to accommodate for required quantities.

4. Kitchen/Dining Room Management

➢ Responsible for quality control in food handling and preparation.

➢ Washes pots, pans, and other equipment as needed to keep dish workers on task/time.

➢ Ensures an orderly kitchen by cleaning ovens, fryers, grills, and coolers.

➢ Assists Director with the ordering, receiving and storage of all purchased items.

• Helps to plan for food, beverage and equipment needs.

• Assists with checking in (of all) purchased foods and supplies, accounting for each delivered item.

• Aids with the storage of all foods, ensuring that the rotation method – FIFO (first in, first out) is applied.

➢ Maintains cleaning schedule and supervises co-worker cleaning activities.

➢ Responsible for supervision of other food service co-workers in absence of a Culinary Director.

➢ Responsible for supervision of fine dining servers in the absence of the Culinary Director.

➢ Observes resident satisfaction by making rounds in the dining room after residents have received their meals.

5. Training and Compliance

➢ Attends and participates in all mandatory in-service training sessions.

➢ Conducts in-service training as requested.

➢ Teaches and monitors sanitation practices, to ensure that all culinary co-workers follow established procedures and meet or surpass the state and local sanitation regulations.

➢ Assists Culinary Director with the promotion of HG Philosophies and Values.

➢ Assists Director with both In-House and community based food meetings, demonstrations and cooking classes.

➢ Is well versed in sanitation/safe food handling applications.
May perform other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

➢ A degree in the Culinary Arts ( or the equivalent).

➢ Restaurant cooking experience.

➢ Ability to write, speak, and read English.

➢ Ability to prepare and cook a variety of foods in large quantities.

➢ Awareness of special diets, seasoning requirements, cooking times, and temperature controls.

➢ Ability to estimate quantities of food required, utilize leftovers while serving attractive, appetizing meals, and ability to limit waste.

➢ Culinary mathematical aptitude to be used for recipe conversions and budget compliance (costing out menu items).

PREFERRED SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS:

➢ Prior experience as Executive or Sous Chef.

➢ Supervisory experience.

➢ Knowledge of State Health Department Standards and other standards applicable to Food Service operations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

➢ Good physical and mental health, producing upon hire, and at least every twelve (12) months thereafter, a satisfactory examination from a physician or equivalent indicating that the individual is free from any health impairment which is of potential risk to residents or which might interfere with the performance of the individuals duties. In addition, individual must produce a ppd (Mantoux) skin test for tuberculosis within thirty (30) days prior to employment and no less frequently than every two (2) years after employment begins.

➢ Occasional twisting, bending, squatting, kneeling, crouching, climbing, and balancing.

➢ Ability to sit, stand and walk during all shifts.

➢ May need to lift and carry up to twenty-five (25) to fifty (50) pounds.