Prepares and cooks a variety of menu items. Working alone or with the assistance of a higher-grade cook or supervisor, prepares a variety of foods and desserts according to menu requirements. Follows recipes to prepare items such as soups, stews, casseroles, gravies, sauces, hot cereals, syrups, meatloaf, meatballs, hamburgers, and croquettes. Adjusts recipes for larger or smaller quantities. Roasts a variety of meats such as beef, pork, veal, lamb, fish, and poultry. Grills and deep fries foods. Broils and steams foods. Slices meat by hand and by mechanical means, to specific requirements. Apportions foods for family style servings as well as for plate service. Prepares vegetables and cold food platters. Make a variety of salads and salad dressings. Make sandwiches. Prepares eggs in a variety of ways, French toast, pancakes, and crepes. Makes coffee, tea, and fruit drinks. Follows health and safety precautions to ensure safe preparation and storage of food items. Monitors and maintains appropriate temperature of all food items throughout preparation and service.
Brings prepared foods from preparation area to refrigerators or serving area. Picks up items needed for menu preparation, rotating food inventories as appropriate. Takes inventory to determine ordering requirements. Loads hot foods in carts. Sets up and serves food as necessary. Check food for appropriate preparation, temperature, and packaging.
Operates kitchen equipment designed to mix and cook food items. Uses, cleans and maintains power kitchen equipment. Keeps cooking utensils cleaned and ready for use. Keeps working area clean in accordance with standard sanitation requirements. Maintains personal hygiene.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Skill and Knowledge:
Basic knowledge of food preparation principles and practical understanding of the physical processes that occur in cooking. Knowledge of proper cooking temperatures and preparation methods for a variety of foods. Ability to schedule and coordinate preparation of a number of different foods in order to ensure that they are ready for service at the appropriate mealtime. Knowledge of food borne illnesses, food safety, and proper storage methods for hot and cold food items in order to prevent loss or illness due to spoilage. Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, particularly standard recipes, and detailed cooking instructions. Skill in operating and cleaning a wide variety of food service equipment, including special equipment for the preparation of large volume items. Skill in carving, preparing garnishes, and assembling attractive platters, salads, and other food presentations.
Responsibility:
Assignments are received orally or in writing from a higher graded cook or supervisor. Employee plans, coordinates, and times assignments to assure that food items are prepared at correct temperature and on time. Assists in training lower grade cooks or kitchen help and provide advice on how to improve their work methods. Employee is responsible for the safe use and care of kitchen equipment, for personnel and environmental safety, and for personal hygiene. Work is evaluated in process and upon completion by the supervisor or higher-grade cook in terms of timeliness, quality, flavor, and appearance of prepared foods and conformance to sanitation and safety standards.
Physical Effort:
Work involves continual standing and walking, frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. Must be able to lift or move objects up to 40 pounds unassisted, and occasionally lift or move objects weighing over 40 pounds with the assistance of other workers or lifting devices.
Working Conditions:
Work is performed in kitchen areas, which are well lighted but are often hot and noisy. Employee is exposed to steam, fumes, odors from cooking, and to extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigerators or freezing units. Must stand on tile floor. Subject to burns, cuts, and slipping on wet floors.
