Lead Cook

POSITION TITLE:            Lead Cook-La Posada

REPORTS TO:                Program Manager

FLSA STATUS:               Non-Exempt

TIME COMMITMENT:      Full-time (40 hours/ week) Sunday-Thursday 10 AM-6:45 PM

SALARY:                          $24-25 per hour

BENEFITS:                      Medical, dental, vision. Prescription drugs, life insurance, case-balance pension

                                         plan, 403(b), vacation, 15 holidays and sick leave.

To apply for this position you need to complete this Application

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Lead Cook is an essential member of the La Posada Team responsible for planning, preparing, cooking, and serving nutritious, appetizing, quality meals for people experiencing homelessness. La Posada is a 100-bed interim shelter for unhoused men and farm workers. Motivating, supporting, and guiding the people we serve is a shared responsibility for every member of the team.

AGENCY CULTURE: 

The business and social environment we operate in has changed. What worked yesterday may not work today and will likely not work tomorrow. To thrive, we must incorporate new ways of thinking and embrace new practices. As part of our individual and agency cultural change process, it is critical that all employees of Catholic Charities aspire to the following:

§   A commitment to the agency’s mission, vision, and values;

§   A commitment to excellence in everything we do;

§   A commitment to excel at performance and quality improvement;

§   A commitment to outcomes and measured results;

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Plans weekly menus to provide nutritious, well-balanced meals. Coordinates menu planning with Senior Program Manager through weekly meetings. Accommodates special dietary needs.


•  Develops and maintains recipes and production sheets for daily and weekly production.  Checks production sheet against inventory to assure necessary items are on hand; plans for backup items as needed.


• Orders, receives, stores, and monitors raw food, supplies, and equipment, keeping records as required.  Controls food cost and usage by following proper requisition of products from the storage area and overseeing waste and control procedures. Adapts menus to use donated or rescued produce whenever possible.


• Engaged in food production operations. May facilitate training sessions on food preparation for other staff members.


• Prepares meals or provides direction and foodstuffs for the other team members to use on the Lead Cook’s days off.


• Maintains consistent high-quality standards; quality-tests finished items for taste, texture, appearance, and temperature. Ensure that food is served in a professional and pleasant manner. Prepares meals as planned in the menus and quantity to be served. Serves food in a professional and pleasant manner. Keep management abreast of any complaints or issues voiced by the residents.


• Familiar with and able to properly operate all kitchen equipment and instruct other team members as necessary. Maintains and cleans kitchen, pantry, and dining area, ensuring areas meet sanitation standards.  Trains teammates on the safe use of all equipment.


• Ensures full compliance with all required and recommended health, safety, and sanitation codes and practices. Ensures proper food holding temperatures and refrigeration and ware washing control points; documents actions performed as necessary.


• Maintains maintenance and warranty records for all kitchen appliances.


• Fosters a trauma-informed, safety-focused culture within CC programs.


• Works collaboratively with coworkers within Catholic Charities and local service providers


• Completes and submits all required monthly reports and assigned paperwork as needed in a timely and accurate manner. This includes completing a time tracker daily and ensuring it is ready to submit on the last day worked in the pay period.


• Responsible for invoices, receipts, and certificates


• Considers costs when planning meals and ordering supplies, minimizes cost without sacrificing quality.


• Supervises all activities related to the kitchen and meal preparation.

QUALIFICATIONS:

·         Two-year certificate from college or technical school, and at least two-year’ experience in restaurant and/or hotel food service or equivalent training or a combination of education and experience.

·         Knowledge of nutrition and food handling procedures is required. Culinary School Degree preferred.

·         Current First Aid, CPR, and food handler certifications/cards

·         A positive, can-do attitude and willingness to learn and grow.

·         Well-developed communication skills

·         Bilingual Spanish speaking preferred but not required. Must be able to read, write and speak English.

·         Strong computer skills and ability to become proficient with database software.

·         Valid Driver’s License and a clean driving record

·         Ability to multi-task, organize, and prioritize.

·         Ability to read and comprehend instructions, short correspondence, and memos.

·         Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.

·         Ability to follow established policies, procedures, and licensing requirements.

·         Ability to work effectively as a team member and independently.

·         Candidates with lived experience are encouraged to apply

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and taste or smell.  The employee is occasionally required to sit. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Catholic Charities is a non-profit, non-discriminatory service organization and employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability.