Cook

Why Kensington Senior Living? Because Our Promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own…and this extends to our team members too! 

Become part of a community that’s driven by its unique core values: a Love for Seniors, Respect for Each Other, Passion for Excellence, and a Spirit to Serve. Partner with us to find your path, grow your purpose, and expect the unexpected: deeper connections, better opportunities, and a stronger sense of belonging.

Salary: $20 + per hour, based on experience

Schedule: Part-Time & Full-time

Summary:

The Cook is responsible for preparing appealing, nutritious, and properly portioned food for all residents and guests in accordance with production sheets, standardized recipes, preparation methods, portion control, time schedules, sanitary standards, and serving procedures.  

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Attends daily production meetings, tasting and menu classes to gain understanding of food production requirements of upcoming meal periods.
• Prepares hot and cold food items for the residents, guests, and personnel according to daily menus, food production sheets and recipes. Prepares food items for residents with modified diets.
• Prepares food for transportation from the production areas to dining areas in accordance with safe food handling practices.
• Instructs servers on proper handling, storage, portioning, plating, and serving of food items.
• Assists with labeling and storing bulk food and supply orders upon delivery.  Labels and stores “ready to eat” and prepared foods in accordance with safe food handling and HACCP requirements.
• Assists in regular inventories of food and other supplies.
• Maintains work area and equipment in a clean and orderly condition throughout the work shift and performs required shift closing and periodic cleaning tasks as assigned.  Assists with performing utility related tasks as directed by the shift supervisor. 
• Attends in-service training sessions together with co-workers to keep abreast of current knowledge in the field of nutrition and dietary needs, safe food handling, culinary skills and procedures, and operation and maintenance of equipment.
• Attends training courses and participates in other professional development activities as required.

Knowledge and Skill: 

• Must have excellent verbal skills and communication abilities.
• Ability to work effectively within a team based environment.
• Must know how to operate kitchen equipment and use utensils to greatest advantage.
• Ability to follow diet instructions and menus, know basic methods of preparing food in quantities, and familiar with seasoning requirements 

Qualifications:

• Must be able to clearly and proficiently communicate with people of all ages and abilities, displaying consideration of their rights and sensitivities, while maintaining an energetic, positive attitude.
• Must be able to read and write English, and follow verbal and written instructions.
• Must maintain a clean and well-groomed appearance and follow the dress code as outlined in the employee handbook.
• Ability to work flexible hours including weekends, evenings, rotating shifts, and occasional overtime. 
• Demonstrates freedom from pulmonary tuberculosis by a health screening performed by a physician not more than (6) months prior to or (7) days after employment 
• Must be cleared in a criminal background check administered in the state of Virginia.
• Minimum of (1) year in similar position, with preferable retirement living or home-care background.
• High school education strongly preferred
• Certified in safe food handling.

Mental and Physical Requirements:

• Requires ability to stand and walk short and long distances for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to lift and/or carry objects in excess of 25 pounds.
• Requires bending at knees, twisting from side to side at the waist, and reaching above, below and at shoulder length.
• The kitchen environment is subject to noise, interruptions and distractions and requires the ability to concentrate and handle a multitude of tasks.
• High degree of safety awareness as work environment involves potential physical risks that include cuts from utensils, burns, falls due to wet floors, quick temperature changes in and out of refrigeration areas and around steam tables.