Culinary Specialist

BETHESDA

CULINARY SPECIALIST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Summary: To provide residents well prepared nutritious meals served with individual thoughtfulness.

Job Relationships:

1. Reports to: Dietary Director
2. Interrelationships with: Dietary team, Nursing, Activities, Business Office, Social Services, Maintenance, Laundry, Residents and Resident’s families, Volunteers, Venders
3. External Contacts: Visitors, delivery persons

Hours of Work: Part-time evening and day shifts available.

Dress Code:  Per Dietary Policy and Procedure

Essential Requirements of Work:

1. Experience
   1. Previous food service experience desirable
   2. Previous long-term care experience desirable
2. Personal
   1. Must be able to read English
   2. Write and perform mathematical formulations
   3. Must be willing to learn
   4. Must be able to follow directions and perform assigned tasks, be self-motivated
   5. Must be in good physical and mental health
   6. Must be able to work cooperatively with others in a proximity and teamwork capability
   7. Must have efficient time management skills
   8. Ability to complete assigned duties in required time
3. Job Knowledge
   1. Knowledge and ability to operate and maintain upkeep of large and small equipment
   2. Understanding of daily menu requirements and personal diet requirements
   3. Understanding of sanitation and safety requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Ability for Full Performance:

1. Plan work schedule for the day based upon the menu and cleaning schedule.
2. Meet meal time schedules
3. Must be able to work with and secure the cooperation of fellow dietary employees in order to implement the meal
4. Must work with geriatric residents showing care and empathy
5. Must be self motivated in the absence of the dietary manager
6. Must be knowledgeable in weights and measures
7. Must be knowledgeable in the storage of food products
8. Must be knowledgeable in therapeutic diets
9. Must be understanding of sanitation and safety measures to meet state and federal regulations
10. High level of proficiency and time management to meet meal regulations time
11. Must have the capacity to operate commercial equipment
12. Must be in good physical and mental health

Physical Demands of the Job:

1. Occasionally lifting to 50 pounds
2. Exposed to temperature extremes in kitchen and storage areas
3. Will receive education regarding safe work habits due to exposure to cuts, burns, falls, and lifting
4. Stand, stoop, bend, and walk during all of scheduled shift
5. Ability to work with detergents, chemicals and ware washing assignments

Mental Demands of the Job:

1. Understanding of therapeutic diets and the special needs of residents
2. Maintain mental alertness in order to accurately follow dietary menus and resident therapeutic diets and textures, and requests while managing time regulations

Quality Performance Results In:

1. Meeting the mission statement of the Dietary Department, which is serving residents nutritious meals that have a nice appearance and prepared with individual thoughtfulness
2. Residents are well nourished, happy and healthy
3. Meeting or exceeding all state and federal requirements

Effect of Error:

1. If resident receive incorrect food according to the menu and diet card this could result in.
   1. Choking
   2. Illness
   3. Diabetic reaction
   4. Allergic reaction
   5. Insufficient nutrition
   6. Improper hydration
2. Poor work habits can cause injury to employee or resident
3. Poor food and sanitation practices could cause food borne illnesses
4. If quality of prepared food is poor, income goes down due to decline in customers
5. Nutritional needs of the vulnerable are not met
6. Dissatisfaction among residents and families

Principle Job Responsibilities:

Responsibility: Ensure proper sanitation and safety measures are followed at all times.

1. Follows sanitation and safety techniques in operation and cleaning of all equipment.
2. Uses proper sanitation and safety procedures during workday.

Responsibility: Participate positively and with a smile in the timely and accurate and attractive service of meals to residents and other customers.

1. Dish up salads, desserts, beverages, bread and condiments
2. Assist in dining room service of setup and serving resident’s meals, recording intake of residents and cleaning up.
3. Prepare between meal nourishments and supplements, Delivers and cleans up snack carts
4. May assist in receiving and storage of food supplies
5. Participates positively in effective communication with nursing and family in regards to special needs of the resident
6. Records and carries out any resident dietary changes

Responsibility: Wash dishes on a timely basis meeting or exceeding all state and federal requirements.

1. Washes dishes following meals
2. Washes pots and pans during shift
3. Monitor dishwasher temperatures, procedures and performance

Responsibility: Miscellaneous

1. Complies with all facility policies
2. Follows through on resident’s rights
3. Attends in-service and all necessary training
4. Works to meet the goals of the facility with enthusiasm and spirit of cooperation and integrity
5. Other jobs as assigned by Supervisor