Cook

The hiring establishment is an Adult Care Home, a facility dedicated to providing comprehensive care and support to residents who require daily assistance with meals and general well-being. This type of residential care facility focuses on creating a safe, nurturing, and comfortable environment for its residents, ensuring that their nutritional, physical, and emotional needs are met with dignity and respect. The Adult Care Home operates under strict regulatory guidelines to maintain high standards of care, including adherence to North Carolina's environmental health standards and state-specific rules and regulations concerning personnel and healthcare programs.

This Adult Care Home is currently seeking a dedicated and competent Food Service professional to join their team. The employment type is likely full-time with responsibilities that are crucial to maintaining the daily operation of food preparation and meal service within the facility. The salary for this position will be competitive and aligned with industry standards for food service roles in healthcare or residential care settings.

The role primarily involves planning and preparing menus to ensure that each resident receives at least three nutritionally adequate and palatable meals daily. Menus must be prepared in writing at least one week in advance, with specified portion sizes and snack options. The position requires meticulous attention to dietary needs, including therapeutic menus prescribed by physicians and developed in collaboration with registered dietitians. Menu substitutions must be recorded appropriately, and menus must be posted in the kitchen as well as made available to residents in accordance with the home’s policies.

The Food Service professional must prepare and serve three meals daily at consistent scheduled times, ensuring appropriate time gaps between meals. Food safety standards are paramount; hot foods must be served at temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, while cold foods must be maintained below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, special considerations, such as preparing safe nutritional bag lunches for residents attending day programs away from the facility, are essential.

Inventory management is also a critical part of this role, requiring the professional to oversee purchasing and stocking food supplies within the facility’s budgetary constraints. Accurate checking of food deliveries, signing invoices, and maintaining records for administrative review are key responsibilities.

Beyond food preparation, this role involves promoting the self-respect, personal dignity, and physical safety of each resident. Confidentiality regarding resident information must be strictly observed, and all interactions with residents, their families, and staff should be cooperative and respectful. Compliance with accident, fire safety, OSHA, and emergency protocols is mandatory. Knowledge of the Adult Care Home Residents' Bill of Rights and facilitating residents’ exercise of these rights is also an important part of the job.

The position demands adherence to all Adult Care Home and employee policies, participation in continuing education as required, and readiness to perform other related duties as assigned. Reporting residents’ irregular eating habits or special needs promptly to the Executive Director/Administrator (ED/Administrator) and RCC is necessary, ensuring residents' nutritional and health needs are effectively managed. Overall, the Food Service professional plays a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of residents through expert meal planning, food preparation, and a compassionate approach to care.