Food Service Associate

Loretto is a respected healthcare and community services provider committed to enhancing the quality of life for the residents it serves. As a leader in delivering compassionate care and support, Loretto operates multiple sites offering a wide range of services designed to meet the diverse needs of its community. The organization is deeply committed to promoting dignity, respect, and professionalism across all its operations, fostering an environment where employees and residents alike can thrive. Loretto's mission focuses on providing exceptional service, innovative care, and support while adhering to the highest standards of regulatory compliance and safety.

This position involves assisting with serving and delivering meals in various formats, including working along the tray line, food production, or in dining room areas. The role requires participation in cold food production, food preparation, portioning, tray preparation, service, tray delivery, and ware washing. Employees in this role are expected to operate and maintain kitchen equipment safely and according to established standards. This position also encompasses performing cleaning and sanitation duties to maintain a hygienic and safe environment essential for food services. Providing quality customer service to residents and customers is an important aspect of the role, ensuring a positive dining experience.

The role places a significant emphasis on HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) and regulatory compliance. Responsibilities include ensuring Department of Health compliance and adherence to safety standards related to dress code, jewelry, and hair requirements to maintain hygiene and minimize contamination risks. Employees are tasked with monitoring and documenting the temperature of all perishable items during storage, delivery, and before and after service to ensure food safety. This includes the proper storage, wrapping, labeling, and dating of foods to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage. Proper inventory rotation based on the first in, first out principle is also expected to maintain food quality.

Maintaining food quality control forms a critical part of the job, with staff required to check for any damaged, leaking, or spoiled products and report issues to management promptly. Reporting faulty equipment operation for timely repair or replacement is necessary to ensure a safe work environment. Employees must follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws, along with Loretto and Advanced Meal policies, and infection control practices daily. Reporting accidents, incidents, and hazardous conditions forms an essential part of maintaining workplace safety.

Sanitation duties are integral to the position, including loading soiled dishes and trays into washing machines, inspecting and storing cleaned items, and keeping work areas clean by sweeping, mopping, and sanitizing pots, pans, racks, and major kitchen equipment such as ovens, kettles, mixers, slicers, and coolers. Careful attention to details such as cleaning beverage coolers, emptying garbage appropriately, and notifying nursing staff of tray arrivals is expected.

All Loretto employees are expected to promote and embody the organization's mission, values, vision, and strategic goals in all interactions. Professionalism, dignity, excellent customer service, reliability, work ethics, and compliance with organizational policies and health and safety requirements are critical traits for candidates. Ongoing participation in training, meetings, and adherence to HIPAA and other regulatory requirements underpin the commitment to high standards in care and service.

Physically, the role requires the ability to lift food boxes and pans up to 50 pounds, frequently reach, bend, stand for long periods, and perform routine cleaning. Adaptability to varying environmental conditions, including hot or cold temperatures, is essential.

This position offers an hourly pay range between $19.30 and $21.16, along with excellent medical, dental, prescription, and vision insurance. Other benefits include disability coverage, a tuition reimbursement program, 401(k) retirement plans, discounted gym memberships, paid time-off accruals, fun employee events, convenient locations with free parking, employee coaching, a diaper assistance program, and opportunities for career growth across nineteen sites. Loretto is committed to supporting its workforce with competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a positive work environment that encourages professional development and personal well-being.