Lead Cook - Full Time

Sanford Health is recognized as the largest rural health system in the United States, dedicated to transforming the health care experience and broadening access to world-class medical services in America's heartland. With a commitment to excellence, Sanford Health operates with a vision to provide compassionate, patient-centered care, harnessing the latest medical technologies and practices to ensure the best outcomes for patients across a wide network of facilities. Known for its comprehensive health care services ranging from primary care to specialized medicine, Sanford Health fosters a collaborative environment where innovation and teamwork thrive to meet the diverse needs of the communities it serves.

The East Patient Building in Sioux Falls, SD, serves as a key location for Sanford Health’s operations, offering a spectrum of patient services. At this facility, the organization upholds its mission of delivering safe, effective, and personalized care by leveraging a dedicated staff who are experts in their fields. The available position of Lead Cook on the day shift provides an exciting opportunity for culinary professionals to be part of a dynamic healthcare environment where nutrition and dining services play a crucial role in patient recovery and satisfaction.

This full-time role encompasses a broad range of responsibilities aimed at ensuring the efficient operation of food production within the health system. The Lead Cook is pivotal in managing daily food preparation, overseeing tray line operations, and coordinating bakery production to meet rigorous dietary standards and hospital guidelines. Working collaboratively with the Executive Chef and other kitchen leadership, the Lead Cook helps maintain high-quality food standards, adherence to dietetic restrictions, and exceptional sanitation practices.

Serving various internal customers, including patients, staff, and visitors, the Lead Cook is expected to provide superior culinary products that meet taste, appearance, and nutritional criteria. The role requires a keen attention to detail as well as the ability to maintain compliance with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards to ensure food safety. Leadership duties involve providing daily direction to cooks and kitchen workers, fostering a team-oriented environment, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.

The Lead Cook must be adept at operating specialized kitchen equipment like mixers, slicers, combination ovens, and kettles, alongside standard culinary tools. The position necessitates being on feet for the majority of the shift, demonstrating stamina and physical endurance, while also showcasing strong communication skills and the ability to adjust to a fast-paced, evolving healthcare culinary setting.

Sanford Health offers this position at a competitive salary range of $19.50 to $23.50 per hour, emphasizing work-life balance with scheduled 8-hour day shifts and generally one weekend per month. The role represents a significant step for those pursuing a career in healthcare food service leadership, combining culinary expertise with healthcare operations to make a meaningful impact on patient wellness and institutional success.