Executive Chef-Assistant Director Food Services

Primary Purpose

This position is responsible for the overall function, production and safety, and supervision of all cook staff or the Main Kitchen in accordance with current federal, state and county standards, policies and procedures and regulatory guidelines.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Examples of essential functions listed in this class specification are representative but not necessarily exhaustive or descriptive of any one position in the classification. Management  is not precluded from assigning other related functions not listed herein if such duties are a logical assignment for the position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with a qualified disability to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.

1.  Ensure quality nutritional services are provided on a daily basis and the Dietary Department is maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.

2.  Responsible to ensure food is prepared in compliance with the recognized standard of safe food handling and as required by State and Federal regulations.

3.  Responsible to ensure food is served as outlined in posted menus.

4.  Ensure food is palatable and is appropriately prepared in accordance with standardized recipes.

5.  Collaborate with Dietician and Food Services Director on menu development.

6.  In collaboration with the Dietician and Food Service Director, meet with resident and/or resident council to discuss resident complaints/preferences as it relates to menu items.

7.  Mentor, direct, and supervise cooks on proper preparation and service of food.

8. Monitor food service in all areas to ensure meals are served at proper temperature, plated appropriately and served timely.

9. Mentor, train, and coach all Dietary Cook personnel as required or necessary.

10. Communicate any concerns or issues related to the dietary aspects of residents care and with production, maintenance, or sanitation to the appropriate staff.

11.  Supervise and evaluate the performance of the Dietary Cooks.

12. Regular attendance is required.

Competencies

1.  Requires skill in recommending routine changes in standardized operating procedures or in retrieving, compiling and reporting data according to established procedures or in operating complex machines.

2.  Requires understanding and using business or trades vocabulary or basic arithmetic to perform standard operating procedures.

3.  Requires responsibility for contributing to immediate, ongoing department objectives by facilitating the direct provision of services to the residents, employees, public and other County departments.

4.  Requires direct supervision of programs or of employees doing work which differs from the supervisor, including disciplining employees, solving personnel problems, recommending hiring and firing employees, and developing work methods.  The supervisor in this position manages a working unit or section with responsibility for employee performance appraisal.

5.  Requires performing regular job functions in an environment which includes exposure to continuous physical elements or a number of disagreeable working conditions with frequent exposure to minor injuries or health hazards.

6.  Requires medium work, including continuous strenuous activities such as frequent reaching, bending, or lifting as well as performing work activities which require fine manual dexterity or coordination in operating machines or equipment.

7.  Requires explaining facts, interpreting situations, or advising individuals or alternative or appropriate courses of action.  This level requires interviewing or eliciting information from county employees or members of the general public.

8.  Requires a combination of job functions to establish facts, to draw daily operational conclusions, or to solve practical problems.  Requires providing a variety of alternative solutions where only limited standardization exists.

9.  Requires a range of choice in applying a number of technical or administrative policies under general direction and in making routine decisions or in recommending modifications in work procedures for approval by supervisor.

10.  Ability to express and exchange ideas verbally and in writing.

11.  Ability to retain confidential information pertaining to administrative matters, personnel issues, and resident information.

12.  Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships and communicate effectively with residents, resident family members, other employees, and department heads.

Required Education & Experience

Associate’s degree from a recognized college or university with emphasis in culinary arts and two years in a supervisory capacity in long term care foodservice or a large quantity cookery or any combination of education and experience which demonstrates possession of the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

CERTIFICATION:  ServSafe Certification Required.  Food Manager’s Certification preferred.
 

Other Duties & Responsibilities

1.  Responsible for operation of department in the absence of the Food Service Director.

2.  Attend and participate in all mandatory in-services, care plans, and meetings according to state and county policies and procedures.

3.  Ensure appropriate protective clothing/devices are being used properly and staff is dressed in department uniform.

4. Supervise, train and mentor Dietary Aides as needed.

5.  Performs other related duties as assigned.

Physical Demands

Ability to endure periods of heavy workload and excessive stress.
 
Stooping-bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. 
 
Reaching-Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction. 
 
Standing-Particularly for sustained periods of time.
 
Walking-Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another. 
 
Pushing-Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
 
Pulling-Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects to a sustained motion.
 
Lifting-Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position.  This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial us of upper extremities and back muscles.
 
Fingering-Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling. 
 
Grasping-Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm. 
 
Feeling-Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips. 
 
Talking-Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly. 
 
Hearing-Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound. 
 
Repetitive Motion-Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers. 
 
The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, and/or operation of machines (including inspection); using measurement devices; and/or assembly or fabrication parts at distances close to the eyes.

Additional Details

 
EXPECTED WORK HOURS:  Generally Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Occasional Weekends & Holidays
 
EEO STATEMENT:   The County of Merrimack provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, creed, color, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, military/veteran status, or national origin.  In addition to federal law requirements, the County of Merrimack complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which it has facilities.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.