Cook

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Charleston - SC. The person in this position prepares nutritious - high quality meals for service to the Veterans and also works as a Food Service Worker - assembling and delivering patient meal trays and nourishments.

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 07/01/2025. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required - but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge - skills - and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element - which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions - Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision Work Practices Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience - including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g. - Peace Corps - AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g. - professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies - knowledge - and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience - including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: Work requires continual standing and walking - and frequent stooping - reaching - pushing - pulling - and bending. Incumbent must be able to walk and stand all day. Frequently lifts and moves objects weighting up to 40 pounds unassisted - and occasionally lifts or moves objects weighing over 40 pounds with the assistance of lifting devices or other workers. Incumbent is required to lift moderately heavy items such as pans of food - and bend and stoop as necessary. Must be able to perform work in walk-in refrigerators and freezers. Work requires periods of sedentary activity to enter data in computer. Work is performed in a hospital. Incumbent is subjected to constant distractions and interruptions - including everyday risks/discomforts typical of an acute care medical center. Typically - work is performed in kitchen and dining areas where the steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often cause uncomfortably high temperatures and humidity. The work area is well lighted but usually noisy from food service activities - and there is danger of slipping on floors where food or beverages have been spilled. Employee is regularly exposed to hot liquids - sharp cutting blades - hot working surfaces - and extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigerators or freezers. . Incumbent may be exposed to contagious diseases while working on inpatient care units. This position involves shiftwork and may require duty on weekends and holidays.

• Duties and Responsibilities include: Prepare a wide variety of food items for use in patient meal service using scratch/conventional cooking and standardized recipes
• Perform a wide variety of cooking procedures such as roasting - boiling - broiling - baking - frying - poaching - steaming - grilling and stewing
• Cut and wash chicken and turkey when necessary - slices meats and/or other foods by hand or machine - conforming to specific size and/or weight requirements
• Prepare soups - gravies - sauces - puddings etc
• without the use of packaged mixes
• Prepare other menu items such as cooked cereals - casserole dishes - meat extender dishes - cooked fruits etc
• Prepare simple desserts such as cakes from mixes - gelatin desserts - cobblers - etc. - and bake off pre-frozen foods as pies and other desserts
• Prepares garnishes and make cold sandwich fillings as required
• Prepares cold food as assigned
• Prepare all food in such a way as to conserve nutrients - texture - color and flavor
• May make substitutions and adjustments in food preparation procedures and seasoning to make the food more attractive and to improve taste
• When these substitutions or adjustments are made they should be made in consultation with a higher grade cook - manager or Registered Dietitian
• Prepare a variety of meat - fish - poultry - eggs and other entrees for regular and modified diets using standardized recipes and proper procedure
• Prepare vegetables - pastas - etc
• according to standardized recipes with special emphasis on consistency - seasoning - etc. - for modified diets
• Evaluate a variety of raw and cooked food items to decide if they are fresh and whether cooked foods are done by their appearance - consistency - texture - and temperature
• Preparation of food for such modified diets as diabetic - sodium restricted - low cholesterol - mechanically altered - pureed and others
• Preparation of menu items using special or difficult recipes that require numerous interrelated steps - many ingredients and/or involve lengthy preparation
• Panning of food for cooking or after the cooking process
• Food will be layered at a depth of no more than three inches to preserve food quality and meet established temperature guidelines
• Planning - regulating and scheduling cooking procedures so that numerous completed food products are ready at the appropriate temperature and time
• Examine all food for quality and freshness before preparation
• Operate a variety of equipment including mixers - blenders - ovens - steam kettles - grills - fryers - slicers - microwaves - portable cooking equipment (griddles/grills) - etc
• and is responsible for cleaning and maintaining the sanitation of the equipment used
• Use appropriate cleaning chemicals in correct proportions
• Take proper care of equipment thereby avoiding injury or damage - reporting obvious wear and other need for repairs or any unsafe conditions to a supervisor or manager
• Serve food on the serving line(s) as assigned
• Displays courtesy in dealing with patients - visitors - peers and other personnel
• Keeps serving line(s) supplied with fresh - hot food
• Prepare and present food \"to order\" - as required
• Check food products for quality prior to placing on serving line(s)
• Labels food items for contents prior to placing on serving line(s)
• Control food usage by preparing quantities indicated on cooks' worksheet/production sheet and using standardized portion sizes
• Responsible for maintaining the cook's refrigerator and freezer in accordance with optimum HACCP standards
• Ensure the cook's refrigerator and freezers are cleaned and organized daily
• Report quality deviations to higher grade cook - supervisor or manager
• Ensure proper serving utensils are available for serving line(s)
• Take and record internal cooking temperatures of foods prepared to ensure HACCP guidelines are followed
• Take food temperatures during tray line service - if necessary
• Maintain the proper temperature for all foods during holding - transport - reheating and serving to ensure food safety
• Ensure that back-up serving line food is available in holding warmer and/or oven and that serving line does not stop to wait on food
• Other related duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Variable shifts between 5:00AM - 6:00PM
• May require duty on weekend and holidays
• Schedule subject to change based on agency need
• Position Description Title/PD#: Cook/PD078450 Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized