Prep Cook at Hearty Helpings Inc – Buffalo, New York

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:

The Prep Cook will prepare meal ingredients, simple dishes, condiments, and other items as directed by senior culinary staff.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for preparing, cooking, and portioning all menu items by following instructions on standardized recipes.
• Assists with unloading, inspection, and storage of raw ingredients and supplies.
• Check menus, prepare and cook items following standard recipes completing the cooking by serving time.
• Check temperatures of food items and logs before serving.
• After the line is served, remove leftovers, cover, date, and store leftover food.
• Maintain the cooking area and equipment in a clean, sanitary, neat, and orderly manner.
• Handle food, equipment, and utensils in accordance with sanitary and safety regulations.
• Wash and sanitize all pots and pans after preparing meals.
• Ensure that all areas are clean before leaving each day
• Assist with any and all mission work as needed and requested with some or no prior notice including, but not limited to: serving as a truck spotter, helping with Farm Market/Community Garden/Freight Farms/on and off-site food distributions, preparation of meals and serving home-delivered meals
• Other duties as so assigned or needed.

• Knowledge of and experience in practicing proper safety standards in handling food and all requisite equipment including knives, commercial equipment, etc. to produce thousands of meals daily
• Must have solid math, reading, writing and analytical abilities and follow oral and written instructions
• Ability and willingness to work with populations of varying educational levels and backgrounds effectively
• Must be able to measure accurately, have sufficient dexterity to handle food and equipment efficiently and safely and be able to lift a minimum of 50 pounds with minimal effort following required safety guidelines
• Must be able to tolerate sudden and extreme changes in temperatures and stand for at least 8 hours a day
• Must be able to climb on a ladder the distance of 5 feet to reach stored items and carry them to the floor
• Must be able to push, pull, and guide carts which weigh approximately 70-325 pounds on a tile surface
• Must bend or stoop frequently throughout the day and reach short distances into carts to retrieve trays
• Ability to work in hot or cold conditions for long periods of time;
• Ability to tolerate sudden and extreme changes in temperature;
• Ability to work with all food types, including but not limited to gluten, dairy, and raw proteins, including pork;
• Must be able to twist and rotate 180 degrees during each day and follow DOH food service standards