ABOUT US

Channing House is a leading not-for-profit Life Care Community in Palo Alto, founded in 1960. We believe that older adults thrive in a vibrant setting that supports active, engaged and healthy living. We provide a sustainable, innovative community that promotes this lifestyle, while embracing respect and dignity for all who live and work here. Our team of 170 staff members, from Front-Line to Leadership, drive the mission of Channing House, providing services to the 265 highly engaged residents who call Channing House their home.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Cook works to store, prepare and cook a variety of hot and cold food items for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and special/catered events. Responsibilities include the production and packaging of food, with a focus on recipes that require a more advanced level of cooking skill. The Cook I also contributes to overall kitchen cleanliness and organization. Together with the entire team at Channing House, your role contributes to promoting a healthy and vibrant home for our residents.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position will be responsible for, but not limited to the following essential duties and responsibilities:

Food Preparation and Storage:

• Prepare and cook to order foods that may require short preparation time.
• Receive inventory, move and lift foodstuffs and supplies for proper storage.
• Produce some batch goods using basic cooking techniques.
• Prepare foods under direct supervision or instruction
• Clean and sanitize work stations and equipment.
• Operate a variety of kitchen equipment to measure and mix ingredients, wash, peel, cut and shred fruits and vegetables, and trim and cut meat, poultry or fish for culinary use.
• Follow recipes and/or product directions for preparing, seasoning, cooking, tasting, carving and serving soups, meats, vegetables, desserts and other foodstuffs for consumption.
• Prepare food in accordance with current applicable federal, state and corporate standards, guidelines and regulations to ensure high-quality food service is provided.
• May perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Customer Service:

• Prepare meals for customers requiring special diets.
• Prepare food and serve customers at an a la carte. Operate a grill station.
• Read food order or receive verbal instructions on food required by patron, and prepare food according to instructions.
• Provide the highest quality of service to customers at all times.
• Taste products, read menus, estimate food requirements, check production, and keep records in order to accurately plan production requirements and requisition supplies and equipment.

Training and Policy Adherence:

• Ensure compliance with various licensing and regulatory agencies, including but not limited to: Santa Clara County Department of Health, CDPH, CDSS, CalOSHA, etc.
• Attend all allergy and food-borne illness in-service training.
• Report all accidents and injuries in a timely manner.
• Participate in regular safety meetings, safety training and hazard assessments.
• Attend training programs (classroom and virtual) as designated.

Upholding Company Standards:

Consistent commitment to:

• Establish and maintain effective team relationships with fellow staff; apply effective communication and listening skills
• Demonstrate professionalism in all interactions with all residents, colleagues, clients, vendors, and members of the public
• Provide a supportive and caring environment to meet the needs of residents as individuals and as members of a shared community
• Adhere to all company policies, procedures, safety, and compliance practices, and business ethics codes

JOB REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, a person must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

Years of Related Professional Experience:

• 2-3 years of related work experience.
• Knowledge of basic operation of equipment and cash-handling procedures preferred.

Educational/Position Requirements:

• High School diploma, GED or equivalent experience preferred.

Computer/Software/Technical Applications:

• Ability to use a computer.

Languages:

• Ability to speak and comprehend English the primary language used in the workplace; ability to speak and/or comprehend other languages utilized by clients is a plus.

Required Licenses/ Certifications/ Background:

• Must possess or be able to obtain a California Food Handler’s Card before starting employment
• ServSafe certification preferred

Work Environment:

• Generally in an indoor setting.
• Supervise activities and events outdoors. May be exposed to heat/cold during support of outside activities.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.
• Some exposure to smoke, steam, high temperatures and humidity
• Position requires ability to work nights, weekends and some holidays.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to:

• Stand on your feet throughout work period. Significant walking or other means of mobility.
• Repetitive use of hands and fingers using tools such as knives, peelers and other kitchen instruments
• Prolonged periods using hot stove/oven and industrial kitchen equipment
• Possess multi-limb and eye-hand coordination
• Able to reach, bend, stoop, push and/or pull, and frequently lift/move up to 40 pounds.
• Utilize specific vision abilities for viewing work related processes and materials handling.
• Occasionally must be able to distinguish flavor profile when completing preparation lists
• Talk or hear during face-to-face communications in a noisy commercial kitchen work area

Channing House Diversity Statement:

Channing House is an equal opportunity employer. Channing House is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and disrespectful or other unprofessional conduct based on actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, such as natural hair, hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles), color, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, immigration status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive health decision making, disability (including sensory disability and use of a service animal by a person with a disability), HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C status, a legally protected medical condition, genetic information or data credit history, genetic information, status as a victim or domestic or sexual violence (including harassment, sexual assault, or stalking), expunged juvenile record, arrest or conviction records (except as legally required), use or non-use of lawful products off of Company premises during non-working hours, performance of duty in a uniformed service military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by local, state and/or federal law. Channing House also prohibits discrimination, harassment, disrespectful, or unprofessional conduct based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.