Dietary Cook

About Company:

Ellett Memorial Hospital is a Critical Access Hospital in Appleton City, Missouri.  We are a 12-bed facility for Acute Care and Extended Care (Swingbed).  In addition, we provide 24 Hour Emergency Room Services with 24 Hour Laboratory, Radiology and Ambulance Services.

Ellett Memorial Hospital owns and operates the Appleton City Rural Health Clinic, which provides Monday-Friday primary care as well as hosts a variety of specialty clinics each month.

At Ellett Memorial Hospital we provide quality care, close to home.

About the Role:

The Dietary Cook plays a critical role in preparing nutritious and safe meals tailored to the dietary needs of residents within a health care facility. This position ensures that all food preparation complies with sanitation standards and dietary therapy guidelines to promote the health and well-being of patients. The Dietary Cook collaborates closely with the dietary team and healthcare staff to accommodate special diets and preferences while maintaining high standards of quantity and quality in cooking. Flexibility in scheduling allows the cook to meet the dynamic needs of the facility, ensuring timely meal service throughout the day. Ultimately, this role contributes significantly to the overall care environment by supporting residents' nutritional requirements and enhancing their quality of life through thoughtful meal preparation.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Knowledge of sanitation standards and safe food handling practices.
• Ability to read, write, and understand instructions related to dietary and cooking procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to perform work tasks efficiently and follow diet therapy guidelines.
• Flexibility to work varied shifts as required by the facility.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with quantity cooking in institutional or healthcare settings.
• Familiarity with specialized diet therapy plans such as diabetic, low sodium, or texture-modified diets.
• Previous experience working within a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
• Proactive approach to seeking out new cooking methods and nutritional principles.

Responsibilities:

• Prepare and cook meals in accordance with prescribed diet therapy plans and facility standards.
• Maintain strict sanitation and hygiene practices in all food handling and kitchen operations.
• Collaborate with dietary staff and healthcare professionals to accommodate special dietary needs and preferences.
• Monitor food quality and quantity to ensure consistency and compliance with nutritional guidelines.
• Adhere to flexible work schedules to support meal service during various shifts and special events.
• Read, write, and understand instructions related to recipes, dietary requirements, and safety protocols.
• Seek out and implement new methods and principles to improve food preparation and service efficiency.
• Work effectively as part of a team to maintain a positive and productive kitchen environment.

Skills:

The Dietary Cook utilizes sanitation skills daily to ensure a safe and hygienic kitchen environment, preventing contamination and foodborne illnesses. Performing work tasks efficiently is essential for timely meal preparation and service, especially when managing large quantities of food. The ability to read, write, and understand instructions allows the cook to accurately follow diet therapy plans and recipes tailored to individual resident needs. Working as part of a team fosters communication and coordination with dietary and healthcare staff, ensuring that all nutritional requirements are met. Additionally, seeking out new methods and principles supports continuous improvement in meal quality and operational efficiency within the long-term care setting.