Cook

Cook, Full Time

Join our positive team environment with consistent hours and no late nights!

$18 to $20/hour, based on experience

Full Time: 10:30 am-6:30 pm, including every other weekend

At Keswick, we believe in the power of compassion, collaboration, and community. As a not-for-profit aging services organization with over 140 years of expertise, we’ve built a legacy of trust and excellence in caring for older adults in Baltimore. Our mission is simple yet powerful: to improve the experience of aging, together.

Our employees are the heart of our success. Their commitment to excellence and care has made Keswick a standout in the field, and we’re looking for passionate individuals to help us continue that tradition.

About the Role:

The Cook prepares all foods using proper cooking techniques, tools, recipes, and food handling procedures to ensure the nutritional quality, flavor, and appearance of all products. In this role, the Cook collaborates closely with kitchen staff to maintain cleanliness, organization, and efficient workflow in a fast-paced environment. Attention to detail and adherence to food safety regulations are paramount to guarantee customer satisfaction and compliance with health standards. Ultimately, this role contributes to the overall dining experience by consistently producing delicious and well-prepared meals.

Why Choose Keswick?  

We offer more than just a job; we offer a supportive, mission-driven environment where your work truly matters. Our comprehensive benefits include:

• Health, dental, and vision coverage with low deductibles and copays

• Free short- and long-term disability insurance

• Employer-paid life and AD&D insurance for full-time employees

• 401(k) with up to 6% employer match

• Generous paid time off with vacation cash-out options

• Discounted MTA bus passes

• 24/7 access to Teladoc physicians

• Free wellness programs like Zumba and Pilates

• Employee Assistance and Recognition Programs

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Requires two years of institutional or related experience in food preparation
• Knowledge of safe food handling techniques and practices, health department regulations, sanitation requirements, and food quality and presentation standards. Menu items, ingredients, and recipes. Cooking techniques. Therapeutic diets. Portion control and food cost control. Chemical usage and safety; side effects; proper treatment for exposure.
• Physical ability to stand for extended periods and perform kitchen tasks.
• Skilled in using knife skills. Using kitchen equipment and cooking production equipment.
• Effective communication and interaction with other personnel, residents, family members, visitors, and the public.
• Safe use of tools and equipment. Maintaining a neat, clean, and well-groomed appearance to avoid contamination; wearing proper uniform and footwear; using safety equipment to avoid accidents or injuries.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Culinary certification or formal training in cooking.
• Experience working in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
• Familiarity with specialized dietary requirements and menu accommodations.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Knowledge of inventory management and portion control.

Responsibilities:

1. Previews menus and work orders to determine the amount and type of food and supplies required using standard production procedures and systems. Assembles and prepares ingredients. Uses knife skills to cut, chop, slice, dice, julienne, and peel ingredients.
2. Plans food production to coordinate with meal serving hours so that excellence, quality, temperature, and appearance of food are preserved. Prepares large quantities of food following standard recipes within the required production schedule. Measures and mixes ingredients according to recipes. Adjusts as needed to ensure results are to standards. Readies food on steam tables on time for service.
3. Oversees tray line service to ensure that the tray line carries out desired presentation, plating, and portion size. Monitors the steam table for replenishment. Ensures that proper utensils are provided on the tray line to facilitate plating. Checks food temperature before service.
4. Complies with established sanitation standards, personal hygiene, and health standards. Follows proper food preparation and handling techniques. Ensures that food items are maintained at appropriate temperatures. At the end of the service period, wraps, labels, dates, and properly stores all food ingredients according to safe food handling techniques and practices.
5. Maintains clean and organized food preparation areas using the “clean as you go” method. Wipes down work areas daily, including stoves, ovens, counters, and other areas. Cleans cooking equipment and utensils. Maintains equipment and tools. Prepare for food items to be dated, labeled, wrapped, and properly stored.
6. Cleans work areas thoroughly once a week, including the oven, grill, inside drawers, refrigerator, and other detail cleaning. Maintains kitchen equipment; reports malfunctioning equipment; maintains a safe work environment.
7. Maintains daily production records to document usage and leftovers. Minimizes waste of food and supplies. Follows policies and procedures for incident and accident prevention. Monitors temperatures maintained by kitchen equipment such as refrigerators and ovens; reports any temperature issues to maintenance for correction.