Minnie Hamilton Health System

Job Description – Dietary Cook Helper

Department: Dietary

Reports To: Dietary Manager

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Position Summary

Supports food service operations for the rural hospital, long term care center, and health center by assisting with meal preparation, tray assembly, nourishment service, dishwashing, sanitation, and related kitchen duties. Works under the direction of the Dietary Manager and/or Cook to help ensure patients, residents, staff, and approved visitors receive safe, accurate, and timely meals consistent with physician orders, therapeutic diets, food safety standards, and customer service expectations.

Essential Functions

Assist the cook with preparation of hot and cold food items and nourishments according to menus, production sheets, and standardized recipes.
Prepare, portion, label, and assemble meal trays accurately according to regular, modified, and therapeutic diet orders, including texture-modified, diabetic, low sodium, fluid-restricted, and other special diets as directed.
Read meal tickets, diet lists, production records, and written or verbal instructions to ensure the correct foods, portions, condiments, and adaptive items are provided to each patient or resident.
Deliver meals, snacks, supplements, and nourishments to patient care areas, resident dining rooms, nursing units, and other designated service locations in a timely, courteous, and safe manner.
Collect soiled trays, dishes, utensils, and carts after meal service and transport items back to the dish room or kitchen for cleaning and sanitation.
Wash dishes, pots, pans, utensils, carts, and food service equipment; clean and sanitize work surfaces, tray line areas, sinks, storage areas, refrigerators, freezers, and other dietary spaces according to department cleaning schedules.
Support meal service in long term care dining areas by assisting with setup, service, beverage refills, between-meal snacks, and resident-focused hospitality consistent with dignity and preference.
Support food service needs of the rural health center and outpatient areas for approved refreshments, meetings, or patient-related nourishment requests in accordance with department procedures.
Observe and promptly report diet discrepancies, missing trays, unsafe food temperatures, equipment concerns, sanitation issues, or patient/resident meal concerns to the Cook, Dietary Manager, nursing staff, or other appropriate personnel.
Assist with basic documentation such as temperature logs, cleaning logs, meal counts, and other departmental records as assigned.
Follow all MHHS policies and all applicable food safety, infection prevention, confidentiality, emergency preparedness, and workplace safety standards.
Perform other related duties as assigned to support continuous dietary services across the hospital, long term care center, and health center.
Requires the ability to work around hot equipment, steam, cleaning chemicals, wet floors, refrigeration units, freezers, and other common dietary department conditions while using appropriate safety precautions.
Work is performed in a fast-paced food service and healthcare environment with frequent exposure to noise, temperature changes, slippery surfaces, and interruptions related to meal service demands.

Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
Previous experience in food service, institutional food preparation, long term care, hospital dietary services, or a related setting preferred.
Basic knowledge of sanitation, safe food handling, portion control, and infection prevention practices required.
Ability to read and follow recipes, meal tickets, diet instructions, cleaning schedules, and written or verbal directions.
Food handler training or ServSafe certification preferred, or ability to obtain required training within established timeframes.
Ability to work cooperatively with dietary staff, nursing staff, residents, patients, and other departments while maintaining a professional and service-oriented approach.
Ability to work flexible shifts, weekends, holidays, and emergency coverage as needed to maintain dietary operations.

Core Skills and Competencies

Food Safety and Sanitation: Demonstrates consistent knowledge of safe food handling, personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing procedures, temperature control, and cross-contamination prevention.
Diet Accuracy: Accurately follows meal tickets, production sheets, and diet orders to support safe service for patients and residents with special dietary needs.
Attention to Detail: Maintains accuracy in portioning, tray assembly, labeling, stocking, and completion of routine records and logs.
Teamwork and Collaboration: Works effectively with cooks, dietary staff, nursing personnel, and other departments to support meal service and patient/resident satisfaction.
Customer Service: Interacts respectfully and courteously with patients, residents, families, staff, and visitors while supporting a positive dining experience.
Time Management: Prioritizes tasks and works efficiently in a fast-paced environment to meet meal service timelines and cleaning schedules.
Adaptability: Adjusts to changing menus, census, diet changes, staffing needs, and operational demands across multiple care settings.
Communication: Clearly communicates meal concerns, supply needs, sanitation issues, and diet-related questions to appropriate team members.
Dependability: Demonstrates reliability, punctuality, and accountability in completing assigned duties and maintaining consistent coverage.
Safety Awareness: Recognizes and responds appropriately to workplace hazards, emergency procedures, infection prevention measures, and safe equipment use.

Physical, Environmental, and Work Conditions

Requires frequent standing and walking for extended periods throughout meal preparation, tray line, dish room, storage, and service areas.
Requires frequent bending, stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, twisting, grasping, and repetitive hand and arm movements while preparing food, stocking supplies, washing dishes, and cleaning equipment.
Requires the ability to lift, carry, move, or reposition food products, dish racks, trays, pans, supplies, and equipment, including items that may weigh up to 25 pounds frequently and up to 50 pounds occasionally, with assistance when appropriate.
Requires the ability to push and pull meal carts, tray carts, racks, or supply carts through kitchen, hospital, clinic, and long-term care service areas.
Requires sufficient visual ability to read meal tickets, production sheets, labels, thermometers, cleaning instructions, and safety information, as well as sufficient hearing and communication ability to receive and relay instructions in a busy work environment.

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COOK HELPER