Position Description: We are seeking a professional, charismatic, and motivated individual to join the UMOM team. UMOM New Day Centers serves over 300,000 meals each year to clients experiencing homelessness who are temporarily living in our emergency shelters. The Cook position contributes to UMOM's mission to restore hope, rebuild lives, and end homelessness by cooking and creating meals in the areas of Residential Dining or Helpings Catering and Café. Cook is an intermediate-level position requiring knowledge and skills of best practices in a kitchen, experience in basic and intermediate-level cooking methods, and the ability to prepare and organize all aspects needed for meal service. The Cook has demonstrated experience in the basics of team leadership along with inventory processes and procedures. This individual will create a sanitary and organized environment and will practice and abide by Maricopa County Health codes to ensure food is safe for our clients and customers. The Cook understands a positive, team-focused approach is the best way to keep a fast-paced kitchen running smoothly and is excited to contribute to ensuring this type of work environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Performs culinary skills at the level of making complicated sandwiches, gourmet salads, and common side dishes.
- Leads kitchen tasks of ingredient preparation, labeling and proper storage of food in containers, and countertop cleaning. Stocks and maintains sufficient levels of food products at all stations to assure a smooth service period.
- Exhibits working knowledge of all kitchen equipment and experience in menu modification.
- Ensures food production at UMOM kitchens maintains food quality, accurate portion control, consistency of recipes, and timely delivery in accordance with established meal schedules/menus.
- Maintains well-organized kitchens reflective of the safety standards established by UMOM and in accordance with all safety and sanitation standards per Maricopa County Health codes/the health department.
- Assists with the back-of-house training portion of the Homegrown student program.
- Operates with speed, efficiency and consistent mindfulness towards kitchen organization and sanitation in a fast-paced production-kitchen environment.
- Communicates daily with kitchen staff to gain continuous feedback.
- Assists with inventory of all program supplies and works with Social Enterprise and Residential Dining Managers to manage all related expenses as needed.
- Articulately represents UMOM to the trainees, community, businesses, and social service organizations.
- Understands the importance of data, reporting, and outcomes to running an impactful program.
- Assumes 100% responsibility for quality of products served.
- Attends all scheduled employee meetings and brings suggestions for improvement.
Qualification and Competency Requirements:
Education and Experience
- High school diploma or GED equivalent required
- Minimum two years of experience in kitchen preparation and cooking in a fast-paced food service environment required
- Experience with inventory process and procedures preferred
- Supervisory experienced preferred
Computer skills
- Familiarity with, or ability to learn, basic applications such as Microsoft Word and Outlook for email communication and documentation responsibilities
Compliance
- Current Maricopa County Food Handlers Card or the ability to obtain one
- Valid Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card or the ability to obtain one
Physical Activities and Working Conditions
The physical demands and working conditions described here are representative, but not exhaustive, of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- This position is very active and requires standing, moving, bending, stooping, lifting, and reaching all day. The duties of this job require regular exposure to kitchen conditions including heat, cold, humid, wet, smoke, and loud noises.
Additional Attributes
- Willingness to embrace and actively support the unique culture and values of UMOM
- Ability to focus on the tasks and details relevant to the position and the organization, while also switching quickly between tasks
- Ability to exercise excellent independent judgment and take ownership of decisions
- Ability to think on a broad, systems-level relative to the scope of the position
- Ability to work independently and self-manage to achieve goals while being a strong team player
- Ability to organize, meet deadlines, and delegate appropriately
- Ability to cope with and embrace change, risk, and uncertainty
- Ability to develop strong relationships within a fast-paced, collaborative setting that values diverse opinions; enthusiasm for helping drive change as UMOM becomes a more data-driven organization
Work Schedule: This position must have flexibility to work days, evenings, weekends, and holidays. This full-time position typically works 5 days each week (40 hours) with 2 consecutive days off. Shifts typically fall between the hours of 5am and 7pm.