Cook

Summary This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, VA . The person in this position prepares nutritious, high quality meals for service to the Veterans. Responsibilities Major duties and responsibilities include: Independently prepares and cooks a variety of items including regular and therapeutic diet (diabetic, low sodium, low protein, gluten free, etc.) entrees and dessert items. Follows menus, production sheets, and recipes to prepare items in the quantity needed Grills eggs, meat patties, pancakes, French toast; broils meat, makes cold sandwich fillings and assemble a variety of sandwiches Uses a variety of methods to prepare meats, fish, and poultry including broiling, roasting, baking, frying, boiling, steaming, braising, and grilling Slices meat items by hand, confirming to specific size requirements or weight specifications Prepares fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables; bakes frozen potatoes, pre-made cookie dough, and muffin batters Prepares and heats convenience items, and prepares pureed foods and adjusts consistency with thickeners Washes, peels, and cuts fruits and vegetables; assemble and mixes salad ingredients and dessert items, including gelatin molds and fruit crisps. Plans cooking processes to produce meals on time and at the proper temperature which may require coordination of cooking several items with different cooking times. Makes a variety of desserts such as cobblers, brownies, cookies, and pastries Weighs, measures, and assembles ingredients for regular and modified diets Operates a variety of kitchen equipment and follows appropriate safety procedures Follows sanitary food handling procedures Disassembles and reassembles equipment for cleaning Cleans and sanitizes work areas, and performs deep cleaning tasks when needed Operates industrial dish machine Performs other related Work Schedule: 8hrs/day, 5days/wk including weekends and holidays Position Description Title/PD#: Cook, PD 99818-S Relocation/Recruitment Incentive: Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment Physical Effort: Subject to continuous standing, walking, frequent bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling. Lifts or moves objects weighing up to 40 lbs. unassisted. Manipulates cumbersome and heavy objects, such as washing stainless steel mixing bowls, pushing heavy carts on caster, or operating heavy equipment. Manual dexterity needed to safely operate equipment and to handle sharp knives and blades. Hand-eye coordination and ability to concentrate and react quickly to serve food and operate equipment. Working Conditions: Performs work in areas of temperature extremes. Work is carried out in kitchen/dish room areas that are often hot, uncomfortable, and noisy. Environment includes exposure to extreme cold while working in walk-in refrigerators and freezers for extended periods of time to complete duties. Works with other cooks, food service workers, and supervisors. Exposed to stems, cooking odors, and noise from equipment and conversation. Subject to hazards of cuts, bruises, strains, burns and falls in kitchen equipment. Strong cleaning and sanitizing solutions may be skin and respiratory irritants. Performs work in patient care settings where there may be exposure to contagious disease. May have contact with patients who demonstrate verbally and/or physically aggressive behavior. Required to wear proper hair covering and clean uniform. Wear disposable gloves when handling food for service, and proper protective equipment when completing cleaning activities. Qualifications Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element,

Created: 2025-11-06