Description

The Food Service Specialist is responsible for assisting patients with menu selection and deliver their meals in a timely fashion. Provide excellent customer service to ensure every patient is satisfied with their meal. May assist with food preparation, serving and delivery; kitchen sanitation and dishwashing; stocking, cashiering and customer service. S(he) interacts with Nursing, assists Dietician with monitoring patient restrictions, and communicates with Food Service to ensure optimal food preferences accommodate nutritional requirements and dietary restrictions.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Prepares and serves food according to Health rules and regulations, following established handling practices and procedures
• Demonstrates commitment to high quality product and presentation
• Deliver and collect menus in a timely manner.
• Determines the amount and type of food and supplies required using production systems.
• Plans food production to coordinates with meal serving hours so that excellence, quality, temperature and appearance of food are preserved.
• Stores food properly, marking date and item, rotating stock and breaking down boxes.
• Observes proper food preparation and handling techniques, complying with established sanitation standards, health standards and personal hygiene.
• Provides menus and communicates with patient/family about the room service process including food choices and times of service in a timely manner.
• Replenish floor stock based on floor stock forms. All items requested should be accounted for. Notify the manager of any items that are out. Discuss with dietary manager whenever there is a discrepancy on the floor stock form.
• Discuss with a manager whenever this is a discrepancy on the floor stock form.
• Maintain refrigerators on the floor clean and free of expired items. Any open container and expired items should be thrown away.
• Provides meals and snacks within the diet order, observes and documents food intake and response to care, and serves as a liaison between the patient, Food and Nutrition Department, and Nursing.
• Accountable to ensure all patients on a physician-prescribed diet receive meals per patient needs/desires. Completes rounds after passing trays to inquire if patient has further dietary needs.
• Assists with patient tray assembly and transports patient food carts to and from the kitchen to nursing units. Maintain temperatures of hot and cold food during meal delivery.
• Transports soiled carts, and empty racks for soiled trays, to and from the dish room and nursing units.
• Cleans and sanitizes kitchen, serving, and dining areas according to safety and sanitation rules and practices. Clean and return all pots, pans, china, flatware, trays, storage containers, other items, utensils, and equipment in a timely manner, following CNS standards and policies.
• Set up and maintain a 3-compartment sink. Change the water and maintain proper levels of chemical additives as needed to wash, rinse, and sanitize items properly. Check the soap supply and use a test strip to be sure that the correct amount of sanitizing agent is present.
• Performs cashier functions, including sales, making change, reconciliation and reporting
• Inventories and maintains supplies.
• Keep all towels and soap dispensers clean and stocked throughout the shift.
• Provides excellent customer service.
• Must comprehend and ensure all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) policies are followed regarding protected health information of patients/residents.
• Adhere to the Facility’s Emergency Preparedness Program, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and other mandatory programs in the facility as appropriate.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

EDUCATION & TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum High School Diploma or GED preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Prior professional cooking experience, and knowledge of commercial food preparation and handling technique preferred
• Prior kitchen sanitation experience, and knowledge of safety and sanitation rules and practices
• Must possess skills to effectively operate cash register or cash handling computer system