Cook II

COMPANY OVERVIEW

The Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) provides safe and temporary housing for youth ages 10 - 18 with pending legal action in the Cook County Courts. The JTDC is dedicated to providing its youth with leadership, structured care, and supervision through a balanced approach of creative programming and services that teach responsibility, accountability, and sensitivity. Each member of the JTDC staff is actively encouraged and supported in pursuit of creative participation, personal well-being, and professional development.

As the largest juvenile detention center in the nation, the facility contains five major departments and various offices consisting of 600 employees who serve an average daily population of 280 residents.

Cook County offers outstanding benefits, including:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Basic Term Life Insurance
• Pension Plan and Deferred Compensation Program
• Competitive Salaries
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) is currently seeking a Cook II. The Cook II prepares food for residents and staff in a safe, efficient, and sanitary manner consistent with procedures regarding proper food handling, sanitation, safety, and cleaning schedules. The high-volume kitchen operation prepares breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Special Diets for residents and serves between 1500 - 2000 meals daily.

Typical Duties

Food Preparation and Cooking (75%)

• Reviews daily menus, ensures necessary fresh food items are stocked, and prepares food items for use as appropriate (washing, peeling, cutting/chopping, deboning, etc.).Ensures nutritious and healthy meals are prepared daily and for individuals with dietary restrictions or special requirements
• Observes and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
• Follows standardized recipes and provides input for new recipes as requested.
• Weighs and measures ingredients.
• Operates large-volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.
• Verifies that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.
• Uses various ingredients and seasonings to prepare soups, salads, gravies, sauces, entrees, side items, and desserts.
• Utilizes various kitchen utensils, appliances, and heavy equipment in food preparation including blenders, mixers, grinders, slicers, tenderizers, ovens, broilers, grills, fryers, roasters, and steam kettles.
• Estimates expected food consumption per meal.

Cleaning and Sanitation (15%)

• Follows proper kitchen standards, procedures, and schedules when cleaning and sanitizing the work area (tabletops, prep tables, knives and other cooking utensils).
• Maintains sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas.

Inventory Control (10%)

• Completes production logs to track specific information for each meal.
• Handles, maintains, and rotates inventory in accordance to state and city standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics

• Ability to follow a standardized recipe, provide input for new recipes and change the output quantity as needed.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands and to be flexible, creative, proactive, and effective under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Must possess knowledge of group dynamics and the ability to establish trust and cooperation with coworkers while maintaining an appropriate level of professionalism, assertiveness, and leadership.
• Highly accountable, reliable, and prompt, with a strong work ethic.
• Demonstrates proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Bilingual communication skills preferred.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required and A.A. degree in Culinary Arts or related field preferred.
• 1-year previous high-volume cooking experience with specialization in food preparation from scratch required. Prior institutional or commercial experience preferred.
• Skilled in the safe, sanitary, and effective handling of food, cooking utensils, and food processing equipment
• Ability to lift, push, pull, and otherwise move objects weighing at least 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand and/or walk for long periods and adapt to a large kitchen environment with varying temperatures (-8 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Highly accountable, reliable, and prompt, with a strong work ethic.
• Flexible, creative, and effective under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Must have the ability to effectively understand and communicate in English (verbally and in writing).
• United States citizenship.
• 21 years of age at the time of application submission.
• The qualifications listed above are intended to represent the minimum skills and experience levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in this job description. The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with other job-related selection or promotional criteria.

Physical Requirements

[This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the following requirements.]

• Reaching, bending, and stooping to perform daily tasks.
• Extended periods of walking throughout the facility.
• Extended periods of standing.
• Ability to physically lift, carry and manage weights of at least 50lbs. when handling food items.
• Ability to respond to emergencies according to JTDC policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Must be able to work unscheduled overtime based on departmental needs.

Hiring Requirements

• Illinois residency obtained within 90 days of hire.
• Must have State of Illinois Department of Public Health License, Permit, Certification, and Registration- Food Service Sanitation Manager License at time of hire.
• Must have Chicago Department of Public Health- Food Service Sanitation Manager Certification at time of hire.
• Pass a pre-employment drug screen and criminal background check.
• A result of negative from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Child Abuse Registry.
• Open daily availability including weekends and holidays for any of three standard shifts, that may be subject to change (5 am- 3 pm; 8 am- 6 pm) with three consecutive days off.
• Must pass Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) screening requirements.