Cook

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:  Prepares and cooks a variety of food.  Does related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:These duties involve responsibility for the preparation and cooking of a variety of food.  In large kitchens a Cook usually has responsibility for one part of a meal, such as the meat course, or vegetables or pastries and desserts.  In a small kitchen a Cook may supervise the cooking of an entire meal and in some cases may have charge of the entire kitchen operation.  Supervision may be exercised over Assistant Cooks and/or Food Service Helpers.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

• Prepares and cooks meat, fish, poultry, soups, vegetables, cereals, desserts, salads and other food;
• Bakes cakes, pies, rolls and a variety of other pastries;
• Cuts, cleans and dresses meat, fish and poultry;
• Responsible for the proper storing of food;
• Supervises the work of assistants in the preparation of food, and the cleaning of tables, kitchen utensils, stoves and kitchen;
• Keeps simple related records.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Good knowledge of the methods of preparing, cooking and baking food in large quantities; good knowledge of modern cooking utensils, appliances and equipment; good knowledge of cleaning methods and the use of cleaning materials and equipment; ability to plan with a view to economy and efficiency in the use of supplies, equipment and food; ability to follow oral and written directions and recipes; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Two years of experience in large scale cooking; or any equivalent combination of experience and training.