Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To participate in the coordination and supervision of cook-chill/retherm and regular meal preparation and delivery in a correctional facility; to supervise and instruct subordinate cooks and offender helpers in the institutional kitchen, ensure meals-are prepared to Ministry standards in a timely manner and to ensure Ministry standards of cleanliness, hygiene, safety and security are maintained.

Duties / Responsibilities :

The incumbent coordinates and supervises cook-chill/retherm and regular meal preparation and delivery in a maximum security correctional facility with a capacity of approximately 1400 male and female inmates and provides direction and supervision to subordinate cooks and inmate helpers by:1.Overseeing and participating in the preparation/assembly of cook-chill/Retherm meals and restricted diets, ensuring proper storage in cooler, assembly and portion control standards, insertion and removal of meals from reheating ovens, filling of distribution meal carts, ensuring proper handling and timely production and service of meals, unloading meal carts;2.Overseeing and preparing a wide variety of foods, including complete meals, restricted diets, salads. snacks, and beverages through standard volume cooking and baking . methods, portion control, presentation and service, ensuring quality and quantity; and the proper storage in the chilling room for next day service;3,Supervising and instructing subordinate cooks and inmate helpers in general cooking,baking and Retherm techniques, observing their food preparation, demonstrating techniques and maintaining shift schedule for subordinate cooks. 4.Maintaining a daily food item inventory of supplies on hand and required for pre¬determined menus and making alterations or substitutions for food items not immediately available; order cook chill/retherm meals, order/purchase supplies and equipment; advising supervisor of equipment needing repair or replacement: instructing staff in the importance of, and maintaining, a variety of logs, such as, daily shift/meal logs, count reports, receiving documents and recording food item substitution. Assists in receipt and storage of replacement supplies, adhering to standard stock rotation principles. 5.Overseeing orientation and providing inmate supervision, instruction and direction to inmate helpers, observing their food preparation, ensuring proper correctional security and control, which includes writing incident reports, identifying/reporting breaches of institutional regulations, counselling helpers, explaining duties and consequences of non-performance and assisting in the preparation of behavioural performance reports. 6.Ensuring the safety and security of kitchen helpers and other staff; as well as, security of cooking ingredients, utensils, kitchen equipment and the work area. 7.Overseeing maintaining proper sanitary conditions in the kitchen area by instructing and supervising staff and inmate helpers, ensuring that standards of cleanliness and hygiene are maintained by closely observing the cleaning and sanitizing kitchen and dining area floors, sinks, equipment and appliances, instructing in proper techniques, fulfill HACCP meal requirements. 8.Ensurirg staff follow guidelines of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Program (HACCP) in the receipt, preparation, storage, assembly and distribution of food items, ensuring proper controls are followed and documented and requirements of program are met, providing direction to helpers.* Supervises inmate helpers and*Food Services Officers for majority of working time. Salary note for CRA applies.

Staffing and Licensing :

Cooks certificate issued by appropriate Ministry or demonstrated equivalent level of knowledge and experience necessary to be eligible to write certificate examination. Current First Aid and Heartsaver Certificates.

Knowledge :

Job requires thorough knowledge of large volume cooking/baking principles, cook¬chill/retherm and standard cooking and food preparation and storage procedures and methods, portion control standards and knowledge of Ministry Food Service Guidelines to prepare a variety of foods, volume meals and restricted diets, and order supplies, Job requires thorough knowledge of proper use of kitchen equipment and tools to prepare food and meals, and to instruct subordinate cooks and helpers in their proper use. Job requires ability to provide supervision, instruction and direction to subordinate cooks and helpers in cooking methods and principles of kitchen cleanliness and appraise performance; supervise inmates in close quarters and evaluate performance, Job requires knowledge of relevant parts of legislation such as the Public Health Act, Health Protection and Promotion Act, Sanitation Code for Canada's Food Industry, Occupational Health & Safety Act, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and institutional security practices /procedures to oversee and ensure compliance with standards of food preparation and storage, sanitation, food safety, proper equipment operation/utilization and to maintain the safety and security of the kitchen facility and inmate helpers. Job requires basic knowledge of computers to input data on supplies used, to track restricted diets, to record equipment problems or need to order or purchase supplies, cock-chill/retherm meals and equipment; maintaining daily shift/meal logs and recording food item substitution and to order replacement utensils damaged or missing. Job requires knowledge of food safety practices acquired through recognized training programs, such as, Servsafe and National Sanitation Training Program.

Skills :

Job requires physical coordination, dexterity and accuracy in movement when using, demonstrating and instructing inmate helpers in the use of kitchen cooking utensils and food preparation appliances, and equipment, i.e., cutting vegetables, etc. Job requires organizational and motivational skills to oversee and coordinate work of others to produce a very large number of cook-chill/retherm or standard meals in a high volume kitchen operation. Job requires oral communication skills, tact and diplomacy to instruct subordinate cooks and inmate helpers, to address quantity and/or quality problems with fresh foodstuffs or pre-packaged meals, to explain equipment problems to service providers, and to counsel inmate helpers. Job requires written communication skills to prepare reports on inmate behaviour and performance, and to write up reports on equipment problems, complete log entries, etc. Job requires basic computer skills to access computer systems available in the food services area to order supplies, arrange for repair of equipment, ordering of Cook Chill Meals and maintaining Diet Administration Program. Job requires analytical and problem-solving skills to recognize and report malfunctioning equipment/appliances, workplace hazards, and shortage of food supplies so that corrective action can be taken, substitutions made in absence of supervisor and service delays are avoided. Job requires analytical skills to observe and report any potential problems in food quality, sanitation and hygiene control, analyse performance of inmate helpers, security of kitchen.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working in accordance with large volume cooking/baking/retherm methods to provide food services, which comply with food preparation standards and to provide supervision to subordinate cooks. Work is performed from detailed instructions regarding approved menus and portion control, as stated in Ministry Food Service standards and guidelines. Job requires working in accordance with institutional policies and procedures with regard to security standards and relevant legislation governing food preparation procedures, sanitation and safety requirements, e.g., Occupational Health and Safety Act, municipal by-laws, Public Health Act, Health Protection and Promotion Act, environment waste management, etc. Tasks must be completed at scheduled times, i.e., meals prepared for established meal periods. Job requires working under general daily supervision and may work independently on early/late shifts and weekends/holidays, ordering cook-chill/retherm meals, making substitutions to meals due to shortage of supplies, late delivery or other problems in absence of supervisor. Job requires referring to supervisor any unusual problems that arise regarding the preparation of food, timeliness of meal preparation, e.g., spoiled supplies, etc.