Food Service Worker

This Food Service Worker position is located within the Nutrition & Food Service at the VA Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.Major duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):Set up assigned station on the tray line with the correct supplies and food itemsServe food cafeteria style by placing uniform portions of food on customers'/patients'/residents' platesBreak down and clean the station when assignedSet up dining room tables for service, place food and beverages on tables, and replenish items as necessaryReturn soiled trays and dishes to the dish roomDeliver meal trays to the patients' bedsides and report the patients' comments and complaints to the supervisor or dietitianPrepare beverages according to the number of servings requiredPrepare fresh fruit/cold salads/dressings/sandwich fillings and cold sandwiches and simple cold desserts in specified quantitiesSort, wash, peel and cut cold foods using knives or other equipmentProvide assistance to cooks in the food preparation area, such as weigh, measure and assemble ingredients according to standardized recipesPrepare uncooked food items, such as sandwich spread and salad dressingsOperate and break down and clean all equipment assigned to food service and related areasPortion other food items into standard serving sizes using the proper utensils and specified dishwarePrepare boxed/to go mealsMake final check of diet trays assembled by lower grade workers for completeness, correct food temperaturesVerify that food items on the tray are appropriate for the prescribed dietIdentify obvious discrepancies between the prescribed diets and the food items designated by the menuDecide what food items to serve for the most common diets when the diet card or tray ticket identifies only the kind of diet called forDistributes menus and surveys to patientsProvide patients with basic information about modified diets and the nutrition services that are availablePrepare individual and bulk nourishments and supplemental foods and beverages for patientsFollow directions in assembling, measuring, weighing, or mixing ingredients for basic formulas and supplemental feedings following standardized recipes and using sanitary techniquesDetermine the quantities of ingredients needed to prepare required yieldMake conversions between the metric system to the standard systemTake nourishment inventories, stocking using first in-first out procedures, replacing expired itemsLabel and distribute individual nourishmentsSterilize equipment and sanitize work areas.Work in one or more functional areas of the kitchen such as food preparation, dish and pot washing, dry and refrigerated storage and receiving, and the serving linePerform heavy-duty cleaning tasks throughout the food service and related areasSeparate food waste and trash from dishes, glasses and silverware in the dish washing areaUnload food/tray delivery cartsStore sanitized dishes, glasses and silverwareScrape, soak, scour, and scrub cookware and utensilsMove garbage cans when collecting and transferring trash from the work area to the disposal areaProvide assistance to cooks in the food preparation area including assembling, labeling and arranging completed recipe items in preparation for use by cooks.Use a computer terminal to record and retrieve recipe, menu and inventory data and to produce reportsWork Schedule: Rotating shifts and rotating days that include weekends and holidays.Position Description Title/PD#: Food Service Worker/PD99836SPhysical Requirements: Work is performed in kitchen areas where the steam and heat from cooking and dishwashing equipment often cause uncomfortably high temperatures and humidity. Food service workers are regularly exposed to hot liquids, sharp cutting blades, hot working surfaces and extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigeration units. Performs work requiring light to moderate physical effort. May be required to perform heavy work, such as scouring and scrubbing large size cooking utensils and pushing heavy carts and trucks in unloading, storing, and delivering supplies. Subject to continuous standing and walking, and frequent stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, and bending. Frequently lifts or moves objects weighing up to 20 pounds unassisted and occasionally lift or move objects weighing more than 40 pounds with the assistance of others.