Cook

Class Specifications – C.15
Senior Cook – 5522
Cook – 5523
Assistant Cook – 5524

March, 1973

Series Concept

Cooks perform or supervise food preparation duties in a kitchen of a campus hospital, residence hall, restaurant or cafeteria; and perform other related duties as required.

Incumbents typically prepare eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, waffles, hot cakes, French toast, English muffins, and hot cereals for breakfast menus; prepare hamburgers, grilled frankfurters, cold plate entrees, hot and cold sandwiches and soups for lunch menus; prepare meat, fish, poultry by roasting, broiling steaming, baking, stewing or deep pot frying for dinner, menus. Incumbents may prepare dressings, soups, sauces, gravies, salads, desserts; may cut, trim and bone meat, fish, and poultry; and may supervise Assistant Cooks and Food Service Workers in the performance of food preparation duties and in the maintenance of sanitation and safety standards in a campus kitchen.

The Cook series consists of three levels. Assistant Cook is the sub-journeyman level; Cook is the journeyman level; and Senior Cook is the leadman supervisory level.

Class Concepts

Senior Cook

Under supervision, incumbents supervise a group of Cooks and Assistant Cooks and perform the more difficult food preparation duties in a campus kitchen.

Incumbents typically act as working supervisors for groups of Cooks and Assistant Cooks in the performance of duties outlined in the Series Concept; train Cooks and Assistant Cooks; schedule and evaluate the work of Cooks and Assistant Cooks in a food preparation operation; maintain quality control in quantity cooking through efficient food preparation methods; garnish special menu items; and may prepare difficult specialized menus in a hospital diet kitchen.

Positions in this class are distinguished from those in the Cook class by greater supervisory responsibility and the performance of more difficult cooking duties.

Cook

Under supervision, incumbents perform journeyman level food preparation duties as outlined in the Series Concept.

Incumbents typically train and/or supervise one or more Assistant Cooks in the performance of food preparation duties in a campus kitchen, and perform journeyman level food preparation duties.

Positions in this class differ from those in the Assistant Cook class in that incumbents perform journeyman level duties requiring previous training or experience in food preparation techniques.

Assistant Cook

Under supervision, incumbents perform sub-journeyman level food preparation duties in a campus kitchen. Incumbents prepare vegetables and other foods for cooking; prepare salad dressings, special salads, cold plate sandwich ingredients, hors d’oeuvres for meals; may prepare short orders e.g., on the grill in a cafeteria; may prepare special sauces and gravies; and may reconstitute “convenience foods” according to standardized procedures.

Positions in this class differ from those in the Food Service Worker series in that incumbents perform specialized sub-journeyman level food preparation duties in a campus kitchen.

Minimum Qualifications

Senior Cook

Ability to read, write, perform basic arithmetic calculations, and four years of experience in food preparation and general maintenance of a kitchen area; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Cook

Ability to read, write, perform basic arithmetic calculations, and three years of experience in food preparation and general maintenance of a kitchen area; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Assistant Cook

Ability to read, write, perform basic arithmetic calculations, follow oral and written instructions, and two years of experience in food preparation and general maintenance in a kitchen or dining area; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.