Summary
This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Brooklyn VA Medical Center. Nutrition and Food Services is responsible for providing meals and nutritional care to Veteran patients at the Medical Center. The primary purpose of the Cook is to prepare nutritious, high quality meals for service to the Veterans. The position has a sequence of steps that require attention to work operations, sanitation and safety; work assignments may require knowledge and judgment.
Responsibilities
Major duties and responsibilities include: Work assignments require knowledge and judgement. The work of this position involves the preparation of regular or special diet foods and meals. This includes cooking meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, and vegetables and making soups, gravies, sauces, desserts, and other foods. Must be able to work independently to prepare and cook a variety of items including regular and therapeutic diet (diabetic, low sodium, low protein, gluten free, etc.) entrees and dessert items. Follows menus, production sheets and recipes to prepare items in the quantity needed. Cook hot cereals, concentrated or dehydrated soups, sauces, gravies. Grills eggs, hamburgers, meat patties, pancakes, French toast; makes cold sandwich fillings and assembles a variety of sandwiches. Uses a variety of methods to prepare meats, fish, and poultry including broiling, roasting, baking, frying, boiling, steaming, stewing, braising, and grilling. Slices meat items by hand confirming specific size requirements or weight specifications. Prepare fresh, canned, and frozen vegetables; bakes frozen potatoes, pre-made cookie dough, muffin batters. Prepares and heats convenience items; prepares pureed foods and adjusts consistency with thickeners. Wash, peel and cut fruits and vegetables by hand or machine. Assembles and mix salad ingredients and dessert items including gelatin molds and fruit crisps. Plans cooking processes to produce complete meals on time and at the proper temperature which may require coordination of cooking several items with different cooking times. Attractively presents and garnishes food. Prepare a variety of desserts such as cobblers, brownies, cookies and pastries. Washes, peels, chops, grinds, pares, cuts, slices, dices, purees, dredges, flours, and bread items. Weighs, measures, assembles ingredients for regular and modified diets. Combines ingredients according to recipes to produce quality food items, minimizing preparation time and food waste. Pans foods for bulk thermalization according to recipe guidelines and production guidelines. Covers, dates, and stores leftovers according to established local policies/procedures. Operates a variety of kitchen equipment: oven, combi oven/steamer, grill, slicer, mixer, steam kettles, blender, food processor, scale; follows safety procedures regarding the operation of equipment. Follows sanitary food handling procedures; covers, labels and dates food items. utilize or discard ingredients by expiration date. Disassembles and assembles component parts and accessories for cleaning. Cleans, stores and maintains all kitchen utensils, equipment and work areas practicing a clean as you go concept. Cleans and sanitizes assigned work areas: worktables, sinks, blast chillers, racks, carts. Achieves certification in food safety such as ServSafe and can apply knowledge of food safety, food temperatures, etc. Operates dish machine; checks detergent level and water temperature before washing and sanitizing cook equipment. Checks equipment to make sure it is free of food residue and soap. Cleans ovens, combi/steamer, slicer, mixer, steam kettles, grill daily. Collects trash, sorts and prepares items for recycling. Cleans floors, walls, and shelves assigned. Performs deep cleaning tasks such as cleaning walk-in refrigerators and freezers. May operate powered floor cleaning or steam equipment for deep cleaning. Prepares food production worksheets from computerized recipe files. Receives, rotates and stores perishable and non-perishable items according to service policies. Removes outdated or damaged goods from stock. Label all food items with contents and dates according to the labeling guidelines. Weighs, measures, and assembles ingredients accurately and according to standardized recipes or requisitions. Monitor and maintain proper spacing of food products from floor, ceiling and shelving to ensure adequate air flow and spacing of products for optimal food safety. Monitor for signs of pest notifying the appropriate individual as determined by local policy. Maintain accurate food inventories. Helps supervisors or higher-grade workers in ordering food in accordance with daily and weekly menu requirements. Work Schedule: 5:30am - 2:00pm, of 10:30am - 7:00pm Position Description Title/PD#: Cook/PD99818S Physical Requirements: Is subject to continuous standing, walking, frequent bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling. Lifts or moves objects weighing up to 40 lbs. unassisted and occasionally lifts or moves objects weighing more than 40 lbs. with assistance of a lifting device or other workers. Manipulates cumbersome, heavy objects, such as washing stainless steel mixing bowls, pushing heavy carts on casters or operating heavy equipment. Possesses manual dexterity to operate equipment and to handle sharp knives and blades safely. Utilizes eye-hand coordination and the ability to concentrate and react quickly to serve food and operate equipment.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision Work Practices Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
Requirements
U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.