Cook (Casual)

FIRST UNITED is a registered charity that has been serving Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community for nearly 140 years. We offer responsive, low-barrier services to individuals who are low-income, underhoused or homeless. We provide essential services to meet the daily needs of community members and engage in systems change work to reduce homelessness and break cycles of poverty. If you’re looking for purpose-filled work and want to make a difference in the community, this might be the opportunity for you.

This position requires that you have a valid BC Drivers' License.   We do the cooking at 628 Clark Drive and take food to our Emergency Shelter on Alexander Street and also serve from a Food Truck on Hastings Street.

This position comes with generous health and welfare benefits following the completion of a probationary period.  

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION TITLE:  Cook
DEPARTMENT:     Food Services
REPORTS TO:       Food Services Manager
DATE:                     November 2024
Hours:                    Casual
Starting Wage:    $25.68 per hour

Our Vision

A neighborhood where every person's worth is celebrated, and all people thrive.

Our Mission:

We seek a just society, nurturing spirits through ministry, housing, advocacy and community services.

Each job within the First United Church should in some way promote our accomplishment of this vision and mission.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Cook position works within the Food Services Department in providing consistent and good quality food and service.  The Cook position is responsible for not only large volume food preparation but also the transporting of food (large quantities) to various locations where the food is served directly to community or to residents of the shelter.  Transporting food is done via the Food Truck or with another of First United's vehicles.

GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure refrigerators and storerooms are kept organized and maintained in the various kitchen areas on a daily basis and that all food products are stored in accordance with health regulations.
• Attend work as scheduled, give sufficient notice for absences to Food Services Manager.
• Ensures smooth operation of kitchen services during absence of Food Services Manager.
• Completes cleaning according to daily and weekly schedules and dishwashing/pot washing as needed.
• Maintains cleanliness and sanitation of equipment, food storage, and work areas.
• Conduct yourself in a professional and positive manner.
• Ensure food is stored in appropriate containers, labeled, and rotated to ensure high standards of freshness, minimizing waste and maximizing quality.
• Actively participate in the environmental program and department specific initiatives in working towards sustainable operations.
• Strive to uphold a safe working environment and be Health and Safety conscious and actively involved in maintaining and improving a safe work environment.
• Maintain professional work habits.
• Adhere to all First United Guidelines, Policies, Rules and Regulations.
• Practice proper grooming, personal hygiene, and uniform standards.
• Ensure that the kitchen area is maintained at the highest level of cleanliness at all times, especially during food production. This includes: any food spills are cleaned immediately; all equipment is cleaned on a daily basis and there is no buildup of grease or other stains on all equipment.
• Help to ensure that food deliveries have been delivered and stored according to the standards set by the Food Services Manager.
• Follow any and all recipes as they apply to any food products that you prepare or assist with, as determined by the Food Services Manager.
• Ensure the proper use of scales and measurements in all recipes, portioning, and food production.
• Maintain integrity of kitchen and supplies by managing access to kitchen by volunteers and non-kitchen staff.
• Maintain up to date Food Safe Certification.
• Liaise with outside groups/volunteers and donors as required.
• Manage access to dry storage area.
• Ensure that volunteers possessions are stored away from the kitchen area.
• Carry out other related duties which may be assigned from time to time.

Kitchen and Cooking Duties and Responsibilities

Food Truck Duties and Responsibilities

• Prep food items prior to food service
• Drive or meet the food truck at the designated area and participate in the food service
• Provide excellent customer-oriented food service to community.
• Work alongside volunteers and Program Staff to ensure smooth food service.
• Be able to work in varying weather and temperature conditions.
• Consistently follow sanitizing and food safety protocols
• Carry out other related duties which may be assigned from time to time.

Shelter Duties and Responsibilities

• Works collaboratively with our tenant neighbors at Clark Kitchen; providing assistance or meals when required.
• Follows menu specifications, preps, cooks, and presents all food products with care and quality.
• Ensure food is stored in appropriate containers, labeled, and rotated to ensure high standards of freshness, minimizing waste, and maximizing quality.
• Washes dishes as required, maintains kitchen prep area especially during food production.  This includes: any food spills are cleaned immediately, and all equipment is cleaned daily to avoid buildup of grease or stains on equipment.
• Ensure that Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and any other supplies are delivered on time to the shelter.
• Pick-Up food and other food service donations donations
• Loads transit van with meals for shelter, stow safely and delivers to shelter
• Unloads transit van and works with shift supervisor and or shelter staff to serve the shelter lunch and or dinner
• Returns to the kitchen with used serving dishes and unloads and cleans dishes, ensures the transit van is in clean condition for the next shift
• Works various shifts including weekends
• Carries out other related duties which may be assigned from time to time.
• Communicates effectively with shelter team to ensure supplies are brought from the kitchen to the shelter in a timely manner.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY

Latitude

The incumbent works with the Food Services Team.  If clarification is required, it is expected that the incumbent will request further direction from the Food Services Manager.

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS

• Cooks are to seek input or to exchange information about regular duties with the Food Services Manager, while at the shelter cooks can seek input and exchange information with the Shift Supervisor
• Cooks, while serving food, will regularly interact with community and shelter residents and be required to maintain a sense of order and calm in line ups of those being served.  

EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIREMENTS

• High school diploma or GED
• Completion of a culinary arts program or an equivalent combination of education and experience combined.
• Standard First Aid and Naloxone Training
• Experience in a non-profit related environment, e.g. shelter, group home, recovery house
• Minimum two (2) years of hospital, institutional, or restaurant cooking experience to include food preparation
• Current Food Safe Level 1 certification
• Comfortable using a computer, navigating Windows, Microsoft Office, and Outlook Email
• Having a valid driver's license and clean drivers abstract is required.
• Ability to drive a cargo van and/or a food truck.
• Proven ability to offer exceptional customer/client service(s) in person.
• Excellent organizational skills, with strong attention to detail, exceptionally resourceful, with the ability to effectively problem-solve.
• Ability to prioritize, manage time, and engage in multiple tasks effectively and efficiently.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to safely lift 23 kilograms (50 pounds) Repeatedly.
• Ability to stand for extended periods of time.
• Strong sense of giving back to the community; and working alongside folks experiencing mental health, addictions and homelessness.

We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

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