The person holding this post is required to support the principle that the care of the patient comes first at all times and will approach their work with the flexibility and enthusiasm necessary to make this principle a reality for every patient to the greatest possible degree
The Senior Chef will: · Produce and serve meals to the hospital patients and cafe at the required time in accordance with hospital and statutory standards.
· Requisitioning of food items and materials, rotation and allocation.
· Preparation of both raw and cooked food
· Portioning and packing of both raw and cooked food and labelling, chilling and storage of food
· Rotation and allocation of foodstuffs
· Checking meals at service point for quality, quantity and presentation
· Provide assistance and advice to staff in Production and Dining Room Service areas on portion size / calories / allergens and menu description
· Serve in the staff dining room, sandwich counter, hot counter etc.
· Assist with special functions as required and ensure of high standards
· Efficient and economical use of materials and equipment and Implement cost control measures aiming to achieve maximum utilisation of resources
· Record keeping in line with HACCP, hospital, HSE policy and legislative requirements
· Supervise, direct and control staff in the performance of their duties and in doing so, ensure total compliance with the hospital and statutory standards and to advise the relevant manager of any deviations from same.
· Liaise with user groups on the compilation of specialised menus and the provision of modified diets and any special dietary requirements.
· Oversee main kitchen area for food hygiene practices, health and safety procedures and Hazard Analysis & Critical Control point (HACCP) implementation
· Report to management immediately any accidents, fire, stock loss, damage, unfit food and take such action as may be appropriate.
· Attend Food Forum /healthy Ireland meetings as required and help implement the policy within the kitchen
· Be aware of modern developments and changes in the food industry and assist in their introduction with a view to continued service improvement and maximising sales.
· Implement and develop standardised recipes and new menu cycles
· Ensure allergen and calorie information is correct and up to date for all food produced
· Operating of computer system
· Assist with food sampling
· Any other duties relevant to the post as may be allocated by the Catering Management Team
· To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.
· Provide staff leadership and motivation which is conducive to good working relations and work performance.
· The identification and development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which are congruent with the Catering Department's service plan targets.
· The development of Action Plans to address corrective actions post Environmental Health Officer (EHO) visits, HIQA inspections or internal audits.
· Organising and allocating work in the Catering department to relevant staff including the duty roster when necessary Checking the quality of goods received as per specification/order
· Assist with ongoing updating of production sheets and order sheets
· Support the catering management team and on occasion may be required to cover for the catering officer.
· Dealing with complaints from customers in the Canteen / Dining Room or patients when required.
· Knowledge of guidelines relating to nutrition and hydration for patients in an acute hospital and IDDSI guidelines.
Health and Safety The Chef, Senior will be involved in: · Ensuring compliance for health and safety in the kitchen including:
· Ensuring that all equipment is apt and in good working order.
· Ensuring that all staff are adequately trained.
· Ensuring that all staff practice health and safety procedures.
· Following up on any health and safety matters that may arise and bring them through to conclusion.
· Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
· To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.
Training Needs The Chef, Senior will be involved in: · Identify the training needs of Chefs and other catering personnel working within the kitchen
· Fulfil the role of Chef Trainer.
· Monitor and record training within the training matrix.
· Attend training courses when required
Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point (HACCP) The Chef, Senior will be involved in: · Ensure full compliance of the HACCP system within the kitchen.
· Ensure that any new developments are implemented.
The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office. Essential Criteria Knowledge / Experience Candidates must have at the latest date of application: - 1. Professional Qualifications & Experience, etc. Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition:
(i) Have obtained a Professional Cookery award at minimum Level 6 on
National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or equivalent maintained by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
Or (ii) Have obtained an equivalent qualification to (i) from another jurisdiction.
Or (iii) Be currently employed as a Chef in the Irish Health Service.
And (iv) Have at least three years satisfactory experience in cooking for an institution or other establishment, catering for a large number of persons.
And (b) Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability, including a high standard of suitability and professional ability, for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.
2. Age Age restriction shall only apply to a candidate where s/he is not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004).
A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age on the first day of the month in which the latest date for receiving completed application forms for the office occurs.
3. Health Candidates for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
4. Character Candidates for and any person holding the office must be of good character.
Skills/ Competencies Post Specific Requirements · Demonstrate depth and breadth of experience as relevant to the role
· Professional Knowledge & Experience to Date
Planning & Managing Resources Evaluating Information & Problem Solving · Communication & Interpersonal Skills
Candidates must: · Demonstrate an understanding of catering in the healthcare environment
· Demonstrate effective planning and organising skills
· Demonstrate effective problem solving and initiative skills including the ability to adapt to change
· Demonstrate an ability to cater for specific dietary requirements
· Demonstrate the ability to manage workload including staff management.
Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team to deliver a quality service Ability to contribute to development of the service Demonstrate Leadership and strong team skills Ability to recognise the training requirements of others A strong commitment to maintaining work standards and delivering a quality service to service users This Job Description is intended as a basic guide to the scope and responsibilities of the position and is subject to regular review and amendment.
The role holder will be required to be flexible in this position and is expected to facilitate working additional hours on occasion, when requested. CVs will not be accepted, please fill in and upload the attached application form