GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CLASS

The FOOD SERVICE WORKER 3 performs a variety of food service activities such as preparing, cooking, and serving simple foods (e.g., salads, dressing, sandwiches, eggs, fruit, and pudding); maintaining food products and supplies; ensuring proper maintenance of equipment; and directing lower-level food service workers and/or residents or students in methods and procedures of a volume dining or food service facility.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This is the third level of a four-level series. It is distinguished from the lower levels by having responsibility for directing lower-level food service workers and/or residents or students in food preparing, distributing, serving, and cleaning activities; maintaining products and supplies for food service operations; collecting and verifying daily labor costs for the supervisor; and other nonroutine tasks of a dining or food service facility.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Direction. Typical tasks: trains lower-level food service workers and/or residents or students in the methods and procedures of food preparing, serving, distributing, and cleaning in a dining or food service facility; schedules and assigns work to be completed by lower-level food service workers and/or residents or students; reviews and approves work based on the quality and quantity of food prepared; checks work to ensure conformance with sanitation, safety standards, and work habits; schedules breaks and provides for appropriate coverage; collects and verifies timecards of lower-level food service workers and/or residents or students; provides input to supervisor concerning staff performance appraisals; some employees may hire student workers.
2. Food Service Preparation. Typical tasks: prepares simple foods according to standardized menus and recipes as described by production work schedule; makes salads, dressings, gelatin, toast, or sandwiches; grills sandwiches, eggs, pancakes, french toast, and hashbrowns; cleans, cuts, and chops vegetables and fruits; slices meats, cheeses, and breads; cuts desserts; adjusts quantities to eliminate excessive waste of food products; uses various types of commercial kitchen equipment such as mixers, slicers, and choppers; prepares simple desserts such as pudding, cobbler, and loaf cakes; slices and wraps bread and other baked items; checks for proper temperature of prepared foods with thermometer; observes food to be sure it is visually appealing.
3. Food Service Activities. Typical tasks: ensures that lower-level food service workers maintain adequate supplies of dishes, cups, flatware, and napkins for the serving line; ensures that food pans are set up and refilled; may serve food items on the serving line; portions food items for resident trays according to each resident's diet card; checks diet change sheets for modifications to resident's diet; some employees may be assigned the role of checking trays to be sure staff members accurately follow diet cards; pours juice, coffee, and other drinks; wraps utensils and places them on the trays; microwaves specified food items; may count all utensils before and after meals as a security measure; records utensil and tray count and food items not eaten.
4. Cleaning Activities. Typical tasks: some employees in this class may assist lower-level food service workers by conducting the following: cleans sinks, counters, fountains, and serving area; sweeps and mops floors; wipes spills; collects and removes trash; replaces trash can liners; washes trays andcarts; sorts and stacks dishes, glasses, and utensils; washes dishes, pots, and pans; fills and empties dishwasher; stacks clean dishes, glasses, and cups; cleans coffee pots, blenders, pop machine dispensers, ice cream and hot chocolate machines, and other commercial equipment.
5. Miscellaneous. Typical tasks: ensures that special catered menu items are ready for distribution at prearranged times; some employees may keep track of hours and labor costs of lower-level food service workers and/or residents or students; some employees may keep records of customer comments concerning the quality of the food served; ensures proper equipment maintenance by checking the general operation and efficiency of kitchen equipment for supervisor and contacting service representative when equipment needs repair; maintains adequate products and supplies for food service operations by requesting needed products from warehouse suppliers; checks supplies and food products delivered by vendors to be sure products received meet the type, quantity, and quality specified by purchase order; some employees in this class may provide information to management concerning unit needs such as equipment and supplies; some employees may assist supervisor by monitoring budget to stay within allocated expenditures.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

Employees in this class have regular in-person contact with residents, students, and/or the public while serving food and cleaning food service area. They also have occasional in-person contact with vendors to check the type, quantity, and quality of food products and supplies ordered. Employees have occasional contact by telephone and in person with service representatives when equipment needs repairs.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Employees in this class receive general supervision from a manager or supervisor who assigns work verbally or through written instructions. Work is reviewed by observation on a daily basis to ensure work standards and procedures are followed, to check for adequate staffing, and to ensure conformance with safety and sanitation procedures. Employees in this class follow State health, safety, and sanitation regulations pertaining to volume dining or food service facilities. Work schedules and standardized menus/recipes are followed to prepare simple foods scheduled for that day. Food service policies and procedures are also used as guidelines when performing the work.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Positions are found in central and remote locations throughout State government (e.g., general government agencies, human or natural resource agencies, correctional, mental health, or higher education institutions, hospitals, etc.). They require the willingness to work within the environment associated with the position's location and purpose.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• three years of experience in a commercial food service facility; OR
• an Associate¿s Degree in Food Service Management.