Cook - Senior Living
Status: Full-Time
Schedule: Schedule varies, 10AM-6:30 PM
Wage: $18.50 - $21.00
Location: Ovation Heartwood Preserve; 470 Maxwell Plaza; Omaha, NE 68154
Apply at www.TeamAvamere.com
Job Summary
Join our senior living dining team as a Cook and help prepare fresh, quality meals for our residents. We’re looking for someone with previous cook, line cook, prep cook, restaurant, or food service experience who enjoys working as part of a team in a fast-paced kitchen. Responsibilities include meal preparation, cooking, food safety and sanitation, and supporting daily kitchen and dining operations. Senior living or assisted living experience is a plus, but not required.
- Essential Duties and Job Responsibilities
- Execute daily menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ensuring food is visually appealing, properly seasoned, and served at the correct temperature.
- Prepare alternative menu options and snacks as needed for residents with changing appetites.
- Adapt recipes to meet specific dietary needs (e.g., low-sodium, diabetic-friendly, vegetarian, and texture-modified diets like puréed or mechanical soft).
- Understand and accommodate the unique dining challenges of memory care residents (e.g., finger foods, enhanced flavors, and flexible dining times).
- Create a calm, structured, and inviting dining environment that encourages socialization and appetite stimulation.
- Adhere to strict food safety, handling, and storage regulations (ServSafe guidelines).
- Ensure the kitchen, prep areas, and dishwashing stations are cleaned and sanitized at the end of every shift.
- Monitor and log food and refrigerator temperatures daily to guarantee quality control.,
- Maintain a resident-first approach, actively seeking feedback and building relationships to understand individual preferences.
- Collaborate with the Dietary/Dining Services Director and nursing staff to ensure care plans align with resident diets.
- Maintain the highest standards of kitchen cleanliness, food storage, and equipment maintenance in accordance with ServSafe and local health department codes.
- Perform all other duties as assigned.
Requirements
Requirements and Qualifications
- 2–3 years of Cook experience: Hospital or Healthcare facility experience preferred.
- Current ServSafe Manager certification (or willingness to obtain within 30 days of hire).
- Ability to pay close attention to details in order to read and calculate recipes and production sheets, and to pay constant attention to cooking and the timing of foods.
- Requires a current Food Handlers card issued by local Health Department
- Must possess an active CPR/BLS Certification and always maintain certification during employment.
- Demonstrated knowledge of high standards of food preparation, sanitation, hygienic methods of food preparation and storage, and safety with formal on-the-job training, and approximately one year of experience in quantity food preparation in order to have the necessary technical skills to maintain high standards of food preparation.
- Demonstrates initiative and sound judgment in setting up meals and utilizing leftovers.
- Demonstrates competency in operating kitchen equipment.
- Interpersonal skills are necessary to establish effective relationships with department workers, supervisors, and with other departments.
Benefits
At Ovation, we believe caring for others starts with caring for our own teams. Our benefits are designed to support your well-being, growth, and peace of mind—so you can focus on making a difference every day.
Employees are Benefits-eligible at 30+ hours/week. Coverage begins the 1st of the month following hire
- Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage – Regence medical plans (PPO & HDHP), Delta Dental (with orthodontia), and VSP vision
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Free, confidential support for mental health, stress, family needs & work/life balance (Canopy)
- Paid Time Off (PTO) – Flexible PTO program combining vacation, sick, and holiday time
- Paid Holidays – Six recognized holidays, with premium pay for eligible hourly employees
- 401(k) Retirement Plan – Available after 90 days, with discretionary employer match
- Health Savings Account (HSA) – Employer contributes up to $600/year for HDHP participants
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) – Medical, Limited, Dependent Care, and Commuter options
- Supplemental Insurance Options – Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Life & Disability (Sun Life)
- Legal Insurance – Affordable access to legal support for common life needs
- Pet Insurance – Discounted plans through Wishbone
- Employee Discounts – Savings on travel, entertainment, electronics, fitness & more (Tickets at Work)
Ovation by Avamere is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify