About the Role

As a Cook at Howard University Hospital, you'll prepare and handle a wide range of foods for patients and staff — working from standardized recipes and production sheets to deliver safe, high-quality meals for both general and modified diets. Under the direction of the Executive Chef and Production Supervisor of Food Services, you'll bring care and consistency to every dish, in full accordance with hospital policies and applicable local and federal health department standards.

What You'll Do

• Follow standardized recipes using a variety of cooking styles, techniques, utensils, and equipment to prepare foods according to hospital policies and health department standards.
• Prepare foods by operating kitchen equipment to measure and mix ingredients; wash, peel, cut, and shred fruits and vegetables; and trim and cut meat, poultry, or fish for culinary use.
• Use tray tickets, menus, and production sheets to assemble prepared foods on trays for general and modified diets, ensuring portions align with diet plans.
• Taste products and adjust seasonings, read menus, estimate food requirements, check production, and keep records to plan production and requisition supplies.
• Obtain recipes and ingredients from storage and prepare food according to the production schedule.
• Take food temperatures and adjust heat controls and timers to ensure items are properly cooked; present each item with appropriate garnish and correct portion size, then deliver to the service area.
• Cover, label, date, and store food safely and sanitarily; keep your work area and equipment clean, neat, and orderly after each use.
• Provide feedback and suggestions for improving recipes and the quality of foods and services.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (G.E.D.).
• Three (3) years of successful work experience as a cook.
• Current and active food certification.
• Demonstrated knowledge of food safety and sanitation policies and applicable local and federal health department standards.
• Knowledge of therapeutic diets, with the ability to read and interpret production sheets, recognize a variety of foods, serve correct portions, and scale recipes appropriately.
• Ability to prepare, hold, and store foods safely and sanitarily in accordance with hospital policies and health department standards.
• Ability to recognize, operate safely, and clean a variety of kitchen and food service equipment.
• Exceptional customer service skills, with the ability to respond to customers in a pleasant, courteous, and prompt manner.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to follow direction closely.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, physicians, hospital and University officials, and the general public.

Preferred Qualifications

• Cook experience in a healthcare environment.

Position Details

Pay & Schedule

About Howard University Hospital

Founded in 1862 as Freedmen's Hospital, Howard University Hospital is the nation's only teaching hospital located on the campus of a historically Black university. As a designated Level 1 Trauma Center in the District of Columbia, we deliver patient-centered, culturally responsive care to the communities we serve while training the next generation of healthcare professionals.

What We Offer

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement savings plan with employer contribution
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Tuition remission up to two courses per semester
• Professional development and growth opportunities

Culture of Care: In an effort to improve patient safety, Howard University Hospital (HUH) supports a Just Culture. This atmosphere of accountability promotes the identification of human error, at-risk behavior, and reckless behavior. The goal is to maintain a culture for learning, safe systems, and well-managed behavioral choices.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Howard University Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Reasonable Accommodation: Howard University Hospital provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact HUHLA@huhosp.org.

Pay Transparency: In accordance with the District of Columbia pay transparency requirements, the pay range for this position is $19.96 – $31.94 per hour. Actual compensation is determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.

Disclaimer: The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.