Senior Cook- Culinary and Nutrition Float- PT Shift

Senior Cook – Culinary and Nutrition Float (PT, Variable Shift, 28 hrs)

Location: Orange County, CA

Salary: $16.50–$23.00 per hour

UCI Health is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine, and the only academic health system based in Orange County. It includes UCI Medical Center, a 459‑bed acute care hospital in Orange, CA, and additional hospitals, affiliated physicians, and ambulatory care centers throughout Orange, Riverside, and Los Angeles counties.

Under general supervision of the Executive Chef, the Senior Cook is responsible for the conception and implementation of upscale, culturally diverse menus and recipes for patient care, retail operations, and catering services. The Senior Cook also prepares, seasons, and cooks (steaming, poaching, broiling, braising, etc.) food according to recipes from scratch and with convenience items for patient meal service, the Medical Center Cafeteria, and special catered functions, in a safe and sanitary manner.

• Develop and implement menus and recipes for diverse patient and retail needs.
• Prepare, season, and cook food using a variety of techniques.
• Manage cost control, requisitioning, and proper storage of food items.
• Observe all sanitation and safety procedures and adhere to policies outlined by JCAHO, the University of California, and UC Medical Center.
• Work across various locations and rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.

• Strong verbal and written communication in English; active listening and dynamic flexibility.
• Skill in cooking techniques with ability to follow recipes and specifications for regular and therapeutic diets.
• Previous experience as a cook or related experience in a main kitchen and/or cafeteria.
• Customer service skills and knowledge of common cooking terminology, mathematics, and standard weights and measures.
• Ability to maintain an appropriate work pace and establish effective working relationships across the Health System.

• Passing results from a practical and written culinary exam.
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of food production.
• Five years of experience in food preparation and maintenance of a large kitchen, or equivalent education and experience.
• Decision‑making and reasoning skills; ability to develop original ideas to solve problems, conduct operations analysis, and perform quality control analysis.
• Basic computer application skills.

UCI Health offers medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to various discounts and perks.
Learn more about our compensation practices and benefits at UCI Benefits.

Applicants must comply with background check, employment misconduct disclosure, legal work authorization, vaccination policy, smoking and tobacco policy, and drug‑free environment requirements. Additional conditions may apply, including California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, E‑Verify, and pre‑placement health evaluation. Details at Conditions of Employment.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti‑Discrimination Policy. We commit to creating an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming workforce. UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request.

Contact the Employee Experience Center at eec or (949) 824‑0500 (Mon‑Fri 8:30 am‑5:00 pm).