Catering Associate

The Catering Associate reflects the mission, vision, and values of Northwestern Medicine, adheres to the organization's Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Catering Associate supports the Department of Food & Nutrition by providing patient meal service to include: patient menu selection, tray assembly and delivery and retrieval of patient trays. This role is responsible for timeliness, accuracy and the safe food handling of trays and items to designated patient care areas. The Catering Associate supports service excellence standard to include but not limited to patient satisfaction rounds, service recovery and excellent communication with management team to ensure patient satisfaction. The Catering Associate is expected to adhere to and practice guidelines in regards to Best Patient Experience Philosophy.

Responsibilities:

• Must be able to follow oral and written instructions such as policies and procedures
• Performs a variety of work and follows procedures consisting of several steps or that require judgment in completing a sequence of tasks
• Must be able to read and comprehend patient menus
• Takes patients menu selections prior to each meal
• Adheres to diet and allergy restrictions for patient food orders
• Must be knowledgeable of diet restrictions and comfortably answer questions
• Offers alternatives to menu allowed on prescribed diet in accordance with allergies, sensitivities, cultural, ethnic and religious preferences when patient inquires or needs additional selections (following provided guidelines)
• Assembles trays according to patients menu on ticket in a timely and accurate manner
• Follows tray presentation and condiment standards
• Serves and retrieves patient trays from patient rooms in a courteous and professional manner
• Accurately delivers trays to patients and visitors according to established procedures
• Conducts Catering Rounds as instructed to ensure patient satisfaction
• Must display a “Can-Do” - Service Excellence mindset
• Follows facility and departmental infection control policies and procedures
• Retrieves trays within one hour of service
• Observes HIPAA and Patient Identification guidelines
• Must be able to work safely; moving carts, observing Security procedures, proper utilization of elevator
• Cleans and sanitizes coffee carts daily
• Performs assigned tasks efficiently during meal service to maintain accurate and expeditious service.
• Exhibits pleasant and cheerful demeanor and maintains a helpful attitude towards employees, physicians, nursing staff, patients and visitors
• Communicates any patient related problems/concerns to appropriate personnel, in a timely manner following departmental procedures
• Follows established food-handling practices to maintain food safety standards and comply with infection control procedures
• Delivers floor stock daily according to pars
• Completes daily documentation of floor stock, tray and other floor deliveries accurately for accounting and quality purposes
• Rotates floor stock according to food safety procedures
• Documents refrigeration temperatures daily in patient pantries that contain floor stock
• Maintains galleys in safe, clean and organized manner
• Operates equipment properly, safely and efficiently according to established procedures
• Reports all damaged and unsafe equipment to management
• Completes all assigned cleaning by end of each work shift to include but not limited to detailed cleaning
• Cleans assigned areas and equipment according to standards and utilization of proper cleaning chemicals
• Maintains work station area in clean and orderly manner
• Completes routine projects or detail cleaning duties as assigned
• Attends department in-services and meetings
• Completes Hospital required training and surveys
• May assist in Dishroom, Servers as needed
• Follow established break schedule unless otherwise directed by manager
• Maintains supplies and equipment to ensure efficiency, including portioning, dating, and storage of food
• Maintains established levels of supplies for work area
• Notifies management of workload status and availability for additional assignments or need of additional assistance
• Assists in the orientation of new employees in the department by demonstrating basic duties of job
• Responds to management requests in a positive and timely manner
• Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Required:

• Two years of service experience
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Maintains positive and friendly manner during peak service times with focus on timeliness, accuracy and Service Excellence
• Complete Catering to You Training modules and pass competency test

Preferred:

• High School Graduate or GED
• Food Handling Certification Health Department – City of Chicago

AA/EOE.