“It’s a fun environment here. The people that I work with are great, and the job is relaxing for me.”
Eric C., a cook who works both the morning and swing shifts in the dietary department at Christian Health Care Center, depending on the needs of the day, has worked in the kitchen here since 2005. He started as a dishwasher and dietary aide, helping make sure the kitchen was clean and that the people who live here had the nutritionally balanced food they need.
He still cares for those who live and receive care here, but in a different way: Today, Eric is a full-time cook, making delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners and desserts. He takes pride in the food he makes.
“I really like cooking and working in the health care industry,” Eric says. “It’s a lot of fun. The food we cook tastes great. It looks good, too — part of a cook’s job is to make the food presentable, like a home-cooked meal, and I enjoy that.”
A typical day on the morning shift sees Eric arrive at around 3 a.m. to prepare the kitchen for the day. A morning cook’s job includes making breakfast and lunch, with the first meals being served at 7 a.m. The early morning is a peaceful time, Eric says. Every day before the sun rises, Eric glides around the kitchen and dining room to get everything ready.
“There’s a lot of peace and quiet when I get in,” Eric says, “and that allows me to focus on the tasks I have.”
When breakfast is being served and lunch is being made, the kitchen is a busier place — but that’s a good change of pace from the morning solitude, Eric says.
Swing shift cooks arrive at 11 a.m. to make the next day’s desserts and start readying dinner for the 4 p.m. service before leaving at 6:30. Before they go, they check to ensure that the night nurses have plenty of snacks, drinks and juices to provide any resident who might want a late-night treat.
It has been rewarding over the years to grow from an entry-level job to being a cook responsible for feeding people throughout the health care center, Eric says. He had a little cooking experience before he arrived, but most of what he knows he learned on the job.
“When I started here, they gave me a lot of training,” he says.
Department leaders — Carol, the dietary manager, and Dave, the head chef — provide great oversight for the department, Eric says, checking in with team members regularly to ensure they understand their roles and have what they need to succeed.
“I really like working here,” Eric says. “Cooking and baking are fun, and I love the people I get to feed and work with.”