Chef

About Us: The Lifeskills Fort Lauderdale campus offers exceptional care for individuals dealing with mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders. We provide state-of-the-art residential services to individuals who face complex co-occurring challenges and specific health-related medical complications. Our services are tailored to those who are resistant to medication, exhibit risk-taking behavior, and those who have undergone multiple treatment episodes. Lifeskills provides 24/7 nursing support in a structured and supportive therapeutic environment for the best possible care.

Why You Will Love Working With Us!

At Lifeskills South Florida, we are a dynamic, dedicated, and growing team of professionals deeply passionate about providing evidence-based and personalized clinical care for mental health disorders and behavioral health conditions.

Since everyone has different experiences with mental health disorders, mental health therapies must be equally as unique to address those diverse needs. Working with qualified doctoral level clinicians at Lifeskills gives individuals the opportunity to develop personalized mental health treatment plans that address their needs and help them take the next step in their recovery.

Our team’s foundation is client centered care and clinical excellence through our 5-star service commitment – Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Flexibility, Service, and Collaboration. We are committed to our team and our team is committed to our clients!

Position Summary

The Chef is directly responsible for the day-to-day nutritional management and meal planning for the clients while in treatment. Position provides leadership and oversight for food service operations ensuring a high level of quality and safety while meeting the nutritional needs of clients.

Relationships and Contacts

Within the organization:  Maintains frequent and close working relationships with the dietetic team, leadership team members, therapeutic and direct care team members.

Outside the organization:  May initiate and maintain working relationships with food service vendors, as needed.

Position Responsibilities

Essential Responsibilities

1. Collaborates with clinical and dietetic team members to create individualized nutrition and meal plans based on nutritional status and dietary needs.
2. Sets weekly schedules for the clients as it relates to nutritional needs and will have input into the individual treatment plans. 
3. Oversees purchasing, preparation, service, and cleanliness of all client-related food activities and food service areas.
4. Ensures kitchens and staff maintain compliance with all regulatory and health and food-related standards.
5. Approves menus and snacks for the clients and ensures the quality and quantity of food is appropriate.
6. Works closely with the dietary care specialist team, overseeing meal planning and preparation.
7. Creates and communicates meal plan modifications to accommodate dietary needs including food allergies.  
8. Documents and communicates meal plans, supplementation, protocols and special dietary needs.
9. Consults with medical team members to ensure that the nutritional needs of individual clients are being met, as needed.
10. Educates and counsels clients to increase awareness of the importance of nutritionally balanced diets in achieving good health and recovery. 
11. Provides leadership and supervision for the dietary care specialist team; provides oversite and guidance for meal and snack and portioning.
12. Provides nutritional consultation to clients and families based on individual dietary needs. 
13. Support clients in the creation of meal plans, monitoring and evaluating meal plan compliance.  
14. Collaborates with outpatient dietetic team to provide updates on progres