JobsAdvocate Health

Cook

Advocate Health · West Allis, WI

Posted Sep 7, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about the last time you worked a line during a real rush, in a restaurant or hospital kitchen. What went wrong and how did you handle it.

whether they have genuine high-volume cooking experience under time pressure, since this is 3 years of required background

Tell me about a time you had to adapt a recipe because of a patient's diet restriction you weren't fully familiar with. What did you do?

resourcefulness and whether they'd ask for help or guess when unsure about clinical diet needs

Describe a time you disagreed with a coworker or supervisor about how something should be prepared or plated. How did you resolve it?

interpersonal skill and ability to work in a small, close kitchen team without drama

Tell me about a time inventory or ingredients ran short mid-shift. What did you do?

problem-solving and calmness when the plan falls apart, common in institutional kitchens

Technical

Walk me through how you'd handle a room service ticket that comes in for a patient on a renal diet with a soft food restriction.

whether the candidate actually knows how to translate a medical diet order into a real plate, not just cook generically

How do you check and log food temperatures during production, and what do you do if something comes in out of range?

concrete familiarity with food safety and temperature logging procedures, not just saying 'I follow HACCP'

What's your process for scaling a recipe up or down when the census on the unit changes?

basic math and recipe-scaling competence that the job explicitly requires

How do you decide how much of an item to prep to avoid throwing food away at the end of shift?

cost and waste control instincts called out directly in the posting

What does it mean to you to adjust care or service for a patient's age, whether that's a pediatric tray or an older adult with swallowing issues?

whether they understand the age-specific care requirement called out in the job description, not just cooking mechanics

Situational

Say you're prepping for both room service and a production batch at the same time and you're running behind on both. How do you decide what to do first?

prioritization skill and honesty about triage under a two-cook, small-crew setup

If you noticed a coworker skipping a hand-washing or sanitation step, what would you do in the moment?

willingness to hold a safety standard even when it's uncomfortable with a peer

This role has a rotating holiday and occasional weekend schedule on a 16-hour-a-week, second-shift line. How does that fit with your life right now?

realistic commitment to the actual schedule, since mismatched availability is the most common early dropout risk

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 11903 Aurora West Allis Medical Center - Food and Nutrition Status: Part time Benefits Eligible: No Hou rs Per Week: 16 Schedule Details/Additional Information: This position is primarily a 2nd shift position. Room service (line cook) and Production cook (prep cook). Weekly shifts, two and per a two week pay period 4 shifts. This position will rotate holidays. May be required to work some weekends. 32 hours per 2 weeks or 16 hours a week. Pay Range: $20.80 - $31.20 Major Responsibilities: • Reviews production sheets and recipes to ensure quality and quantity needed for items to prepare. Prepares food on daily production report according to established guidelines. Maintains time and production records. • Measures and mixes ingredients according to recipe. Uses a variety of kitchen utensils and equipment including blenders, mixers, grinders, slicers and tenderizers to prepare soups, salads, gravies, desserts, sauces and casseroles. • Bakes, roasts, broils and steams meat, fish, vegetables and other foods per recipes. Carves and slices meats and cheese. • Garnishes, displays and serves food items according to standards and recipes. • Ensures proper storage and rotation of inventories in refrigerators and freezers. Monitors food temperatures and utilizes established procedures to ensure safe food handling techniques and prevent bacteria contamination. • Follows department standards for safe food handling, storage and sanitation. Maintain temperature logs for production areas per department standards. • Monitors accurate portioning and promotes food waste control. Prepares in small batches to help control waste/cost. • Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • ServSafe Food Handler certification issued by the National Restaurant Association needs to be obtained within 1 year. Education Required: • High School Graduate (or equivalent knowledge) in. Experience Required: • Typically requires 3 years of experience in food production in settings such as a hotel, restaurant or high end institutional environment. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Familiarity with diet restrictions and ability to adapt recipes accordingly. • Ability to measure and scale amounts of ingredients used in a recipe. • Proficient time management skills. • Strong interpersonal skills. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the duties of the job. • Stands, walks, and reaches above shoulders the majority of the workday as well as squats, bends, twists, kneels and climbs throughout. • Continuously lifts up to 10 lbs., frequently lifts up to 20 lbs. and occasionally lifts up to 50 lbs. • Working atmosphere may contain fumes and odors from food and dust sources such as flour, spices, etc. • May be exposed to mechanical, electrical and chemical hazards. Protective clothing must be worn as necessary. • Will be exposed to sharp knives, other sharp cooking utensils, heat from ovens and other hazards in a cooking environment. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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