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This position has closed. Northwestern Medicine removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 5, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Cook II Full-time Various Start Times

Northwestern Medicine · Palos Heights, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 30, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 5, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

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

About your past

Start times here range from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. How do you feel about working those early or varied shifts at Palos Heights?

What they are checking: Whether they can reliably show up for very early starts that a hospital kitchen depends on.

Tell me about your experience in a hospital or other large-volume kitchen.

What they are checking: Whether they have the high-volume or healthcare experience the posting prefers.

Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a coworker in the kitchen. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they keep the team working smoothly during stressful service periods.

What would you do

How do you handle made-to-order and grill items when tickets pile up?

What they are checking: Whether they can prioritize and keep quality up when orders stack up.

You run out of an ingredient halfway through service. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they solve problems quickly and communicate substitutions so diet needs are still met.

About the work

Have you worked tray line before? Walk me through how you keep up while making sure each tray is right.

What they are checking: Whether they understand tray line speed and accuracy, where a wrong item can harm a patient.

How do you follow a diet order for a patient on a restricted diet when cooking made-to-order?

What they are checking: Whether they treat diet orders as medical instructions and know where to check them.

What prep work do you do at the start of a shift so service goes smoothly?

What they are checking: Whether they plan ahead with prep instead of scrambling during service.

How do you use a thermometer to make sure food is cooked and held at safe temperatures?

What they are checking: Whether they routinely check and record temperatures as the posting requires.

How do you keep your knife work both fast and safe?

What they are checking: Whether they have real knife skills and safe habits, which the posting names.

How do you carve meat into individual servings to the right portion size?

What they are checking: Whether they portion consistently, which matters for both patient diets and food costs.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

This position requires the following various start/shift hours: 4:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., 4:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., 5:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., 6:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and 11:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Good knife skills, and hospital experience is preferred. Workflow includes prep work, tray line serving, made to order items and grill. The Cook II reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, 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. • Supports the Food and Nutrition Team by preparing hot food and meal items in a safe and sanitary manner. Responsibilities: • Measures, mixes, and prepares ingredients according to approved recipes. • Demonstrates understanding and proper use of kitchen equipment including, but not limited to: blenders, mixers, grinders, slicers, ovens, steamers, etc. • Demonstrates consistent use of knife skills (chopping, slicing, dicing, paring) • Prepares and presents café, patient, and catering menu items according to recipes and standards. • Prepares and presents sauces, soups, stews, casseroles, and desserts meeting established dietary guidelines. • Cooks meats, fish, and fowl safely in a variety of ways such as baking, roasting, broiling and steaming. Carves meats into individual servings according to recipe and/or diet order. • Monitors and records temperature of steam table and hot held items throughout service period. • Tests foods being cooked to ensure doneness. Adjusts heat controls as needed. Insures foods are prepared, held or served at proper temperatures. • Produces food that is flavorful and attractively presented. • Only changes ingredients or seasonings when directed by chef or culinary leader. • Maintains product levels and appearance of service stations. • Consults with manager regarding handling of any leftovers. • Observes infection control and HACCP practices at all times. • Proper completion of all daily temperature logs and daily production sheets. Assists supervisor with corrections as needed. • Maintains kitchen/station in a safe and organized manner. • Manages work schedule efficiently completing tasks at assigned times. • Monitors cooking equipment as needed. Communicates with a manager to initiate any repairs. • Other duties may be assigned by managers or supervisors due to operational needs. Required: • High School diploma or equivalent; or in lieu of high school diploma/GED, must have a minimum of 1 year relevant experience in any of the following: cooking, production, or food service. • Successful completion of Safe Food Handler certification within 1 year of hire. Preferred: • Previous healthcare cooking experience. • Completion of some culinary schooling • Basic knowledge of special diets. Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.