Jalis Espinoza
Mount Laurel,NJ
Summary
Food Service Professional experienced in healthcare kitchens, grilling, line cooking, and catering. Delivered nutritious meals tailored to residents' dietary needs while maintaining strict food safety standards and sanitary work areas. Trained kitchen staff and collaborated with nursing teams to enhance service quality and operational efficiency.
Overview
2
2
years of post-secondary education
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Dietary Cook
ASL
07.2026 - 11.2026
- Prepared food ahead of service and delivered meals and snacks to residents.
- Prepared soups, appetizers, and desserts to ensure nutritious and appealing daily meal service.
- Sanitized countertops, stoves, slicers, pots, and catering dishes to uphold hygiene and food safety compliance.
- Recorded food, refrigerator, and freezer temperatures to maintain safety and quality standards in kitchen and resident areas.
Grill Cook
Compass Group USA Chartwells
02.2026 - 05.2026
- Managed grill station to ensure timely service during peak hours.
- Prepared grilled foods following recipes and adhering to food safety standards.
- Monitored cooking temperatures while maintaining cleanliness and organization of work area.
Dietary Cook
The nursing and rehabilitation center
Sewell, NJ
10.2025 - 01.2026
- Prepared meals according to diet plans and resident preferences.
- Recorded food and equipment temperatures, sanitized kitchen equipment, and delivered meals and snacks to residents to ensure compliance with health standards.
- Applied Serv ServSafe safety, special-diet preparation, and meal service experience.
Dietary Cook
The subacute Autumn health care
02.2025 - 10.2025
- Prepared meals according to menus, diet plans, and resident preferences.
- Coordinated meal schedules with nursing staff, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to dietary needs.
- Trained kitchen staff in food preparation and safe handling practices, enhancing food safety compliance.
- Monitored food temperatures, storage, inventory, and sanitation procedures to maintain high standards of food quality and safety.
Chef/Caterer
Meals by Jaz
Camden County, NJ
01.2014 - 10.2022
- Developed seasonal, customized menus reflecting client preferences, dietary restrictions, and event themes to enhance guest satisfaction.
- Executed high-volume meal preparation with consistent quality, aesthetic plating, and precise temperature control for optimal service experience.
- Enforce strict sanitation guidelines, local food code regulations, and HACCP or ServSafe standards.
- Demonstrated strong organizational and time-management skills, facilitating effective problem-solving under pressure and fostering clear communication with clients and event planners.
Line Cook
Sodexo
12.2019 - 07.2021
- Coordinated with teammates to prepare and deliver multiple orders on time.
- Prepared vegetables and meat while stocking workstations for efficient service.
- Maintained safety records by monitoring refrigerator and freezer temperatures.
Dietary cook/Prep cook
Silvercare
Camden County, NJ
04.2019 - 12.2019
- Prepared, portioned, and organized vegetables, fruits, meats, and other ingredients for daily resident menus, ensuring timely and efficient meal service.
- Wash, peel, slice, chop, and portion vegetables, fruits, meats, and other ingredients required for the daily resident menus.
- Sanitized food preparation areas, cutting boards, and utensils throughout the shift.
- Ensured cleanliness of food preparation areas to promote food safety., cutting boards, and utensils throughout the shift; assist with dishwashing and trash removal as needed.
Chef/Volunteer
The center for family services
01.2019 - 04.2019
- Collaborated with staff to plan meals accommodating diverse dietary needs.
- Trained kitchen workers in culinary techniques and safe food handling practices, enhancing overall kitchen safety.
- Inspected ingredients and controlled portions to ensure quality and reported low or spoiled inventory for timely restocking.
Chef
Mark Father and Chef Dennis Williams Private Catering Company
New York, NY
01.2009 - 02.2010
- Executed daily prep lists and recipes to exact standards, mastering line cooking techniques, ingredient pars, and food waste management.
- Worked efficiently under pressure during peak New York City rush periods, managing multi-ticket orders with precision.
- Cleaned and sanitized tools, handled ingredients safely per first-in, first-out (FIFO) standards, and adhered to all DOH regulations to maintain a safe kitchen environment.
Dietary Aide
Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Queens, NY
07.2007 - 10.2008
- Review patient meal cards to verify compliance with specialized medical diets (e.g., low-sodium, diabetic, pureed, fluid-restricted).
- Portion food items, pour beverages, and assemble patient trays accurately according to specific diet orders.
- Cleared soiled trays from patient rooms, scraped plates, operated commercial dishwashers, and sanitized food prep stations to maintain cleanliness and safety standards.
- Replenished floor nourishments, snacks, and juices in hospital unit kitchenettes and pantries to ensure patients had access to necessary dietary options.
- Demonstrated high attention to detail when verifying patient meal cards for compliance with specialized diets., compassion for patients, and strong communication skills to coordinate with nursing staff and clinical dietitians.
Food Service Worker (Seasonal)
Citi Field
02.2008 - 09.2008
- Prepared and served food and beverages to ensure customer satisfaction during high-volume stadium events.
- Processed customer payments and replenished workstations to maintain efficient service flow.
- Checked equipment temperatures and sanitized food service areas and utensils to uphold health and safety standards.
Dietary cook/Evening Supervisor
Beverly health care of Gettysburg
Gettysburg, PA
11.2005 - 06.2006
- Coordinate closely with the Dietary Director and Clinical Dietitian to review daily menu changes, resident preferences, and new admissions.
- Ensured clean workspaces, sanitized cooking equipment, logged food temperatures, and adhered to state health regulations and HACCP standards to maintain safety and compliance.
- Collaborated with Dietary Director and Clinical Dietitian to assess daily menu changes, incorporate resident preferences, and address needs of new admissions.
- High empathy and patience for the elderly population, meticulous attention to detail regarding food restrictions, and strong time-management skills to ensure meals are served punctually.
Education
Chef Certification,NYC Food Handlers Licence,Serv Safe Managers Certification - Culinary training
SBJC
Bronx, NY 01.2009 - 02.2010
Some College (No Degree) - Human Services
Metropolitan College of New York
Manhattan, NY 01.2007 - 12.2007
Skills
- Food safety and sanitation
- Safe food handling
- Temperature monitoring
- Temperature logging
- Contamination prevention
- Sanitation procedures
- Prep techniques
- Inventory control
- Supply restocking
- Service coordination
- Menu planning
- Special diet prep
- Therapeutic diets
- Texture modification
- Portion control
- Food preparation
- Food assembly
- Prep techniques
- Grilling and line cooking
- Grilling techniques
- Batch cooking techniques
- Baking skills
- Culinary techniques
- Kitchen sanitation
- Kitchen organization
- Food presentation
- Plating presentation
- Detail orientation
- Time management
- Problem solving
- Team collaboration
- Staff training
- Team supervision
- Cafeteria operations
- Team supervision
- Grilling techniques
- Cafeteria operations
- Batch cooking techniques
- Baking skills
Personal Information
Title: Cook | Food Service Professional
Timeline
Dietary Cook
ASL
07.2026 - 11.2026
Grill Cook
Compass Group USA Chartwells
02.2026 - 05.2026
Dietary Cook
The nursing and rehabilitation center
10.2025 - 01.2026
Dietary Cook
The subacute Autumn health care
02.2025 - 10.2025
Line Cook
Sodexo
12.2019 - 07.2021
Dietary cook/Prep cook
Silvercare
04.2019 - 12.2019
Chef/Volunteer
The center for family services
01.2019 - 04.2019
Chef/Caterer
Meals by Jaz
01.2014 - 10.2022
Chef Certification,NYC Food Handlers Licence,Serv Safe Managers Certification - Culinary training
SBJC
01.2009 - 02.2010
Chef
Mark Father and Chef Dennis Williams Private Catering Company
01.2009 - 02.2010
Food Service Worker (Seasonal)
Citi Field
02.2008 - 09.2008
Dietary Aide
Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
07.2007 - 10.2008
Some College (No Degree) - Human Services
Metropolitan College of New York
01.2007 - 12.2007
Dietary cook/Evening Supervisor
Beverly health care of Gettysburg
11.2005 - 06.2006